| Catherine and William Cass House ("The Crimson Beech") | |
|---|---|
 | |
    | |
| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Usonian |
| Location | 48 Manor Court, Staten Island, New York City, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°34′30″N74°08′32″W / 40.575131°N 74.142319°W |
| Construction started | 1959 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Designated | August 14, 1990 |
| Reference no. | 1773 |
The Crimson Beech (also known as the Cass House) is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at 48 Manor Court in the Lighthouse Hill neighborhood of Staten Island in New York City. [1] Its original owners, Catherine and William Cass, ordered a kit house from Marshall Erdman in Madison, Wisconsin; the kit was shipped to Staten Island where it was assembled in 1959. [2] It is the only residence designed by Wright in New York City and one of eleven Marshall Erdman Prefab Houses to be built. [3] 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. [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]
