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VICTOR CHRIST-JANER (1915-2008)
Born in
Elysian MN, and raised in nearby Waterville, Christ-Janer
trained in liberal arts, sculpting, painting, and
architecture at St. Olaf College from 1933 to 1935. From
1937 to 1939, he served along with friend, Adolf Dehn as
director of a summer art school at Stephens College. From
1941 to 1942, he was the chief graphic designer for Nelson
Rockefeller's Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American
Affairs. He graduated from Yale with honors in 1940 then
served in WWII. He moved to New Canaan CT and in 1955, he
created his own firm Elm Street. He taught at Columbia from
1963 to 1977.
1952 - The Victor Christ-Janer House, 77 Frogtown Road, New Canaan CT. Commissioned 1949. Sold in 2012 to Lindsay Warren of LTW Builders who planned to restore it. However, that didn't happen, and it was sold in 2013 to Jill Gordon and Daniel Malkoun. Despite efforts to at preservation, it was destroyed in 2013 and a new house built (last photo).
1953 - The Robert Roles House I, New Canaan CT. Sold in the 1960's to George W. Peck IV. Sold in 1984 to Maurice and Sara Perkins. Deeded to Perkins heirs, who owned it as of 2009. Status unknown.
1953 -
The Mitchell Gratwick House, 53 Myanos RoadNew Canaan CT.
Developed by Robert Roles/Christ-Janer. Sold in 1959 to the
Simonsen family. Sold in 1983 to Harvey Kaufman and
Geraldine Gregg. The wood deck off the back of the
house was removed and second story was added in 1988,
side porches were enclosed. The front was altered with a new
pergola. Sold in 2020 to Jason and Michelle Nikic (photos
from 2020).
1953 - The William Irwin Jr. House, New Canaan CT. Built by Robert Roles as a spec house. Sold in 1961 to John and Jane Temple. Sold in 1963 to Jarvis Cecil who added an additional bath in 1964. IA fire in January 1972 caused severe damage and it was rebuilt in October 1972 with minor changes. Sold in 1973 to Howell and Linda Wood, who added a second story studio overlooking the garage, believed to have been designed by Janer. Sold in 1979 to John Masters. Sold again in 1979 to Joseph and Cynthia Powell, who added a pool and a one-story frame shed. Alterations made in the 1980's to the porches and balconies. Sold in 1999 to Douglas Marshall.
1953 -
The Isabelle Daine House, 92 Briscoe Road, New Canaan CT.
Built by Robert Roles as a spec house. Sold in 1959 to
Horton Heath, who bought two additional acres in 1962 and
added two outbuildings. In 1963 he remodeled the original house, adding a two-story
addition to the back corner. In 1968 a swimming pool was
added. Sold around 1976 to Nadine and James Sweeney. Sold in 2014
to Jodi Borner.
1958 - The Trench House, 47 Appletree Lane, New Canaan CT. Destroyed in 2022. Status unknown.
1959 - The Robert Roles House II, New Canaan CT. Status unknown.
1962 - The James B. Birkenstock House, 506 Country Club Road, New Canaan CT. In 1970 the rear half of the house was destroyed by fire. Acquired in 1990 by Fairfield University. Sold in 1994 to David and Nadine Chang who did a remodel and added a second story.
1965 - The Robert and Joyce Arnold House, 268 Briscoe, New Canaan CT. Builder was Bill Frank. Sold in 1972 to Kenneth and Cary Robert. Sold in 1979 to Jawad and Havva Idriss. The Wood deck was replaced in 1992. Extensive interior remodel around 1998. Sold in 2002 to Barbara Bellacosa and Charles Simmons. Sold in 2008 to Joyce Pereira and Avinash Phillips.
1971 -
The Chung House. Status unknown.
1973 - The John and Kimiko Powers House, Carbondale CO. Photo by Andy Warhol. Status unknown.
1973 - Two Rooming Houses Renovation, 378 and 400 Atlantic Street, Bridgeport CT. 30 low-cost apartments. Status unknown.
1974 - The Sycamore Place Apartments, aka Bridgeport Rotaray Housing, 285 Maplewood, Bridgeport CT. Commissioned 1970. 120 units.
1975 - The Flax Hill Avenue Low Income Units, Norwalk CT. Unsure if built. Status unknown.
1975 - The Don and Joan Ackerman House, 87 Lambert Road, New Canaan CT. Borglum and Meek builders. The clients also considered John Black Lee as architect. Sold in 1998 to Guy and Margaret Brossy who made it less Modernist and more traditional. Sold in 2023 to Marianne Dolan.
1976 -
Cedar Street Housing, Norwalk CT. 45-unit senior housing project at
the former
Washington school site. Unsure if built.
1977 - The Arthur Brandon House Renovation, 885 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan CT. Incorporated an 1846 house that may have originally been a barn, remodeled in 1928, garage added and later enclosed. Janer removed the carport and converted the existing house into a two-story family room. Sold in 1987 to Robert and Nancy Kolodny. Pool added in 1988. Sold in 1998 to John and Mary Griffin. Status unknown.
1977 -
Senior Housing, Laurel, Wood and Norman Streets, Bridgeport
CT. 107 units on 3 acres. Unsure if built.
1979 - The David S. and Elizabeth Branch House, 76 Laurel Road, New Canaan CT. Built by Landworks Associates, Southport CT. Pool added 1984-85. Sold in 2004 to Eric Strauss who added a gabled roof, exchanged windows, renovated kitchen and bathrooms, and painted. Sold in 2012 to Steve and Joanne Sarracino. Sold in 2015 to Seth and Stefanie Milligan.
1980 - The
William and Phyllis Johnson House, 1300 Valley Road, New
Canaan CT. Built by Dinyar
Wadia. Sold in 1990 to Michael and Kuni
Schmertzler. Phyllis Johnson sued Wadia in 1991 for
fraud and other charges in a trial lasting four months.
Wadia prevailed in most of those charges. Destroyed.
1981 - The Branch House. Status unknown.
1981 - The Donald and Barbara Grant House, 78 Laurel Road, New Canaan CT. Sold in 1997 to Charles Freedgood and Susan Poe-Freedgood.
Sources include: 2009 New Canaan Survey.