LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Gray-
cliff Estate in Derby, New York

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud, representing the people
of the State of New York, to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the
Graycliff Estate in Derby, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Graycliff Estate, located in Derby, New York, is an
architectural piece designed and built by renowned organic architect,
Frank Lloyd Wright; and
WHEREAS, Organic Architecture is the philosophy which promotes harmony
between human habitation and the natural world through design approaches
so sympathetic and well integrated with its sight, that buildings,
furnishings and surroundings become part of a unified and interrelated
composition; and
WHEREAS, In such a style, a building's design grows, like nature, from
the inside out; it encompasses the literal design of every element of a
building, and considers how the building's design is carefully thought
as if it were a unified organism; and
WHEREAS, Frank Lloyd Wright is considered by many to be the founder of
this architectural style, which is the key attribute to making Graycliff
Estate one of the most architecturally beautiful pieces in the country;
and
WHEREAS, The Graycliff Estate serves as a link between Frank Lloyd
Wright's early career and later works, and is looked upon as one of his
greatest projects; and
WHEREAS, The Graycliff Estate plans were developed and executed
between 1926 and 1931 and were drafted for Isabelle R. Martin, wife of
industrialist Darwin Martin; the estate is a complex of three buildings
integrated within an 8.4 acre landscape; and
WHEREAS, Sold out of the Martin family in 1951, to the Piarist
Fathers, an order of Roman Catholic Priests from Hungary, Graycliff
Estate was substantially altered for their own uses, with the addition
of buildings and other structures; and
WHEREAS, With only a handful of Piarist Fathers remaining, the proper-
ty went up for sale in 1997; and
WHEREAS, The only offer to purchase Graycliff Estate came from a
developer who had plans to excavate the grounds and build a condominium
complex; subsequently, a public meeting was called to save Graycliff;
and
WHEREAS, As a result of these efforts, the Graycliff Conservancy
evolved; the Conservancy was founded to acquire, preserve, restore and
make the Graycliff Estate publicly accessible; and
WHEREAS, Through the efforts of the Conservacy, more than half of
Graycliff has been successfully restored to reflect its original
features and characteristics; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when events of
historic significance are brought to our attention they should be recog-
nized and celebrated; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Graycliff Estate in Derby, New
York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Graycliff Conservancy.