One of the first International Style residences in the state, the house was designed by Modernist architect John Becker for insurance executive Frederick Rauh and his wife, Harriet. Both architect and client were part of a dynamic community that advocated for the arts, civil rights, the benefits of contact with nature and the thoughtful treatment of food. In fact, later in life Becker retired from architecture and joined his wife, Marion Rombauer Becker, as an editor of her best-selling cookbook, The Joy of Cooking.

The Rauh family remained in the house until the early 1960s. During the real estate boom of the mid-2000s, the land was platted for building lots and the house, stripped and left empty, almost demolished as a “teardown.” Two demolition permits were secured by the owner/developer, both of which expired.

Through local and national media, Cincinnati Preservation, local Modernist advocates and preservation-minded neighbors drew attention to the house’s plight. Frederick and Harriet Rauh’s daughter, Emily Rauh Pulitzer, who grew up in the house, became aware of the situation. She purchased the house and complete site in 2010 as the development failed. The house and land were given to Cincinnati Preservation in 2011, along with funds for a complete restoration. 

The restoration of the Rauh House was a daunting effort presenting many technical challenges. The house sat vacant for five years with a failing flat roof, resulting in structural deterioration, ceiling collapse, water damage and mold infestation. Restoration began in 2010 with extensive mold remediation, followed by structural stabilization.