Hello from Rochester: A Discovery of its Architectural Jewels
My second day in Rochester started off with a lovely Park Avenue
neighbourhood breakfast and an exploration of the ArtWalk
neighbourhood. I only had a few hours left before I would have
to hop back on the high-speed ferry, the CAT, to Toronto, and I
definitely wanted to get a more indepth look at some of
Rochester's historical architecture. Rochester is one of those
North American cities that has managed to preserve a good
portion of its historical masterpieces, despite the "urban
renewal" efforts of the 1960s that saw many historic buildings
razed and replaced with nameless, faceless skyscrapers and
office buildings.
We started our architectural tour right at the foot of the
building that fascinated me the most: the Times Square Building.
However, an equipment malfunction (i.e. empty batteries) forced
me to search for a convenience store, and my local expert Patti
came to my aid and took me to another historical building, the
Reynolds Arcade, where I was able to replace my batteries and
continue my photographic journey.
Rochester has a surprising amount of historical architecture,
here is just a tiny sample of some of the well-preserved
buildings.
The Erie Canal Aqueduct over the Genesee River. The current
aqueduct was built in 1842, replacing an earlier one. It was the
only aqueduct on the Erie Canal to carry both a water trough and
a towpath over a river.
A statue of Mercury, dating back to 1881, is located in a
cluster of late 19th and early 20th century buildings along the
West bank of the river.
My favourite building is the Times Square Building, located at
the corner of Exchange Bouleavard and Broad Street. It is a
dramatic example of Art Deco architecure and was completed in
1930. Talking about the Wings of Progress that crown the
building, Ralph T. Walker, member of a New York City
architectural firm, was lying on a sandy beach in Florida, "idly
molding the sand into tower forms," when it happened.
"I made a model out of beach sand, picking up shells which I
could break into the forms I desired," Walker related. he ended
up with a design that gave a "sense of flight.... (a) sense of
upward lift" and yet had a "monumental aspect." Across from the
Times Square Building is the Gannett Building, built in 1927 to
1928 as the headquarters and publishing center of the Gannett
Company.
The Wilder Building is Rochester's foremost example of
Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It was briefly the
tallest building in the city and is a forerunner of modern
skyscraper design that emerged in the late 19th century.
For many years the Powers Building was the tallest structure in
the city. It was built in 1869 for Rochester entrepreneur Daniel
Powers. Originally it had five stories and the triple mansard
roof and iron tower at the top were later additions. The
building is an example of cast iron construction and contains a
large open cast-iron staircase.
The Reynolds Arcade is another precious example of Art Deco
architecture. It replaced an earlier building from 1828 and it
housed both the central post office and the city's first public
library.
The Academy Building was built between 1872 and 1873 and is a
later version of Gothic revival. The building was originally a
high school, later became the Municipal Court and Education
Building and also served as headquarters for the Board of
Education. Today it houses offices and features a dramatically
sky lit central atrium. City Hall is the former Federal Building
and was built between 1885 and 1889 as a superb example of
Richardsonian Romanesque style. The building housed various
government operations as well as Rochester's main post office.
The City of Rochester acquired the building in 1975 for $1.00
and started renovation and construction of a 45,000 square foot
award winning addition.
The elegant three-story atrium inside City Hall features
cast-iron work and marble columns and a stone mosaic. It has a
glass roof and is often used as a setting for weddings and
special events.
St. Joseph's Park is another fascinating structure: it is
located in what was the city's oldest Catholic church, built in
1843 by German immigrants, and was destroyed by fire in 1974.
Only the exterior fa