July 30, 2005
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.
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View of downtown Rochester from the offices
of the Visitors Association,
an intact 19th century streetscape. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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." |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 façade remains and the inside
of the former church has been turned into a park, with an enclosed
courtyard and fountain. It provides a welcome tranquil spot
in the downtown area. |
There would have been so many more buildings to see, but my stay
in Rochester was rapidly coming to end. My departure on the ferry
was scheduled for 3:30 pm and we still had to have lunch and check
out the Charlotte area surrounding the Rochester ferry terminal.
So we headed off on the green highways of the city, which is located
about 13 km (8 miles) south of Charlotte on Lake Ontario. This time
I really enjoyed the drive through the well-manicured streets of
Rochester since a crystal-blue sky brought out the vibrant colours
of the surrounding scenery.
We had a casual lunch in the bright sunshine on the patio of the
Pelican's Nest restaurant, located right on the Western shore of
the Genesee River. The view from the restaurant is great - you get
to peak out at an old, now unused swivelling railroad bridge that
marks the center of the river. Families of ducks, sail boats and
kayakers round out the serene picture.
About half an hour before the departure of the ferry we checked
out Ontario Beach Park which features a beautiful sandy beach, a
boardwalk, various concession stands, a community center as well
as the famous historic Denzel Carousel, created by Gustav A. Denzel,
a German immigrant to Philadelphia who opened a cabinet making shop
and found his calling in carving horses. He introduced a novel mechanism
that allowed the animals on the carousel to go up and down. Today
there are only 26 Denzel carousels left, of which 14 are still in
operation. Interestingly enough, the only one left in Canada is
located in Toronto, in the Centreville Amusement Park, just a ferry
ride away from Rochester...
Just minutes before getting on the ferry my local experts Patti
and Carrie said they couldn't let me go before exposing me to another
Rochesterian specialty: a sample of Abbot's frozen custard! I had
never tasted frozen custard before, I guess it's very similar to
icecream, just smoother and creamier.
So after a very fulfilling taste of chocolate and almonds I made
my way onto the Spirit
of Ontario ferry, also referred to as the CAT, and I watched
our slow departure from the ferry dock from the top open-air deck
of the vessel. As the vessel sped up to its top speed of almost
80 kph (50 mph) I stood out there watching the Port of Rochester
and the southern shorelines of Lake Ontario disappear. I thought
that I had had a fabulous time in picturesque Rochester, and now
that the ferry makes things so much more accessible, I am planning
to come back to check out Rochester and its surrounding area in
more detail in the future.
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View of the old railroad bridge
from the Pelican's Nest Restaurant in Port Charlotte |
The Denzel Carousel, dating back to 1905, just
celebrated its 100th anniversary. |
Ontario Beach Park at the Port of Rochester,
bordered by a beautiful sandy beach on Lake Ontario. |
Insurance is very important these days. Getting Rochester insurance quotes online can be done in just a couple of minutes. You don't have to wait on hold or visit some stuffy office to get your
Rochester insurance anymore. Getting the
insurance coverage you need is easier than ever.
Related Articles:
Hello from Rochester: The
CAT - An Awesome Beast
Hello from Rochester: A perfect getaway
for stressed-out Torontonians (and other urbanites)
Hello from Rochester: Exploring ArtWalk
- A Fabulous Outdoor Art Experience
Hello from Rochester: Discovering
its Architectural Treasures
Useful Links:
The
Rochester Visitors Association
The CAT Fast
Ferry website
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