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, 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.
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-coloredMasonite, 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]
