Rein (1973)

Pepper Pike, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: Martina Morris

Interior

None available.

Online resources

None found

Story

This house was originally designed for Mr. & Mrs. William Rein.

It was purchased from the Reins by the current owners, the two families were friends.

Aimee and Martina visited the day after Bill passed, with a little help from Ken Diener to find the location. The current occupants invited them in and gave a lovely tour of the home. It has a walk thru 8 ft high fireplace between the dining area and the sunken living room.

Driscoll (1973)

Moreland Hills, OH

Original owners still occupy the residence

Pictures

Exterior

(coming soon)

source: Martina Morris

Interior

(coming soon)

Story

The house was originally designed for Dr Thomas Driscol and his wife Barb.

Barb writes:

"Dear Martina: I am so sorry to hear of your father’s death. My family has enjoyed his architectural creativity for almost 50 years and I continue to live in the house designed/built in 1973. It still looks modern after almost 50 years! And, it has been an absolute pleasure to live here.

Not only was your father an imaginative architect but he listened to our ideas and captured them completely in the design of the house. There was only one change we made in his original drawings. When he showed us the model, I said, “Bill, I could just kiss you and I did!” I think he was delighted by our pleasure."

Willen (1973)

Akron, OH

Pictures

Exterior

source: realtor.com

source: WBM files

Interior

source: WBM files ____

Drawings

source: WBM files ____

Online resources

Real estate sites:

Story

This house was orginally built for Mr & Mrs Stuart Willen. It was just purchased by Robert Nero in August 2021, not quite two weeks after Bill passed away.

Bobby writes:

“I’m excited to share your dads magnificent work with others. I’d be happy to share some photos of the house with others and please pass my contact info along to the others in the Akron area. Excited to be apart of the future tour and I’m excited to breath new life into the work of art your dad designed.”

Leach (1973)

North Madison, OH

House was demolished after the property was sold to the Holden Arboretum.

Pictures

We have one picture sent from the Arboretum. We are hoping there are more to be found.

Letter from David to Bill

Online resources

The property is now the David G. Leach Research station, and is used to carry on Leach’s rhododendron breeding. It is owned and managed by the Holden Arboretum. More information can be found in the articles below:

Story

This home was originally designed for David Leach. It stood on a 30 acre property that Leach used to grow, hybridize and test rhododendrons.

Bill was completely enchanted by David and his work. And David was equally fond of Bill.

Harlan (1974)

Kettering, OH

Pictures

We just have a picture of the entrance from Google street view

Online resources

None known.

Story

This house was originally build for Mr and Mrs Norman Harlan.

Zingale (1975)

Gates Mills, OH

Pictures

None available

Story

This house was originally designed for Joe and Mary Jo Zingale.

The current occupant writes:

We love the house and have lived here for nearly twenty years now. The Zingale Family lived here for ten years. They sold it to Joel and Susan Metzenbaum Hyatt who also loved the house and lived here for 10 years. We bought it from the Hyatts in 2002.

Shortly after we moved into the house, we hosted a small luncheon for your father and the Zingales and the Hyatts. We had a wonderful time telling stories about the house and learning about the original plans and design. It was a real pleasure to meet your dad, and we have taken pride in knowing we are in a home he designed.

I think you are absolutely right about the people who live in Bill’s homes feeling a “connection”. Certainly for us, the mutual interest in our home has created a warm friendship with Mary Jo Zingale (and Joe before he died) and with the Hyatts as well.

Barenholtz (1977)

Ft. Meyers, FL

House demolished

Pictures

(Coming soon)

Story

This house was originally designed for Manny Barenholtz. Bill had been working with Manny on Walden for about a decade at this point.

Bord (1978)

Bath Township, OH

Pictures

None available

Story

This house was originally designed for Mr and Mrs William Bord. It is possible they still reside there.

Weiss (1978)

Moreland Hills, OH

Pictures

None available

Story

This was an addition, originally designed for Dr and Mrs Philip Weiss. They still reside there.

From the Weiss family:

"We have both wonderful memories of the times we worked with him and the ongoing pleasure of living in the home he designed for us.

In the late 1970s we were living in a two bedroom ranch in a wooded area in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. My wife heard Bill speak at an event sponsored by the Cleveland Orchestra Junior Women’s Committee. With two young children sharing a bedroom, we wanted more bedroom space. Meetings followed and he asked us what we really wanted in a new home. My wife answered: “A cabin in the woods”. Since 1979 we have been living in that cabin and have enjoyed every day.

The second story we added has a master bedroom which is a loft over the living room & dining room and has a view of the forest in the back. Two kid’s rooms are also on the second floor with a small bathroom in-between. Each kid’s room has it’s own loft which they loved and their children loved to play in as well."

Toth (1979)

Howland, OH

Pictures

None available

Story

This house was originally designed for Mr & Mrs Robert Toth.