In 1999 the A. Conger Goodyear House, a seminal work by Edward Durell Stone, was in danger of demolition. The 1938 residence, inspired by elements of the International Style and some of Frank Lloyd Wright's approaches to building, had fallen into the hands of a Long Island developer with plans to subdivide the property. By 2001, the company had applied to the town’s board of historic review for a permit to demolish the house.

Recognizing the architectural significance of the property and the danger posed to it by development, Caroline Zaleski at the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities nominated the property to the League’s 2000 Seven to Save list. It was the first effort to publicly support the property’s survival. In late 2001, the World Monuments Fund joined the effort to preserve the property by added it to its 100 Most Endangered Sites listing for 2002.

The Preservation League, along with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and members of the Museum of Modern Art, sent letters to the mayor urging that the pending demolition be halted. On October 23, 2001 the World Monuments Fund won a temporary restraining order for the demolition of the house until all parties could be present in court. Three days later, all plaintiffs in attendance, they went before a State Supreme Court Judge to come up with a resolution. Although not listed as a local landmark or on the National Register of Historic Places at the time, it was the League's and WMF’s listing that gave the property credibility. By noon on the same day, an agreement had been reached that pending purchase, the building would not be demolished. With funding provided by the Barnett and Annaless Newman Foundation, purchase was finalized in December of 2001.SPLIA held the title and would manage the site.WMF provided expertise and funding for the restoration.

The tripartite effort by the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, the Preservation League, and the World Monuments Fund resulted in resounding success. It is through preservation partnerships like these that change can be leveraged. In recognition of this collaborative success the Preservation League honored SPLIA and WMF in 2003 with an Excellence in Historic Preservation Award for “Organizational Excellence.” This same year, the property was listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places, an honor further signifying the property's importance and confirming SPLIA’s initial lobbying.

Due to heightened publicity and exposure to a wider international market, in July of 2005 a private buyer was found. An historic preservation easement was placed on the building and grounds restricting the property from future demolition and stipulating that there be no future additions.