Sauer Buildings Historic District
Encyclopedia
Sauer Buildings Historic District, located between 607–717 Center Avenue in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
, consists of a group of buildings designed and built by Frederick C. Sauer
from 1898 until his death in 1942. This historic district
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on September 11, 1985.
bought a hillside tract of land in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
, and built a home for himself and his family. This house was designed in "conventional fashion out of ordinary Kittanning brick on a four-square Colonial Revival
footprint." Sauer was an architect
by trade, and he designed about a dozen Catholic churches in the Pittsburgh area, most of which were fashioned in some variation of Romanesque Revival
style.
After many years of designing buildings to suit the wants and needs of his public, Sauer constructed a group of buildings for his own amusement on his plot of land in Aspinwall. He began to construct rental properties, acting as his own designer, mason, bricklayer, and carpenter. From 1928 through 1930, he converted his former chicken coop
into a three-story apartment house called "Heidelberg". After this eccentric building, he gradually transformed his wooded hillside into an architectural fantasy, and a complex of castlesque buildings and landscape features in Fantastic architectural
style took shape and was progressively added to by Sauer until his death in 1942.
," says Franklin Toker
, professor of art
and architecture
at the University of Pittsburgh
.
"This fantastic
group of buildings constructed by a local architect in the later years of his life is possibly unique in Pittsburgh." – James D. Van Trump and Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.
"Sauer really seems to have made one of those odd essays in personal expression in building that turn up now and then in some otherwise-staid part of the world." – Walter C. Kidney
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
, consists of a group of buildings designed and built by Frederick C. Sauer
Frederick C. Sauer
Frederick C. Sauer was a German-American architect, particularly in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, region of the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
from 1898 until his death in 1942. This historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 11, 1985.
History
In 1898, Frederick SauerFrederick C. Sauer
Frederick C. Sauer was a German-American architect, particularly in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, region of the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
bought a hillside tract of land in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
, and built a home for himself and his family. This house was designed in "conventional fashion out of ordinary Kittanning brick on a four-square Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
footprint." Sauer was an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
by trade, and he designed about a dozen Catholic churches in the Pittsburgh area, most of which were fashioned in some variation of Romanesque Revival
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
style.
After many years of designing buildings to suit the wants and needs of his public, Sauer constructed a group of buildings for his own amusement on his plot of land in Aspinwall. He began to construct rental properties, acting as his own designer, mason, bricklayer, and carpenter. From 1928 through 1930, he converted his former chicken coop
Chicken coop
A chicken coop is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features....
into a three-story apartment house called "Heidelberg". After this eccentric building, he gradually transformed his wooded hillside into an architectural fantasy, and a complex of castlesque buildings and landscape features in Fantastic architectural
Fantastic architecture
Fantastic architecture is an architectural style featuring attention grabbing buildings. Such buildings can be considered as works of art, and are normally built purely for the amusement of its owner....
style took shape and was progressively added to by Sauer until his death in 1942.
Reception
"It is the most bizarre collection of buildings in Western PennsylvaniaWestern Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
," says Franklin Toker
Franklin Toker
Franklin Toker is a professor of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of eight books on the history of art and architecture, ranging from the excavations he conducted under Santa Reparata, Florence to 21st century American Urbanism. He is a President...
, professor of art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
"This fantastic
Fantastic architecture
Fantastic architecture is an architectural style featuring attention grabbing buildings. Such buildings can be considered as works of art, and are normally built purely for the amusement of its owner....
group of buildings constructed by a local architect in the later years of his life is possibly unique in Pittsburgh." – James D. Van Trump and Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.
Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.
Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. is a leading American preservationist, urbanist, writer and activist. He is best known for the creation of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation , a non-profit preservation organization created in response to the destructive urban renewal policies of the 1950s in...
"Sauer really seems to have made one of those odd essays in personal expression in building that turn up now and then in some otherwise-staid part of the world." – Walter C. Kidney