Design of Belmont Circle home includes signature features of Frank Lloyd Wright
A rural colonial house designed by a Georgia architect and built in 1948 in Belmont Circle also contains signature features of local architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
William Pope Barney, a friend and colleague of Wright, created the 1,576 square-foot ranch and stone structure situated along 253 Derrick Ave.
The three bedroom, two bath, house has a cut stone finish, slate patio and roof slate on the outside with unique inside amenities such as built-in-book cases, curved archways, lighted closets and radiant steam heat built into the flooring.
It is currently listed with SWC Properties of Uniontown for $299,000.
The home was initially designed and custom built for prominent Uniontown businessman Harry Irvin who owned it until 1982 when it was purchased by the late William Griffith and his wife, Eugenia.
Eugenia Griffith, 92, said the house was thoughtfully laid out with its wide doors and first floor living space providing all their needs as she and her husband grew older.
Such features made it her favorite of the four homes she and her husband had owned in Fayette County.
Barney is credited with creating numerous public buildings, museums and private homes throughout Pennsylvania designed to be functional and economical.
He also worked on the Woodrow Wilson house in Washington, D.C.
According to Griffith蘑菇视频 son-in-law, Carl Cimini, the house is considered to be a fixture in Uniontown and around Belmont Circle because of its distinct architectural features.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 a wonderful substantial home that was designed to be that way by an architect, which is relatively unusual these days with new homes being built from cookie cutter plans,鈥� said Cimini.
According to Cimini, inside the home蘑菇视频 front door is a parquet wood floor that creates a stunning foyer.
From there, Cimini said you can look outward through the arched entry into the living room filled with light by large windows into a picturesque large back yard with a forest-like setting.
Like Wright蘑菇视频 homes, Cimini said, the interior蘑菇视频 large windows serve to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces.
Architectural curved archways fill the first floor featuring a spacious den with built-in book cases, a master bedroom with large window, an eat-in kitchen with built-in cherry cabinets and a laundry room next to a two car garage.
The living room, also on the first floor, has plenty of light provided by the large windows once again depicting Wright蘑菇视频 design theme and a working fire place with another wall of windows that flows into the dining room.
The second floor includes a master bedroom with another large window facing the backyard landscape.
Griffith said sharing the large back yard with her granddaughter was her fondest memory.
Lighted closets are another unique design in the house used by Barney along with radiant steam heat that is built into the flooring making it energy efficient.
Barney was born in Columbus, Georgia in 1890.
He received his bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in architecture from Georgia Tech in 1911 and his master蘑菇视频 degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1913.
Barney later settled in Philadelphia and designed many structures there while earning the Walter Cope Memorial Prize for his 鈥淭reatment of an Open Place at the Head of the Bridge over the Schuylkill River at Packer Avenue, South Philadelphia.鈥�
By then, Barney had entered the office of his mentor, French architect and Beaux arts legend Paul P. Cret aiding in the design of the Indianapolis Public Library and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
In 1923, Barney met German architect and sculptor Oscar Stonorov while studying in Florence, who organized Wright蘑菇视频 exhibition 鈥�60 years of living architecture鈥� during its three-year tour.
Stonorov later hired Barney as chief architect on many of his projects throughout Philadelphia as Wright became close friends with both men.
A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Barney won many prizes and awards during his career, including the Gold Medal of the Architectural League of New York for distinguished design.
Barney served in the U.S. Army Engineers in World War I and as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Air Corps in World War II.
He also served on the faculties of Carnegie Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Columbia University, Pennsylvania State University, and Swarthmore College.