Opposite page: Mid-century finds from Kansas City and beyond fill this historic home. Below: The furthest back part of the house is original and features many windows overlooking a serene, private back yard full of trees.
pleased to have the people traffic. They depend upon tours for income.” Recently, Burnett gave a 1st District tour to 40 Gordon Parks Elementary School teachers and when they passed the Sondern- Adler house, he told them, “If you ever want a tour, just walk up the driveway. Jim Blair will be glad to show you around.” Strangers often call Blair out of the blue and ask to tour his home. If possible, he allows it and he never charges a fee. “I like that people appreciate the house,” he says. Formerly, Blair served on the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Con- servancy in Chicago. “The goal of the building conservancy is that Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes stay as homes, not turn into museums. If a home is in danger, then a museum is a better alternative than tearing it down,” he says. “I hope this house always will be a single residency,” he adds. Then, unable to maintain his serious demeanor any longer, Blair throws his head back on the cushion of his beloved orange sofa. “Yeah,” he says, grinning. “It’s pretty cool living here!” Rhiannon Ross is freelance writer born and raised in the Ozarks. Her 1924 Kansas City apartment, with French doors and a Plaza view, is decorated with an oak Mission desk and chair, a Mid-century gold velvet sofa, and a vintage Remington typewriter. She is the former editor of our sister publication, Discover Vintage America. ^
A good steward Part of being the owner of a Frank Lloyd Wright house is good stew- ardship, which Blair exhibits throughout the year, says long-time neigh- bor and friend, Jackson County 1st District Legislator Scott Burnett. “Jim’s a great neighbor. He served as neighborhood president last year,” Burnett says. “He’s active in our clean-ups and our neighbor- hood activities.” Blair, he says, also shies away from modern technology. “He doesn’t use the Internet hardly at all and he has no cell phone. If you want to talk to him, you have to call his office phone.” (He owns a working, old-time, black telephone.) Burnett says the majority of parties that Blair throws are fundrais- ers for politicians or for events like the AIDS Walk. Blair also do- nates the use of his home for auctions, which have raised thousands of dollars for local charities. One year, Burnett organized a fund- raiser for Habitat for Humanity that included a tour of the Thomas Hart Benton home and studio. “A 104 people paid $50 each to attend the party and tour both homes,” Burnett says. “The Thomas Hart Benton folks were really
29 vintagekc fall 2016
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