Plans for new $4 million Graycliff visitor center move forward

Plans are full steam ahead for a new $4 million visitor center at the historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Graycliff Estate.

The project, on Old Lakeshore Road in Derby, includes a complete renovation and expansion of the existing visitor center to create a new 4,400-square-foot, state-of-the-art building that will increase Graycliff’s ability to offer year-round programming and events.

“The magnificent Frank Lloyd Wright properties are an important part of New York's rich architectural heritage and scenic beauty," said Hope Knight, the President and CEO of Empire State Development. “Thanks to investment from New York State, along with many individuals and charitable foundations, the new Visitor Center will complement the completed Graycliff restoration projects and add to the number of sightseers drawn to Western New York from across the state and around the world.”

Graycliff was designed in 1926 by Frank Lloyd Wright, and built between 1927-1929 for Isabelle Martin, wife of industrialist Darwin Martin, as a summer home for the family.

The new visitor center is expected to be finished in time for Graycliff's 100th anniversary in 2026.