- The Crimson Beech
-
Catherine and William Cass House
("The Crimson Beech")
Shown within New York CityHouse information Location Staten Island, New York Coordinates 40°34′30″N 74°08′32″W / 40.575131°N 74.142319°WCoordinates: 40°34′30″N 74°08′32″W / 40.575131°N 74.142319°W Built 1959 Architect Frank Lloyd Wright Architectural style Usonian Governing body Private The Crimson Beech (also known as the Cass House) is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright located in the Lighthouse Hill neighborhood of the New York City borough of Staten Island. Its original owners, Catherine and William Cass, had it manufactured by Marshall Erdman in kit form in Madison, Wisconsin and shipped to Staten Island where it was erected in 1959.[1] It is the only residence designed by Wright in New York City and one of eleven Marshall Erdman Prefab Houses that were built.[2] The particular model is known as the Prefab #1.
The house features a combined kitchen and family room, a sunken living room with a cathedral ceiling, and a gallery that leads to four bedrooms.[3] All interior walls are paneled in Philippine mahogany, with raised horizontal bands set about a foot apart.[3]
The house is a long and low L shape, with wide hip roofs.[1] The exterior, red brick and largely clad in cream-colored Masonite, is similarly striped with redwood battens that emphasize the low-slung lines. The front of the house has one story, while the rear, because of the sloping site, has two.[3] The roof is made of terne.[3]
At the time of construction, the components of the house cost $20,000 and assembly cost a further $35,000.[3] The house was declared a landmark in August 1990 and the original owners resided there until 1999 when it was sold. It remains in private hands.[2]
References
- ^ a b Bernstein, Fred A. (Dec. 18, 2005). "Living With Frank Lloyd Wright". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/realestate/18habi.html. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ a b Hall, Trish (Oct. 24, 1999). "Habitats/Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island; A Landmark 1959 Home With All the Wright Stuff". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/24/realestate/habitats-lighthouse-hill-staten-island-landmark-1959-home-with-all-wright-stuff.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ^ a b c d e Kahn, Eve M. (Mar. 24, 1988). "One Wright Dream on Staten Island". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/24/garden/one-wright-dream-on-staten-island.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/H/Housing. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
External links
Categories:- Frank Lloyd Wright buildings
- Modernist architecture in New York
- Landmarks in New York City
- Houses in Staten Island
- New York City building and structure stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
