Watching the River Flow
By Elizabeth Licata
This gracious riverside house in Grand Island used to be called “Cranehurst.” It was designed in 1903 by well-regarded Buffalo architects Esenwein and Johnson—who also built the Calumet Building, the Niagara Mohawk Tower and Lafayette High School, among other commissions. Cranehurst was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Herman T. and Margaret Bush Loomis Koerner, who also had a city residence on Summer St. in Buffalo.
The rustic, lodge-like exterior of the house—as well as its idyllic location—caught the attention of the current owners three years ago when they purchased the property. Since then, they’ve been busy restoring the interior and hope to complete the exterior landscaping this summer.
Original American Chestnut wood paneling, beams, and crown molding are among the most distinctive features of the house. The original wood finishes have been completely restored by the owners, except in the large dining room, which is painted off-white for a more formal, lighter feeling. Other original features include quarter-sawn oak hardwood floors, large skylights (now fitted with stained glass), and pebble dash stucco ceilings—echoing the use of pebble-dash stucco on the exterior walls. Outside, irregularly-shaped “clinker bricks”—hard-fired in a coke over—are used on the lower half of the house and the chimney, some of which have been arranged to create two big “K’s” on the lower chimney.
Other touches giving this house its unique personality include wrought iron gates (originally from Forest Lawn) leading to the enclosed patio, original transoms over the second floor doors, the original pool table and built-in fittings, and a bowling alley in the basement. Clearly, this was a house built for family relaxation.
The current owners have chosen an eclectic mix of period furnishings and contemporary pieces to complete the decoration. First, architect Andrea Rebeck researched the architectural history to make sure the restorations were accurate. Then, design consultant Claudia Cairns worked with the owners to advise them on colors, fabrics, and other style elements. Artist Susie Herdst painted a mural to accent a bay overlooking the river in the living room, and, finally, the owners’ eccentric collection of Niagara River and Falls artwork, including paintings by area artist Daniel Predmore, complement the house’s waterside position.
Many houses on the Niagara River in Grand Island were moved back from the water to accommodate the parkway, making this house’s location and view all the more treasured by its owners. Indeed, there is no escaping the mighty Niagara here—it can be seen from many of the rooms, including a window-lined sleeping porch on the second floor. When the owners finish restoring the large dock in front of the house, and add a flagstone terrace, the house will once again include the river, rather than simply overlook it.
Elizabeth Licata is editor of Buffalo Spree.
Back to the Table of Contents
Back to Top
|
