The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Courthouse Commons

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Institution Name: Gannon University
Original/Historic Place Name: Taylor House
Location on Campus: 150 W. 6th St.
Date(s) of Construction:

1888-1889

original construction Green & Wicks

Designer: Green & Wicks (Buffalo, NY)
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Romanesque revival, Victorian (Glossary)
Significance: architecture, history
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: stone

Walls: brick

Roof: slate; shingles

Function:

ca. 1890	private residence
ca. 2003	other (home of the Red Cross)
ca. 2004-present (2006)	admissions office (being considered at time of questionnaire, 2003)

Narrative:
This building, originally known as the Taylor House, was the first structure in the Richardsonian style erected in Erie. It was designed by the prolific and distinguished architectural firm of Green & Wicks of Buffalo, who would later contribute the Strong Mansion (now Old Main) and Watson Mansion (currently the Historical Museum) to this same West 6th Street setting. The building displays typical Richarsonian elements, including cylindrical towers, high-hipped roofs, prominent chimneys, and a cavernous semi-circular arched entrance.

The external surface treatment consists of a first story of brown rock-faced stone, with second and third stories of brown brick. The roof covering is red slate, although portions have been replaced with red asbestos shingles. Fenestration incorporates varying window sizes framed by lintels on rusticated quoins (information from Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, "Red Cross Building").

References:

Red Cross Building. Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form. [n.d.].