Wright's Ennis-Brown House in Danger

Trust for Preservation of Cultural Heritage

An undated photo shows the rear of Frank Lloyd Wright's Brown-Ennis House in Los Angeles.

The Ennis-Brown House, Frank Lloyd Wright's striking concrete-block aerie in the Hollywood Hills, is at risk of falling prey to the catastrophic mudslides that have swept trees and homes from hillsides around Los Angeles.

Rain from a series of strong storms has left much of Southern California drenched with water and vulnerable to mudslides. Geologists say that even if the heavy rains cease, the region could remain in danger of a massive soil shift for months.

City officials pronounced the house in danger after observing a partially crumbled wall on Saturday. It has since been upgraded to cautionary status, but the house remains at risk. The 1924 structure, perched dramatically on a hillside, has been in several films, from The House on Haunted Hill to Blade Runner and Black Rain.

The Ennis-Brown House, run by the non-profit Trust for Preservation of Cultural Heritage since 1980, is in need of renovations that would cost more than $12 million, according to the trust.