Doing it Wright.(Darwin Martin House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright)(Brief Article)

The Darwin Martin House shines again as luster of yesteryear returns

In a city loaded with architectural gems, few stand out like the Darwin D. Martin House.

The Jewett Avenue Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home is the regional centerpiece when it comes to architecture. The Martin House is not only a local focal point, it is an architectural calling card that gives Western New York as much of an identity -- at least in certain circles -- as Niagara Falls.

The house, which sits in the middle of a Wright-designed campus, routinely attracts visitors from North America, Europe and Asia. It's commonly featured in textbooks and articles, mainly because it is the best example of Wright's Prairie House design and also because it was one of the few times that the famed architect designed an entire campus around a house and not just a singular structure.

"The Darwin Martin House is an important international landmark," said Charles Banta, president of Mercury Capital Partners and immediate past president of the Martin House Restoration Corp. "It is an architectural icon."

Just a decade after the house stood in severe disrepair, it is coming back to life and will serve as the signature structure in an overall architectural and historical tour package that planners hope will attract thousands to the region.

"The house is a big part of what Buffalo is all about," said Richard Geiger, president of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau.