Morris (1954)

Cleveland Hts, OH

Pictures

Exterior Front

source: Elinor Morris

Exterior other

source: Elinor Morris; current occupants

Interior

Dining room

source: Elinor Morris

Online coverage

Media:

Real estate sites:

  • Zillow: Gives a good sense of the current state of the home.

  • Realtor.com: This gives some sense of the interim disrepair.

Story

This was the first house that Bill designed. It was for his parents, Robert and Elinor Morris. Bill also helped to build the house, mentored by the master carpenter Jim Fahnestock.

Robert Morris lived there until his death in 1980, and Elinor remained until 1995. The house passed through several owners after that, fell into disrepair, and was almost demolished. In 2012 it was purchased by the newly hired director of the Cleveland Art Museum and restored. It was sold again to the current occupants in 2014, who have undertaken extensive remodeling of the interior and exterior spaces.

Dennis (1957)

Beachwood, OH

Hill (1958)

Chardon, OH
Current occupants: Joe and Mary Ellen Sweet and their 6 children

Pictures

Exterior

source: Mary Ellen Sweet

Interior

Transitions

source: Mary Ellen Sweet

Rooms

source: Mary Ellen Sweet

Kitchen

source: Mary Ellen Sweet

Story

This home was designed for Edwin and Mary Hill, probably while Bill was working in Bruce Houston’s office. It was first professional job as an architect, and his first house designed for a (non-family) client.

The current occupants purchased the house from the Hill’s daughters. They invited Bill over shortly after moving in.

From Mary Ellen Sweet:

“I love our house…every angle, window, and triangle. …it’s a wonderful house to raise our 6 children. Your father created a beautiful home!”

Morris (1961)

South Euclid, OH

Pictures

These are scans of a Cleveland Plain Dealer article.

Page 1

source: Martina Morris

Page 2

source: Martina Morris

Story

This was Bill’s own home, and he lived here with his first wife, Regina for seven years. The house was on a floodplain (Euclid Creek) and it flooded … repeatedly. They had an earthen dike built for protection, and he build a raised addition with a kitchen, dining room, bathroom and bedroom. The dining room opened out onto a large raised deck (of equal size) with a cutout for an existing tree, and beams carrying through from the inside out.

The house continued to flood every 5 years or so, as the creek overtopped the dam, or found its way through a neighbor’s property.

Regina remained there until her death in 2007.

Telling (1962)

Chardon, OH

Pictures

Not available

Story

Unknown

Slifka (1963)

Walton Hills, OH

Pictures

Not available

Story

Unknown

Meisel (1964)

Pepper Pike, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: Martina Morris

Interior

source: Cleveland Jewish News (see online refs)

Drawing

source: Cleveland Goes Modern (Gibans)

Online resources:

Media coverage:

Story:

This house was originally built for Barbara and Stanley Meisel. Stanley and Bill had been friends since junior high school.

The current occupants have been there since 2003.

Hale (1965)

Moreland Hills, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: Cleveland Goes Modern (Gibans)

Interior

Not yet available

Online resources

Media coverage:

Real estate sites:

Zillow

Story

This is one of Bill’s most iconic houses. Built on stilts above a floodplain of the Chagrin River, it has almost as much space in exterior decks as interior rooms.

This home, like the one he designed for his parents, was sold several times and fell into disrepair. It was purchased in 2014 by the current owner, and has been beautifully restored.

Shipley (1965)

Pepper Pike, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: Realtor

Interior

Not yet available

Online resources

Real estate sites:

realtor.com

Story

This house was orginally built for Elizabeth and Howard Shipley. Bill dropped in with Aimee and her friend Beverly sometime in the last 5 years.

Blonder (1965)

Pepper Pike, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: WBM files

Interior

Not yet available

Online resources

None found

Story

This house was originally designed for Mr. & Mrs. Erwin Blonder.

Wolfe (1966)

Chardon, OH

Pictures

Not available

Story

Unknown

Rubenstein (1966)

South Euclid, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: Martina Morris and WBM files

Interior

Not yet available

Online resources

Unknown

Story

This house was orginally built for Dr. Lee Rubenstein and his wife. The pool was built into a hillside, and that led to some problems… Bill’s daughters stopped in after he passed away.