Frank Lloyd Wright is considered as the most famous and influential architect in American history with architectural movements inspired by his work like the Guggenheim Museum and the Falling Water House. Another one of his designs is the Massaro House, which is sadly not recognized by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, is now on the market again priced at $9.95 million.
The property rests on the 10.37-acre Petra Island with a 8,415-square-foot main house and a 1,200-square-foot guest house. The main house has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, with an additional two bedrooms and two bathrooms at the guest house. The property also boasts of a second guest house, a tea house, a beach, a dock and a helipad. The interiors has a large fireplace in the room jutting out over the water and five other fireplaces. It also has grouped skylights, built-in furniture, natural boulders, air conditioning, radiant heat and the safety feature of chimney caps.
The Massaro house on Lake Mahopac is under Margaret Harrington and Monica Webster of Douglas Elliman as the island’s listing agents.
Upon entry into the house, you are welcomed by this foyer that has glass doors, glass ceiling, a rustic wooden bench and boulders by the wooden table bearing a flower vase. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The living room has multiple cushioned leather arm chairs facing the stone fireplace with a stone mosaic wall that extends to the built-in wooden bookshelves. These are complemented by the terracotta flooring. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. At the far edge of the living room is the sun room with glass walls, glass windows and glass doors surrounding the elongated area with a built-in cushioned bench on one side and a large fireplace on the far end. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the family room area with a wall lined with built-in cushioned wooden bench, terracotta flooring, a small built-in table topped with floating shelves and a thick pillar with textured rock accents. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the formal dining room with a large wooden L-shaped wooden dining table surrounded by matching wooden chairs and topped with a wrought-iron chandelier. On the side is a large fireplace and a set of glass doors leading to the terrace. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The kitchen has wooden cabinetry lining the walls complemented by gray concrete countertops and red subway tiles on the backsplash. There is also a big piece of boulder at the far corner used as part of the kitchen. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The bedroom has a wooden platform bed that matches the tone of the wooden walls, wooden bedside drawers, wooden ceiling, wooden frames of the glass doors leading to the balcony and a wooden built-in desk. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This other bedroom has a small bed flanked by a built-in wooden headboard with a table and built-in wooden desk topped with a row of windows. These are then complemented by the boulder on the wall. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The bathroom has a wooden vanity with drawers and cabinet and a wooden counter topped with a large mirror. Next to it is the glass-enclosed shower area with textured boulder accents on the far wall. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. 
This is a front view of the guest house with terracotta steps and patio, glass doors and glass windows supported by stone mosaic walls. complemented by the surrounding landscape of grass and trees. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is a closer look at the guest house terracotta flooring patio and the glass doors that are supported by wooden frames and beams. On the side is a potted plant by the glass windows. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the interior of the guest house with a terracotta flooring, a tall wooden arched ceiling with beams, a large fireplace and a long built-in cushioned bench on the side under the windows. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the terrace of the main house with potted plants and an outdoor dining set of wooden dining table surrounded by wooden folding chairs on the terracotta flooring and has a view of the water. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The patio area has wooden lounge chairs with a freestanding fire pit adorned by the boulder water fountain by the view of the water. on the side is a wooden bench by the boulder wall. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the helipad of the house on the concrete rooftop area with a view of the surrounding water. You can also see here the chimney caps installed for safety. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is a look at the side of the house with a set of terracotta steps leading down to the dock area with enough area for a boat and a jet ski on the side. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the beach area of the island with a wooden lounge chair facing the water by the hammock that was installed in the middle of two trees. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is an aerial view of the house focusing on the balcony floating over the water with lounges and chairs on a terracotta flooring warmed by the fireplace. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is an aerial view of the house showcases the opposite side of the dock with a wall of boulders and glass windows lining the upper level of the house with a glimpse of the rooftop area. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is a bird’s eye view of the main house and the guest house showcasing terracotta flooring, concrete rooftop, glass ceiling and a unique design and shape to the house. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is an aerial view of the house including the island filled with tall and thick trees surrounded by the lake. You can also see here the floating balcony over the water and the rooftop. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is a far-off view showcasing the whole lake and how the island of the house stands in the middle with a glimpse of the house exterior against the green landscapeof the island. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
All photos are used with permission from TopTenRealEstateDeals.com
The most famous architect in American history, Frank Lloyd Wright designed over 1,000 structures, including Fallingwater, Johnson Wax Headquarters, and the Guggenheim Museum. Roughly 50 miles north of New York City in the middle of Lake Mahopac on its own island, there is a stunning house cantilevered over the water that has had its share of controversy over whether or not it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Originally listed in 2012 at $20 million, it is back on the market priced at $9.95 million.
Known as the Massaro House, the original owner of the island, Ahmed Chahroudi, engaged Wright in 1950 to draw the plans of the main house and guest house. When they were completed, Chahroudi realized the cost to build was far over his $50,000 budget, so he had only the 1,200-square-foot guest house built. The plans were passed on to the next owner, Joseph Massaro, who purchased the island in 1996 for $700,000.
Massaro wanted to build the main house but didn’t care for some elements in the plans. The Frank Lloyd Wright foundation required $450,000 to rework the plans and supervise the construction in order to certify the house under the Wright name. This was untenable to Massaro, so he hired Thomas A. Heinz, an architect-contractor and Wright historian to do the house instead.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation took Massaro to court obtaining a judgment that he was only allowed to describe the main house design as “Wright inspired,” though the guest house was an original Wright.
Built in 2007 on the 10.37-acre Petra Island, the 8,415-square-foot house has four bedrooms and two baths, between it and the guesthouses there are six bedrooms and four baths. Also on the property is the original 1950 Wright-certified guest house, a second guest house, tea house, beach, dock, and helipad. Many Wright features are immediately recognized such as the large fireplace in the room jutting out over the water (there are six fireplaces in all), grouped skylights, built-in furniture, close to nature with the house built around and including boulders, and the use of wood throughout the home.
Changes that Massaro made were adding air conditioning and radiant heat and the safety feature of chimney caps, which Wright detested. Massaro also removed a stairwell that ran from the deck to the shore. Wright’s designs would not pass today’s building codes as initially drawn.
Used as a private getaway or for holding events, the island is only 50 miles from Manhattan and can be accessed by car, boat, and helicopter. Lake Mahopac is a 587-acre lake to enjoy fishing, boating, jet skis, and wave runners with skating and iceboating in the winter. A number of the island’s residents commute to Manhattan.
Margaret Harrington and Monica Webster of Douglas Elliman are the island’s listing agents.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Source: www.elliman.com
