Friday, June 6th, 2014
Media Contact: Reine Hauser
Media Contact info TODAY ONLY:
716/228-8355 or 716/947-9217
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff Unveils Two Latest Projects
For Immediate Release
(Buffalo, N.Y.) – On Friday, June 6th, 2014 at 10 am, the Graycliff Conservancy, Inc. will
formally unveil its recently two most recently completed projects: restoration of floors
in the Isabelle R. Martin House and installation of a new fire suppression system, as well
as upgrades for visitor readiness in the M&T Visitor Pavilion at Graycliff. Diane Schrenk,
President, will speak and unveil the projects.
Attending the unveiling will be: Lynn Marinelli, Western New York Director of
Intergovernmental Relations at Empire State Development, representing Governor
Andrew Cuomo; New York State Senator Mark Grisanti; NYS Assemblymen Michael
Kearns; Erie County Legislators Lynne Dixon, Patrick Burke and Barbara Miller Williams;
Noelle Kardos, from the NYS Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation; and
Town of Evans Planner Sandra Brant, and former NYS Senator William Stachowski.
Individuals representing the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, John R. Oishei Foundation,
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, the Hooper Family Foundation and
other notables will be in attendance.
In 1997, the Graycliff Conservancy was founded specifically to prevent the demolition of
the Graycliff Estate, which was designed by noted American architect Frank Lloyd
Wright. This community effort is now lauded nationally as a grass-roots success story.
During the last 15 years, the Conservancy has purchased the property, removed nonhistoric buildings and performed badly needed structural repairs to all three of the
Wright-designed buildings. It has completed the restoration of all building exteriors,
including the balconies, the roofs, the chimneys, the terraces, and each and every one of
the windows and doors. The first interior room of the Isabelle R. Martin House, the
Family Sun Porch, was completed within the last two years. Just last summer, the
Conservancy completed the first major stage of restoration of its 8.5 acre historic
landscape.
This celebration marks the Graycliff Conservancy’s most recent accomplishments. One such completed
project are updates to the M&T Visitor Pavilion at Graycliff, to better welcome the thousands of visitors
from all fifty states and every continent who tour Graycliff each year. Graycliff is considered a major
asset in the regional initiative for economic development through cultural and heritage tourism, and
these improvements will enhance the visitor experience. The second, and major project is the
completion of restoration of the entry way, living room and dining room floors, of the Isabelle R. Martin
House at Graycliff, as well as the installation of a state-of-the-art fire suppression system.
This project was far more complex than it may appear. During the late 1940s, while Graycliff was still
owned by the Martin Family, the wood living room floor collapsed due to moisture in the basement.
The Martin family replaced the wood floor with concrete plank flooring. During the years the Piarist
Fathers were in residence, they covered the dining room floor with linoleum, affixed with adhesive.
Once the Conservancy began to restore the site, the dirt basement floor was removed, and both
drainage and a new concrete floor were installed in the basement, to resolve moisture issues. The
linoleum flooring in the dining room was removed, leaving a thick residue of black adhesive.
With moisture problems resolved, it was now safe to painstakingly remove the concrete planks, and
restore them to restore the original cypress floor. The unsightly adhesive in the dining room was also
carefully removed, exposing the original wood floors, which were then restored as well.
Also part of this project, the Graycliff Conservancy installed a large portion of a new, state-of-the-art fire
suppression system. This system relies on a mist of water to extinguish flames in the event of fire, rather
than the gallons of water that a more traditional system employs. This water misting fires suppression
system is being used at Graycliff, the first time it is being used in Western New York. Another portion of
the system is already protecting the Foster House at Graycliff.
Restoration of the floors and installation of the fire suppression system in the Isabelle R. Martin House
at Graycliff have been made possible through the generosity of:
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The State of New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the entire New York State
Legislature, particularly Senator Mark Grisanti
The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation
And the Hooper Family Foundation
The Conservancy is also grateful to CJS Architects and BRD Construction, which were responsible for the
superb workmanship in executing this project.
The Graycliff Conservancy also wishes to thank the following for their donation of labor and materials
for increased visitor readiness at Graycliff: Uniland Development for design services and paint; Alpha
Contract Flooring for carpeting and restroom flooring, both labor and materials; CATCO and Merk
Blasting for updates to the parking lot.
Photos are available on request.