The Crimson Beech

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.[2] It is the only residence designed by Wright in New York City and one of eleven Marshall Erdman Prefab Houses that were built.[3] The particular model is known as the Prefab #1.

Catherine and William Cass House
("The Crimson Beech")
General information
TypeHouse
Architectural styleUsonian
LocationStaten Island, New York
Coordinates40.575131°N 74.142319°W / 40.575131; -74.142319
Construction started1959
Governing bodyPrivate, designated a New York City landmark in 1990.[1]
Design and construction
ArchitectFrank Lloyd Wright

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.[4] All interior walls are paneled in Philippine mahogany, with raised horizontal bands set about a foot apart.[4]

The house is a long and low L shape, with wide hip roofs.[2] 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.[4] The roof is made of terne.[4]

At the time of construction, the components of the house cost $20,000 and assembly cost a further $35,000.[4] The house was declared a landmark in August 1990[1] and the original owners resided there until 1999 when it was sold. It remains in private hands.[3]

See also

References
  1. "The Crimson Beech (Cass House) (landmark designation report)" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  2. Bernstein, Fred A. (Dec 18, 2005). "Living With Frank Lloyd Wright". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  3. Hall, Trish (Oct 24, 1999). "Habitats/Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island; A Landmark 1959 Home With All the Wright Stuff". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  4. Kahn, Eve M. (Mar 24, 1988). "One Wright Dream on Staten Island". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25.


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