9 years later...

Wow, it's been a while.  A few photos of changes.  

Guest bath before.  Still had the original plastic shower surround.  Original Kohler cast iron tub.  We could not even replace this tub, the room was built around it and the doorway is too small to fit anything through.  Considering reglazing but still on the fence.

Guest bath after.  New tiles, fixtures, quartz countertop.  Need to redo the acid-stained floor.  I did that when we first moved in and it needs to be redone and resealed.

Went with a clear shower curtain and funky hooks from Quiet Town.  This bathroom is pretty dark with all of the wood and we needed to get light into this alcove tub/shower.

Master bath before

Master bath in progress.  Apparently I never took After photos.   Love that we were able to use authentic terrazzo tile from Wausau Tile.  Quartz counter, rebuilt vanity, Toto toilet, Kohler and Hans Grohe fixtures.

We had some more reno plans that were thwarted by the necessity of two new A/Cs.  Hate spending money on something I cannot see but a high performing air conditioner is a non-negotiable in Arizona.  We went with Bosch variable speed heat pump inverter units.  So far, so good.

The Article

In reviewing my much-neglected blog, I realized I never did post the article. So here it is. All about Fred Griffin, Architect.

Frederick Griffin; The Forgotten Modernist

Funny Details

He had his stove burners inset into the formica counter top. There are still burn marks on the wood. As much as I would like a brand new kitchen, somehow I would hate to part with these characteristics and clues of the past. (We keep a giant cutting board on the counter to cover these holes)

New Details!

I was researching like a mad woman this weekend and found out there has been another owner of our home. I was completely floored that I could've missed that!

Fred Griffin 1959-1962

H.S. and Barbara Lauer: March 9, 1962 – January 27th, 1966

L Edward Eisele Jr: January 27th, 1966 – April 26th, 1993

Harmona Conradine Ugard (and Bruce Ugard): April 26th, 1993 - February 28th, 2002

Us: February 28th, 2002 - until death do us part :)

I have an unhealthy attachment to this home, I love it so much and feel so strongly that we are meant to be here.

We found this house by accident. We had an appointment with our realtor, who was late. We were supposed to be viewing the little house across the street with the retro screen block.

We were parked perfectly next to the "For Sale" sign of the Griffin House, such that it wasn't visible. Jeff noticed a crazy black wood fence, really funky design. He walked over to look at it and noticed the For Sale sign and flyers. In reading the flyer, we knew we had to have this house. Our agent phoned as we stood outside hoping to get in. They told us no, it would have to be another day.

The wait was awful, I think it was several days, before we were allowed to come back. We wrote a full offer within an hour of leaving.

Even with all of the problems and money sunk into this place, we love it and feel so lucky to be here.

Finding Fred

We spent last weekend in Carefree looking for information on Fred Griffin.

On Saturday, we drove the winding desert roads looking for the "Weekend House" we have a clipping about. We were also hoping to find the commercial property advertised as The Andre Building. After striking out, we went to the Sundial Plaza listed on the matchbook to poke around. My husband wandered into a real estate office and showed them the articles we had printed out; the gentleman working said we should come back on Sunday, that surely the owner knew him.

We returned on Sunday to look for the residence that Fred lived in at the time of his passing. I was really hoping for his piece de resistance. Not to be. It was a burnt sienna stucco home.

We drove over to the real estate office again and met a great gal named Tara. She knew Fred! I was so excited to speak to someone who knew him! She gave us leads on a couple homes that she thought were his designs and suggested we come back at noon to speak to Harry, who knew Fred better.

We drove around some more to burn a couple hours. Jeff used to work for Paul & Jean Lipman, it was his first introduction to fine art and contemporary architecture. He still tells me stories about that amazing house built into the boulders, we found the driveway but it's tucked up into the rocks and thus not visible.

We finally headed back over to speak to Harry, he had some good stories but emphasized he didn't really know Fred personally, just as a business associate. Tara shared a fabulous round design of Fred's that they called "The Carousel House". We drove by that one as well, it was built into a depression so was somewhat difficult to see from the street. The aerial is much cooler.


View Larger Map

It was a very exciting weekend, but somehow melancholy as well. I wish I could've met him.

I was searching for Fred Griffin on eBay the other day, and look what I found from a seller in Washington!

Obituary of John M. Griffin, Fred's father

Finally - a photo!  (Thank you, Walt!)

The flurry of recent activity on this blog is a result of excitement! There is an author, Walt Lockley, writing an article about our own Fred Griffin. He has uncovered some fantastic details about Mr Griffin's history in the valley, fascinating stories surrounding some of the homes he has built and uncanny details about his life and the personal connection to my history, as well. Stay tuned!

Griffin House for Dr. Otto Bendheim

6111 No. Palo Cristi Rd., Paradise Valley, built in 1963 for Dr. Otto Bendheim.

Dr. Bendheim was the pioneer of "psychiatric autopsies" and the founder of the first private psychiatric hospital in Arizona, Camelback Hospital.  Dr Bendheim even worked with Winnie Ruth Judd, "The Trunk Murdress".

This home was listed and sold by Cionne McCarthy of Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty.  ww.CionneMcCarthy.com  She was kind enough to share her photos with me, however I cannot get them to upload.  The photo below is from her original MLS.

This home shares a lot of characteristics with ours: custom lighting above the soffits, soffits that become a design element of the home, a pond, a Sumac that hangs over the front entry, wood walls, built-in banquets, shelves and display nooks.  The home is/was beautifully preserved (lived in by original owner) until it was sold last year, not sure what renovations have been done by now, though.

Another Griffin find!

Wow, look at this one!  http://dwellarizona.com/blog/100-years-arizona

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://dwellarizona.com/idx/mls-4673711-



View Larger Map

Touring a Griffin

So, in my last post I shared an aerial of an address found in an article about a Fred Griffin home.  Since that post, I have been so fortunate to have toured the home.  The first Griffin home I have been in, except ours.  However, once we arrived at the address, I realized it was not the aerial I have on this blog.  I just checked Google maps again and this time it is showing me a different address?   http://goo.gl/maps/SKVA6

We actually drove by the home in the prior post and it looks like it could be a Griffin as well.

The gracious homeowners who showed us around are lucky enough to have the original plans to their home!  It seems the property may have, at one time, been part of the adjacent parcel - similar architecture, and there was originally a bridge over the arroyo connecting the properties.

A few similarities were the trees hiding the front door, a built-in planter inside the front door, the metal details in the same pattern as ours, great storage.

Huge glass windows, planters and louvers

Cool louvers

Amazing original sink and fixture.  The owner said the entire house was painted white (even tiling!) when they purchased.

Beautiful curved wall and block pattern

What a view!

There's that metal pattern again :)

Same metal pattern as we have, although I believe he had this gate fabricated to match the existing metal work.

Same metal pattern as we have

This used to be planter

Griffin House for Mr & Mrs. Ralph Peterson

View Larger Map

Another Fred Griffin find

AZ Republic circa 1955 Sun Living section

Sent to me by our friends over at http://www.modernphoenix.net/

Trees...and the anxiety-ridden day

Large Eucaluptus BEFORE

Large Eucalyptus AFTER

Going up...

Still going...

Sigh. I truly hate having the trees done.  And I am hard to please.  Overall they did a really nice job though I did have to keep running out and micromanaging.  I hate being like that. 

The Cypress and Natal Plum, that were once taller than me, are now about 3 feet tall.  I guess they are used to pruning those down short but I really liked them large & unruly.  The Cypress had created an arch over our pathway and they removed the archway.  The Japanese Privet is another of my favorite trees in the yard, I repeatedly spoke to the owner about the fact the it was butchered and the canopy obliterated by the last tree guys.  We spoke about leaving the new buds/braches on the South alone so it can fill in.  Alas - they raped the poor tree.

Besides these issues, they did a really nice job.  I will hire them again and I do recommend them.  They were less "heavy-handed" than any other company I have hired.  I was distracted with Arizona Organic, the termite guys, while they were trimming and next time I will probably stand outside the entire time :)

Anxiety over tree trim day...

Have had a nagging feeling in my gut about removing the Eucalyptus. I just don't want to. Everything we initially fell in love with at this house has been torn out. The unique built-ins, twelve other trees, the pond, the interior planters. I simply don't want to take out more trees. I called the arborist & we will pow-wow first thing in the a.m.


On another note, I am so in love with this, it makes me smile and tear up

Getting the trees done...

Trees are scheduled for next Friday! Woot! We are feeding & trimming everything. We have to remove one large Eucalyptus because it's more than half dead but I have been assured that the other large Eucalyptus and Chinese Elm will fill in the gaping hole within the year. Really sad to remove yet another tree and hope its the right decision... Pics to follow.

Back to the punch list...

Electric, entire house rewire $16,000
Electric, rewire & move welder & plasma only $945
(found a fab electrician whom I trust,)

Trees, trim & feed $3180
(includes one Eucalyptus on deaths door)

April 3rd, 2011

Wall Update: got the wood ply installed. We had HD rip the sheets and Jeff had to do some routing. This job warranted finally purchasing a router - yippee!! Sanding + Wood Conditioner + Red Mahogany Stain. It's a dark bedroom but I think it matches. Jeff did a stellar job of fitting the panels tightly. Gotta admire the craftsmanship of Mr Griffin as we do these things - the home is pretty tight and with all wood, you cannot cover errors like one can with drywall.

Also moved some seedlings into the bed in front. We'll see...

There are 3 squash!

Reinsulating the guest room wall. We took a look at the plywood we had removed and have decided we will replace.

Ranuculus

Seedlings peeking thru - 6 days since planting

More Ranuculus

Planting another agave

Planting the "garden"

Artichoke, Spaghetti Squash, Boxwood Basil and Beefsteak Tomatoes.

It's been a while. Every time I head over to add a post, I look thru the recent history, end up bawling and leave the site. It's still extraordinarily difficult. I have to pay close attention to not dwell too long on memories of Leonard or I break down.


So, here we go.

Frederick Kirkwood Griffin was married to Ann J. Griffin


Mr Griffin was born July 16th, 1914 and passed away in October 1998 (I think).

Back in 2007, I sent a letter to a man I located through the internet, Frederick Griffin II living in Chandler, AZ. I sent copies of the newspaper articles I have about our house and asked if he could be related to the designer but alas, never a response.

I spoke to a local realtor who had met Mr. Griffin years back and this is what he shared, "I met Fred about what, 15 years ago??? Wow time flies...he's long passed away, I think it was about 2000.

At the time he owned Carefree Realty and was living up there. He had a little office near the Post office that Al Beadle redid. He and his wife worked together and I sold a house he designed and built: a really cool Hogan inspired place in Carefree ranch highlands, sadly now demolished.

His office was filled with drawings and renderings of his houses and designs, built and un-built. As nice a guy as you could meet. He was thrilled that I had interest in his work. I don't suppose his wife is still alive, but I'd love to get a look at his drawings again."


I wish I could locate Mr. Griffin's family....

On another note, have been documenting the MCMs in our neighborhood today.


Built 1959

Built 1955

Built 1975 (by our neighbor, Mike, who now lives up the street)

Built 1954 (cool transom windows in the carport)

Built 1955