Knox House - Table of Contents
Knox House
- Table of Contents
EXTERIOR
Grace Millard Knox House / Montefiore Club / Computer
Task Group / Cellino Law
800 Delaware
Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y.
| Erected: | 1915-1918 |
| Architect: | Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert
( C. P. H. Gilbert) |
| Style: | French
Renaissance style |
| Status: |
Unless indicated otherwise, 2002 Photos
"In 1915, the widow of Seymour H. Knox announced that she would build a residence costing one million dollars on property she had purchased on Delaware Avenue north of Summer Street. The new house in the French Baroque style was designed by New York City architect Charles Pierrepont H. Gilbert and replaced an older Italianate house that stood on the property.
"Mrs. Knox had decided to build her home next to the rambling stone mansion at 786 Delaware that Edward B. Green had designed in 1913 for Stephen M. Clement, the president of the Marine National Bank."
-- Francis R. Kowsky, "Delaware Avenue," in The Grand American Avenue 1850-1920. San Francisco: Pomegranate Artbooks, 1994
In 1978 Computer Task Group purchased the Knox mansion from the Montefiore Club for $13 million to serve as its new headquarters. ... CTG petitioned the City to change the number from 806 to to 800 Delaware Avenue.
Facade
2015 photo ... Two-story French Renaissance style house built with a "U" shaped plan. ... Each group of windows is centered in its own section of the exterior. .... The mansion's exterior, with its park-like setting, evokes images of the country. Unlike most houses, it opened out onto sprawling, wooded lawns instead of the street. ... Facade details below, starting at the left:
Left and center bays ... Projecting left pavilion borders a central bank of windows and French doors, leading to a low terrace and the front yard ... In an era when there were more trees than cars, the Delaware Avenue side of the house offered the perfect location for parties ... Many rooms in the house have a gas fireplace. ... Heat for the house was piped from the garage at the rear to assure cleanliness. Requirements were from one to two tons of coal a day.
Left and center bays ... Entablatured chimney ... Double-vase balusters ... Modilllions ... Dentil molding ... Egg-and-dart molding
Left bay, second story and balustraded parapet ... Shouldered surround of French doors and balconet
Left bay, first story ... Balconet ... Transom windows ... French doors ... Side lights ... Window head entablature supported by end ancones
Left bay, first story ... Window head entablature supported by end ancones ... Rinceau and beads
Center bay ... Two details below:
Center bay ... Guests could wander from the music room through the French doors onto the terrace ... Keystone and fanlight in door surrounds ... Balustrade features single-vase balusters
Center bay ... Keystone in the shape of an ancone
Right bay / pavilion ... Two balconets ... French doors
Right bay / pavilion second story ... Transom windows above French doors ... Note window shoulders
Detail of center steps: S scroll with acanthus leaf and urn
North elevation
East (facade) and north elevation ... With the facade kept as a pure garden front, the main entrance is on the side of the building
North elevation ... East (facade) and north elevation
Historic photo showing the original marquee over the main entrance
North elevation .. The driveway gives immediate access to the main entrance. In the early 20th century visitors disembarked from their "new" automobiles or carriages and entered the building under a marquee (a permanent canopy often of metal and glass projecting over an entrance) ... The marquee was used instead of a porte-cochere, sheltering guests from inclement weather ... Under the Montefiore Club's ownership the marquee, an original architectural feature, was removed. ... North elevation details below:
North elevation, top of first story ... Single vase balusters ... Vitruvian wave is also found on the interior of the house
North elevation ... Above the main entrance doors ... Note shoulders on door surrounds ... Balconet with balustrades ... Vitruvian wave ... Pilasters
North elevation ... Spandrels ... Glass paneled doors with ornamental cast iron ... Balustraded balconet above ... Flanking pilasters
North elevation ... Spandrels ... Ancone-shaped keystone ... Rinceau
North elevation ... Round window with carved keystone in molded surround ... Cornice window head supported by ancones
North elevation ... Chimney ... Modillions ... Dentils ... Egg-and dart
North elevation, second story ... Entablature at top of surround ... Corbels underneath
North elevation, first story ... Rounded, arcaded windows with pilasters
Directly opposite the main entrance on the other side of the driveway
