Here’s an interesting question: Would a historical designation hinder or help the sale of a property? According to the Journal Gazette, Richard Herber, owner of the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Fort Wayne, Indiana (known as the John Haynes House), certainly believes that a designation hinders its appeal to potential buyers. He recently asked the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to remove it before he puts it on the market.
But the commission has denied his request, and preservationists are puzzled. Preservation specialist Paul Hayden thinks that the architect’s name alone should be a boon, and while not everybody is up for taking over a historic house, those who are interested know what they’re getting into. In other words, it’s all about how the property is marketed.
Herber, however, reasons that a de-listed home would "cast a wider net to the widest number of people," and that real estate agents "uniformly" told him that a designation would make it that much more difficult to sell the home, which is located at 3901 North Washington Road. He said that he would continue to refile his request (this was his second denial) until the commission came up with a different decision. Sounds like he needs to get new agents. Head on over to the Journal Gazette for the full story.