W
hen it comes to local historical
landmarks, Pittsburgh
department store magnate
Edgar Kaufmann is most often
associated with Fallingwater, the architectural
masterpiece of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed
in 1934. However, nestled in the hills of Fox
Chapel is an equally impressive, albeit lesserknown Kaufmann estate, La Tourelle.
An 18-room Norman manor built in 1924,
La Tourelle, which translates to “little tower”
in French, was the home of Kaufmann, his
wife Liliane and son Edgar Jr. from 1924
through 1940. It was designed by renowned
Pittsburgh architect Benno Janssen. Janssen
also designed Kaufmann’s department store,
as well as a slew of other prominent landmark
buildings, including the Pittsburgh Athletic
Association, William Penn Hotel and the
Mellon Institute.
Despite all of Janssen’s success in
designing corporate buildings, he considered
the domestic La Tourelle his greatest
accomplishment. In fact, the home graces the
cover of The Architecture of Benno Janssen,
a coffee table book by Post-Gazette art and
architecture critic Donald Miller.
Over the years, La Tourelle transitioned
through several owners, including the
University of Pittsburgh, which used it as
the chancellor’s living quarters. Since May
of 1989, La Tourelle has been the home
of Dennis Kelleher, CEO and president of
Triangle Fastener Corporation. Kelleher,
now 68, was the CEO and owner of Cassady
Pierce Company, a building materials supply
company t