In the 1940s, engineer Ahmed Chahroudi commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build him a home overlooking the scenic Lake Mahopac, just 50 miles outside New York City. Wright first constructed a guest cottage while he worked on plans for a grand main residence, a building so spectacular it would rival his masterpiece, Fallingwater. Unfortunately, Wright died before these plans came to life. It took a few decades, but that main house was eventually built by the island's current owner, and you can go inside on a Wright Over Water Petra Island tour.
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On Petra Island, visitors can experience the 1950s Chahroudi Cottage—built during Wright's lifetime—and the Massaro House, the island's main residence constructed in the early 2000s. Tours are led by the Massaro family!
The Chahroudi Cottage is a charming three-bedroom structure nestled among the island's trees. It features a large main living space with a fireplace and windows that let light flood in from every angle. One of our favorite parts was the kitchen, where vibrant red vintage appliances sit in the glow of a colorful stained-glass window.
Steps away from the Chahroudi Cottage is the Massaro House, built for the island's current owner Joe Massaro in the early 2000s. When Massaro acquired the island in the 1990s, he also acquired Wright’s original drawings for the never-built main house.
Massaro hired architect and Wright historian Thomas Heinz to translate Wright's drawings into plans that could be used for construction. Contractor Lidia Wusatowska oversaw the crew who built it all. This was not an easy task. The team had to content with modern building codes, and the impracticability of being on island, while staying true to Wright's design principles and vision for this site. The end result is a stunning structure Wright that incorporates the island's natural rock formations right into the design.
The Massaro House features a gravity-defying cantilevered balcony that juts out over the lake, panoramic windows, a massive skylight, and even a helipad on the roof. Inside you'll find mahogany and redwood paneling, a red concrete floor, and custom-made rugs with patterns found in other Wright homes.
(Left) Courtesy of Petra Island Tours / Wright Over Water
You can see all the details and hear the construction story straight from Joe Massaro himself when you join a Wright Over Water Petra Island tour. The tour starts out with a scenic boat ride on Lake Mahopac, the only way to get to the island!
Wright Over Water - Petra Island Tours
🗓️ Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays 🕐 Multiple Times 🎟️ Includes round-trip scenic boat ride on Lake Mahopac
Go inside the historic Chahroudi Cottage and the posthumously constructed Massaro House with the Massaro family, the island's current owners!
