"The thing would have been 17 feet high," said Arnold Roy, vice president for facilities here at Taliesin West.

The hikes cost $12; the desert hike combined with a one-hour tour of Taliesin West costs $18.

Taliesin West, (602) 860-2700, is 20 miles north of Phoenix.

The city spent a further $600,000 on repairs, using original plans sent by the Wright Foundation at Taliesin West.

Now, those dwellings are open for tours as part of a visit to Taliesin West.

In 1937 Wright purchased the plot of desert land that would soon become Taliesin West.

With oversight from Taliesin West, excavation began in June, 1960.

In 1934, with the construction of Taliesin West, the architect made Arizona his winter home.

Taliesin West operates a lively and varied schedule of tours year-round, ranging from one to three hours.

Trouble had been brewing for some time at Taliesin West.