2017 Spring Landmarks

LANDMARKS SPRING 2017: VOLUME LV, NUMBER I

THE LANDMARK SOCIETY OF WESTERN NEW YORK

WWW.LANDMARKSOCIETY.ORG

NY STATEWIDE PRESERVATION CONFERENCE APRIL 6–8 | PAGES 10 & 11

Cover Photo courtesy of Visit Rochester

This magazine is the official publication of The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc. Publication is assisted with income from Marion Moore Whitbeck Fund and public funds from Monroe County and from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

The mission of The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc. is to protect the unique architectural heritage of our region and promote preservation and planning practices that foster healthy, livable and sustainable communities.

Landmarks is published quarterly by The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc.

CONTENTS 10-11

2017 Preservation Conference

2017 Preservation Conference

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Projects & Places Preservation Scorecard The Metropolitan “A Modern Vision” in Rochester Gains National Attention Five To Revive New Grant Recipient

ADDRESS

10-15

PHONE / FAX

Writers & Landmarks

Events Celebration City Living

P: (585) 546-7029 F: (585) 546-4788

Jubilee Recap

EMAIL

Travel Tours 2017

Save the Dates!

info@landmarksociety.org

WEB

Travel Tour NOLA

www.landmarksociety.org

16-23

April Fools Day Event

People Member Profile

New Board Members

The Landmark Society of Western New York is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

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The 2017 Statewide Preservation Conference returns to the city of Rochester, April 6–8th.

The Metropolitan

133 South Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, New York 14608

Feature

Sharing the Stone-Tolan House Historic Site The YUP-date The YUP-date

Membership Info

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT Thomas Castelein VICE PRESIDENTS Preservation Bill Sullivan

Development Mary Z. Nicosia

Education & Properties Jason Roberts

Finance & Treasurer Jim Marasco

SECRETARY Grant Holcomb AT LARGE Kate Karl Jeffrey Pollock Jeffrey Skuse JoAnn Beck John Billone Jr. Bleu Cease Jean France Gerald Gamm Lauren Gallina Glenn Kellogg

Jerry Ludwig Bill Moehle Randy Morgenstern Louis P. Nau Delores Radney Richard Sarkis Marjorie Searl Glen Skalny Burt Speer Stacey VanDenburgh Karen Wolf

HONORARY TRUSTEES William Balderston John Bero A. Vincent Buzard Christopher Clarke John C. Clark III John W. Clarke Frank Crego Susan Crego Jean Czerkas Jim Durfee William Edwards George Gotcsik Fran Gotcsik Judie Griffin Frank S. Grosso Thomas Hargrave Art Holtzman James Knauf, Jr.

Marianne Koller Paul Nunes Andy Olenick Sherri Olenick Ann B. Parks Richard Reisem Jon Schumacher Marion Simon John Thoman Joanne VanZandt Sterling Weaver Houghton D. Wetherald Henry W. Williams Jr. Arlene Wright Vanderlinde Mr. James Yarrington Mr. Craig Zicari

STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Wayne Goodman DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS Cindy Boyer ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PRESERVATION Larry Francer HORTICULTURIST Beverly Gibson COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE Carolyn Haygood DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Andrew Lambrix

MEMBERSHIP & DIGITAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Tyler Lucero ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR Cynthia Howk PROPERTIES TECHNICIAN Quentin McGee PRESERVATION PLANNER Caitlin Meives STONE-TOLAN TOUR GUIDE Judith Trabert

From the Director The Landmark Society of Western New York will soon host the New York Statewide Preservation Conference, taking place April 6–8 in Rochester.

We encourage you to register for the conference as soon as possible, as last year’s conference sold out for a third consecutive year with over 360 attendees from all over New York State.

Our conference has grown substantially over the past several years, now offering sessions on a wide variety of preservation topics—preservation economics, community and neighborhood revitalization, funding sources, heritage tourism, maintaining a historic home or using historic rehabilitation tax credits for your home or business. Those attending the conference are homeowners, architects, consultants, developers, educators, craftspeople, community leaders and those who simply appreciate the value in preserving our heritage. There are ample opportunities to network with likeminded individuals from all over the state, sharing strategies for success.

The conference offers something for everyone, and I hope you will join us in showcasing Rochester’s proud preservation heritage.

Our organization is grateful to our major conference supporter, the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, and to our loyal title sponsors, Rochester Colonial Manufacturing and Winn Development. We are also fortunate to have built a solid network of conference partners, who join us in planning, facilitating and hosting the annual conference. It is a massive undertaking, and we would not be successful without our partners, the New York State Historic Preservation Office, The Preservation League of New York State and Preservation Buffalo Niagara.

As a member of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation I recently had the honor of presenting a State Preservation Award to a team

of professionals from Rochester for their efforts in transforming the Eastman Dental Dispensary into Eastman Gardens, now an affordable senior living facility. Long abandoned, the 1917 Dispensary was listed on The Landmark Society’s inaugural Five to Revive list. Not only did we lead the way in advocating for the building’s preservation, we also helped leverage state and federal funding to preserve this irreplaceable structure. The project team, consisting of Home Leasing, Edgemere Development, and Glasow Simmons Architecture, were honored during a ceremony held in December in downtown Troy. The project was one of five selected to be honored with a state award. It is yet another example of how embracing and respecting our historic resources leads to economic growth, neighborhood revitalization, community pride and, quite simply, a higher quality of life.

Whether we are working to rehab an iconic building in downtown Rochester, preserving a neighborhood’s character and sense of place, facilitating downtown preservation in Perry, saving a veterans memorial in Little Valley or a unique commercial building in Clarendon, preservation’s impact is visible throughout western New York.

Our collective success is because of you, our members and donors, who understand the importance of our work. We couldn’t do it without you— thank you.

All the best,

Wayne Goodman Executive Director

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Projects & Places

PRESERVATION SCORECARD

Keeping score? We are—here’s the latest on several preservation issues around the region.

by Caitlin Meives

TOO CLOSE TO CALL

SAFE

Parks Place Victor

Sanctuary, Temple Building Rochester

Constructed c.1813, this structure was originally a residence. For nearly 150 years, it was home to many prominent Victor residents. In the second half of the 20th century, the house was adapted to commercial use. Today, the building is in danger of being partially demolished and relocated to make room for a new commercial development.

Although the upper floors of the Temple Building were adapted to residential lofts back in 2000, the former sanctuary space had been vacant for years. Lacking a use or tenant, the space suffered from neglect until this past year, when Grace Road Church took over. Working with owner, Costanza Enterprises, they rehabilitated the historic worship space. Today, Grace Road brings hundreds of church-goers to downtown during the weekend. A huge improvement for the space and the neighborhood!

Keeping score in your community? Let us know if there’s an at-risk or recently saved building near you.

Email Caitlin at cmeives@landmarksociety.org.

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The Landmark Society of Western New York ||landmarksociety.org landmarksociety.org

OUT 999 Long Pond Road Greece The Town of Greece lost another piece of its history this past November as this wood frame and fieldstone farmhouse near the corner of Long Pond and Mill Roads was demolished to make way for a medical office building. The property was eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and dates back to c. 1830s. It was home to Greece’s early settlers and farmers and was owner-occupied up until 2014. The farmhouse was architecturally significant as a distinctive local example of a midnineteenth century farmhouse with Italianate details. The house and barn were also historically significant for their association with the agricultural heritage of Greece.

The Metropolitan Rochester’s iconic skyscraper takes on new purpose

by Wayne Goodman

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major piece of Rochester’s skyline, The Metropolitan (formerly Chase Tower), is undergoing rehabilitation

by Gallina Development. Along with a team that includes Hanlon Architects and developer Patrick Dutton, Gallina Development recognized the iconic building’s potential as a part of the larger transformation taking place downtown. Standing at almost 400 feet tall and 27 stories high, the building was constructed in 1973 as Lincoln First Tower and later became widely known as Chase Tower. It is Rochester’s thirdtallest skyscraper and was designed by the Seattle architectural firm, John Graham and Associates, the same firm that is credited with designing Seattle’s landmark Space Needle for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Characterized by its classic curvilinear white fins that expand outward as the lines approach the ground, The Metropolitan, as it is now known, is a staple in the Rochester skyline and an important postwar landmark in the region.

The Metropolitan interior

While some may not recognize the building as a true historic structure just yet (it is not quite 50 years old), the structure has helped visually define downtown Rochester for over four decades with its distinctive design.

“The iconic nature of this project made it a once in a lifetime opportunity for us,” said Lauren Gallina, Marketing Director for Gallina Development.

“Changing the nature of this building to restaurant, retail, and commercial space with apartments and condominiums on the upper half, makes it a truly mixed-use facility.

This new 24/7 activity will add to the vibrancy that we are all hoping for along the Main Street corridor.”

The Metropolitan will offer a mixture of condominium units for sale, residential apartments for rent, along with retail and commercial space, creating an environment that capitalizes on live, work, and play opportunities.

Approximately 150 residential units are anticipated upon project completion.

The residential units capitalize on two of the building’s significant and unmistakable feature—the fins and the views. The classic white fins are being preserved, with their angular aesthetic being incorporated into the interior design in a creative and captivating manner. From the interior, the fins seem to slice through the building, and their angles are preserved on both the exterior and interior, making an incredibly unique and engaging visual experience.

The views, from practically any side of

the skyscraper, are breathtaking. From a residential unit’s window, one cannot help but look out over the city and see many construction projects in motion below, a healthy mix of preservation rehab and new construction. “There is a new energy that is working its way into our downtown core,” said Lauren. “We need to think creatively in the way that our city functions, and we should continue to raise the bar with concepts and design.

This is what will drive continued interest in our Center City and create a successful and vibrant downtown.”

For more information and to see architectural renderings, visit the project’s website, www.themetropolitanroc.com.

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Projects & Places

“A Modern Vision” in Rochester Gains National Attention

by JoAnn Beck

1976 bird’s-eye view of the soon-to-be-restored waterfall fountain.

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ne of Rochester’s most significant and least appreciated designed landscapes, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square, is getting both local and national attention this year. The long-awaited restoration of the waterfall fountain is underway and scheduled to be opened to the public this summer. At the same time, the park is featured in a traveling exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. curated by The Cultural Landscape Foundation, on the life and work of Lawrence Halprin (1916–2009) in commemoration of the centennial of his birth. The exhibit will run through April 16, 2017.

Halprin, the most prominent landscape architect of the modernist era, designed the park in 1972 as a key component of the Southeast Loop Plan. Located inside the planned ring of high-rise residences along the new Inner Loop, and just a block from the new Midtown Plaza, the park was designed to serve as the outdoor recreation hub for multitudes of anticipated downtown residents, as well as the primary civic space for downtown workers and visitors. The park was built as designed and opened to the public in 1974.

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The centerpiece of the park was and is the 2000 seat sunken amphitheater and waterfall fountain with multiple cascades, which is comparable in scale to Halprin’s more famous works, Freeway Park in Seattle, Lovejoy Fountain in Portland Oregon, and even the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C. Within Halprin’s body of work, the park is noteworthy as his most multi-purpose, intensively developed urban park. Its complex design includes multiple levels and five integral buildings, facilities for skating, a playground, a playfield, a central allée, storage, mechanicals, a full-service lodge/concession building and a tunnel under Chestnut Street. The metal space frame, a sculpture by Kerro Bruegging named “A Tribute to Man,” soars over the amphitheater. Its staircase and catwalks were originally open to the public as observation platforms and it supported sound equipment and theatrical lighting.

The park, with its dramatic spaces and sculptural concrete framework, is truly a marvel of modernist design. However, it was designed as a stage set for human interaction, and the quality of the park experience is dependent on people animating the park. Short a critical

The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

mass of everyday visitors, and with the waterfall fountain out of commission for decades, it has appeared desolate and neglected. The park has been most successful when it’s overflowing with activity, as a venue for special events, concerts, fireworks, and skating.

Starting in 2000 the City of Rochester completed a master plan for park improvements and funded a phased program of capital projects—including the rehabilitation of the playground, the redesign and reconstruction of the ice rink/reflecting pool and building, and the restoration of the concession building as a full service park lodge. The current project will restore the flow to the waterfall fountain, so as to reanimate the amphitheater and lodge area and provide an attraction for everyday visitors. The hope is that the park will finally realize its potential as not only a gem of mid-century modern design but a true amenity for the growing population of downtown residents, workers, and visitors.

JoAnn Beck is a retired landscape architect and a Landmark Society Trustee

FIVE TO REVIVE

by Larry Francer

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he Five to Revive list has proved to be a strong tool in the revitalization of the sites we have listed since 2013. We haven’t lost any of them yet and many, like the Sampson Theatre in Penn Yan, the Erie Canal Warehouse in Brockport, the Hillside Cemetery and Chapel in Clarendon and the Former Trinity Episcopal Church in Seneca Falls, have received grants and are well on their way to rehabilitation.

exterior and adapted its interior, which includes 43 affordable apartment units and nine market rate units for seniors and physically handicapped persons.

The complex offers quality housing in the center of the city, improving the lives of local residents and furthering local revitalization efforts. The project was additionally funded through a partnership with New York State Homes and Community Renewal.”

The Eastman Dental Dispensary, from our inaugural list, without question, wins the prize for the poster child of success stories. As a matter of fact, the Dispensary, now named Eastman Gardens, recently won a 2016 New York State Historic Preservation Award which honors excellence in the protection and rejuvenation of New York’s historic landmarks. The press release for

We congratulate Edgemere Development and Home Leasing for this impressive preservation project and we’re excited to announce that the same development team is taking on the rehabilitation of another Five to Revive from the inaugural list, Holley High School.

the awards states, “With the help of private investment and public funding, including preservation tax credits, the neglected institutional building has been repaired and updated for contemporary residential use. The more than $20 million project repaired the building’s

New Round of Grant Recipients The latest round of funding from our Preservation Grant Fund includes awards for four properties in our region: Friends of Letchworth State Park, Inc. $1,000 towards a condition report and survey of deteriorated CCC masonry picnic tables in the park

Letchworth State Park

Jefferson Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church, Rochester

Old Town Hall, Orangville

First Baptist Church, Geneva

Jefferson Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church, Rochester $1,500 towards an evaluation of the church tower Town of Orangeville $2,000 towards a feasibility study that will examine possible reuse of the c.1852 Old Town Hall First Baptist Church, Geneva $1,000 towards a condition assessment Launched in September, 2012, The Landmark Society's Preservation Grant Fund program offers funds for preliminary design and planning studies to help make positive improvements to at-risk buildings. The program was initially funded through a bequest from Elizabeth (Libby) Stewart.

Libby was a longtime Landmark Society staff member who was dedicated to the revitalization of neighborhoods and historic structures.

The Preservation Grant Fund provides initial “start-up” funding to assist in saving historic resources. The grant will not pay for any “bricks and mortar” work. Only pre-construction services are eligible for funding. Specific use of funds is flexible.

Examples of eligible projects include: • code compliance studies • construction estimates • visual project renderings • measured drawings • cost comparisons

Contact Caitlin Meives at cmeives@landmarksociety.org to determine if your project is eligible for this program.

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Projects & Places

Writers & Landmarks Honeoye Creek

by Arn J. Albertini

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ne of my first memories is being upside down and watching water swirl around the rocks in front of me.

I was about four and I had slipped on a rock and tumbled head first into the waters of Honeoye Creek.

It was fall, and although it was unseasonably warm that day, the water was ice cold.

My underwater exploration lasted just a few seconds as my father quickly yanked me out and bundled me up in his green, hooded sweatshirt.

This was just one of the adventures the creek and I shared throughout the years.

The creek flowed through my best friend’s backyard. It provided a backdrop to our games of tag and make believe. With ample open water, it was an ideal spot for skipping stones.

In middle school, just downstream from where I fell, my friends and I waded in the pools along the banks of the creek, trying, unsuccessfully to catch crawfish.

For a class in high school, we had to find a spot in nature where we had to spend time sitting and reflecting. I chose a spot in the woods along the banks of the creek. A few 100 feet from busy school sports fields, it was by no means a deep wilderness experience, but the bubbling water of the creek made it a peaceful place.

It was the creek and, more specifically the falls, that drew Zebulon Norton, a miller from Connecticut, to western New York.

In 1791, after building a home for his family, Norton built a saw mill and grist mill on opposite sides side of the falls.

Other businessmen joined Norton, taking advantage of the power of the water. And farmers came too, taking advantage of the fertile soil. A village was born. It became known as Norton’s Mills. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the village became known as Honeoye Falls.

Today, mills are still a central part of the village. But, these days, instead of milling grain and sawing lumber, they’re home to a locavore restaurant and a gallery, the town offices and a private residence.

Having survived the waters of Honeoye Creek and the streets of Honeoye Falls, Arn J. Albertini now lives in a lovinglyrestored, although not by him, Foursquare in the Highland Park neighborhood with his wife, twins and cat.

Illustrations by Mark Payton

In the spring, his backyard would sometimes flood. And in the winter, a strand of pines marked a cross country skiing trail along the banks of the creek.

Our favorite sledding spot was a small hill that dumped into a corn field on the banks of the creek. This hill, if you could even call it that, was not nearly as steep, tall or fast as the hills of Mendon Ponds, but it was right down the street. And, you could always build a jump if you wanted a little excitement.

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The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

Downtown Geneva a Winnner

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that Downtown Geneva was selected as the winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative in the Finger Lakes region. The Initiative marks a comprehensive plan to transform local neighborhoods into vibrant communities where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live and work. Landmark Society staff member, Larry Francer, was on the committee that recommended that Geneva receive the award.

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Events

Rochester Colonial and Winn Development present

2017 New York Statewide Preservation Conference

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he 2017 Statewide Preservation Conference returns to the city of Rochester, April 6–8th.

Downtown Rochester is undergoing a profound transformation, fueled in large part by historic preservation. Join us and experience the transformation for yourself!

Our headquarters will be located inside an ongoing, $200 million project at the Sibley Building in the heart of downtown Rochester. Our Conference hotel will be at the Hilton Garden Inn, a recently completed tax credit project. Breakout sessions and other events will take place in modern infill, a recently revamped worship space, and a mid-century modern office tower.

All within the recently created East Main Street Historic District. In short, preservation will surround us at every turn.

This Conference is the only event of its kind in the state—a multi-day gathering for anyone involved in preservation and community revitalization. It’s an opportunity to learn, network, become inspired, and, yes, have fun!

It is the preservation event in New York State and you don’t want to miss it.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Amy Nicole Swift, Principal & Owner, Building Hugger

Breaking Barriers: Reviving Pathways to Careers in the Trades Amy is a “recovering architect” with a passion for historic architecture and working with her hands. In 2012 she formed Building Hugger in an effort to create skilled jobs and provide more accessible preservation trades services to her home city of Detroit. As a Professor of Practice at Lawrence Technological University, fieldwork informs her developing academic theories concerning the development of architectural material technology and construction methods during the industrial

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The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

era. She holds a BS in Interior Architecture from Lawrence Technological University and a MS in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. She speaks widely on current preservation topics and has been published in major industry journals. She is a Tory Burch Fellow and has been featured in Glamour magazine.

Who is the Conference For?

Grassroots preservationists in villages, rural towns, and cities throughout New York; professionals working in the field or allied fields (architects, planners, landscape architects, developers, etc.); elected officials and municipal board members; city neighborhood leaders/activists; students in preservation and allied fields.

SCHEDULE Thursday 4/6 Pre-Conference Events • 9:00 – 11 am A Solar Future for Preservation. Included in conference fee, must pre-register.

• 1:00 – 4 pm Certified Local Government Training. Included in conference fee, must pre-register.

• 3:00 – 5:00 pm Get to Know Downtown Walking Tours • 5:30 pm Meet and Greet Cocktail Hour

Friday 4/7 • 8:00 am–4:00 pm Conference breakout sessions • 4:15 pm Keynote • 5:30 pm Preservation Partners Party

Saturday 4/8 • Crowd-Sourcing Your Community Panel Discussion • Field Sessions Stay tuned—the full schedule and lineup of sessions and speakers will be delivered to your mailbox soon!

REGISTRATION Opens February 15th at www.landmarksociety.org/conference.

Early Bird Registration rate available until March 15th.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships may be available for municipal staff and those who serve on municipal boards (such as Preservation Commissions, Zoning Boards, and Planning Commissions) in Certified Local Government communities. Scholarships may also be available for Monroe County residents. Contact Caitlin Meives at cmeives@landmarksociety.org to inquire.

PARTNERS

#NYPresConf Get the latest Conference updates and join the discussion on social media!

TITLE SPONSORS

MAJOR SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSOR

LANDMARKS | SPRING 2017

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Events

Celebrate City Living:

Find a Neighborhood to Grow In

by Caitlin Meives

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he city of Rochester and its neighborhoods have a lot to offer.

Affordable, high quality historic housing stock, Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks, a variety of neighborhoods each with their own character and amenities, tons of local businesses and restaurants, top-notch cultural institutions, you name it. The Celebrate City Living (CCL) program is designed to showcase all this and more. The Landmark Society is proud to be a partner in this important and relatively new program.

Connect with lenders, realtors, neighborhood organizations and more at our April 1 CCL Expo.

neighborhoods. The mission is to help consumers understand that Rochester is a city of neighborhoods and they can quickly focus their search for an ideal home by learning about the characteristics of each neighborhood.

The CCL website (www. celebratecityliving.com), along with the annual Celebrate City Living Expo in April and other neighborhood celebrations throughout the year, help consumers search city neighborhoods for a house or apartment and connect them to available resources, including REALTORS®, landlords, lenders, and non-profit agencies that specialize in city housing.

The website features a custom search engine that filters available housing choices by neighborhood along with profiles of the neighborhoods. The site also enables residents and merchants to submit neighborhood events to a community calendar.

An outgrowth of the former City Living Sundays program, CCL was launched in early 2016 as a resource for city living.

It is a year-round program designed to encourage city residency for consumers at every stage of the housing search, including renters, first-time homebuyers, experienced owners, those who require financial assistance and those seeking high-end, luxury spaces.

As part of the CCL program, The Landmark Society also coordinates the weekly HomeWork Column in CITY Newspaper. For over 16 years, CITY Newspaper has partnered with us on the column, donating the space to promote city living. The column also would not be possible without a dedicated and passionate team of volunteer writers.

CCL places a special emphasis on the distinctive character and wide variety of housing choices in each of Rochester’s

CCL is administered by the Rochester Coalition for Neighborhood Living.

Coalition members include: The City of Rochester, M&T Bank, Ibero-American

Search for housing and explore Rochester’s neighborhoods at www.celebratecityliving.com

Development Corp, The Housing Council at PathStone, NeighborWorks® Rochester, Citizens Bank, The Landmark Society of Western New York, Greater Rochester Association of Realtors, Game Plan Marketing, ROC City Realty, New2U Homes, Hart’s Local Grocers and Magellan Realty. This year’s title sponsor is Five Star Bank.

If you love the city of Rochester as much as we do, follow along with us on social media! Each month on Instagram (@ccl_roc), we feature a different neighborhood or facet of city living, giving you a window onto local businesses, family-friendly activities, and families that have chosen to make their home in a city neighborhood.

CCL partnered with the Joseph Avenue Business Association to Celebrate the 14621 neighborhood in December. Does your neighborhood want to host a neighborhood celebration? Contact us at info@celebratecityliving.com.

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Find a neighborhood to grow in

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@ccl_roc #celebratecityliving

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Brought to you by The Rochester Coalition for Neighborhood Living

2016 Annual Jubilee Recap

by Carolyn Haygood

” ! y t r a p t a e r “G

Photography courtesy David Jones

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hat was the shared sentiment of those who attended this year’s Jubilee.

You weren’t there? Not to worry—you will have another chance to attend a Landmark fun-filled party. Mark your calendar for our 80th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, September 9th, 2017. You won’t want to miss it!

Special thanks to all our sponsors, trustees, volunteers, guests, silent auction donors, Harro East Ballroom, Mary Kay Hargather, Gruttadauria Bakery, Premier Parking, David Jones, DJ Jerry Falzone and Sunset Concert Musicians for making this year’s Jubilee the best one yet.

Thank you to our 2016 Jubilee title sponsors:

Save the Dates!

Mark those brand new calendars and calendar apps—you don’t want to miss these great 2017 events!

NY Statewide Preservation Conference April 6-8

Lilac Weekends at Ellwanger Garden May 13–14 and 20–21

House and Garden Tour

“Inspired Table Field Trip at the Stone-Tolan House” An al fresco dinner hosted by Good Luck Restaurant July 25

The Landmark Society’s 80th Anniversary Gala To Support the Preservation Grant Fund

Saturday and Sunday June 3 & 4

Saturday September 9

Peony Rose Weekend at Ellwanger Garden

Inside Downtown Tour

June 10 & 11

October 6 & 7

“Architecture for Lunch” walks

...more to come!

June 9, 16 & 23

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Events

Landmark Society Travel Tours

It’s Not Too Late—But for a few trips, it’s pretty close!

2017 will see lucky Landmark folks headed to New Orleans in March, the Great Camps of the Adirondacks in September—and we’ve just added a day trip to Bath and Corning. For more information or to register for any of the tours visit landmarksociety.org or call (585) 546-7029 x 11

New Orleans, May 18–23, 2017 • DEADLINE FEBRUARY 15 When you receive this magazine there will only be a few short days left to register for this amazing opportunity. Associate Director of Preservation Larry Francer considers New Orleans as his second home, and is able to open doors not usually available to a NOLA visitor. Our all-inclusive double occupancy rate is member $2,799 for members, $3,099 for nonmembers. Add $499 for single supplement.

Adirondacks Great Camp Experience, September 14–17, 2017 This is a unique opportunity to spend three nights at a National Historic Landmark.

Stay at the Vanderbilt’s Great Camp Sagamore, visit other Great Camps, indulge in a luncheon cruise on Raquette Lake, the National Watercolor Show at View Gallery, the Adirondacks Museum (during the Adirondack Antiques Show onsite) and more.

All inclusive rate is double occupancy w/ private bath: $1,449 (limited availability) double occupancy w/ shared bath: $1,349 single occupancy w/ shared bath: $1,400. $45 supplement for non-members.

NEW!! Daytrip: Tiffany in Bath and Corning, Wednesday, July 12, 2017 Two spectacular stops, two great meals, lots of free time in the museum and on Market Street, and we take care of the driving. We’ll first stop in Bath for a tour of the First Presbyterian Church, which has one of the very few remaining interiors in the USA completely designed by Tiffany and Company. We’ll continue on to the Corning Museum of Glass, where you’ll be among the first to enjoy their new exhibit: Tiffany’s Glass Mosaics. When you hear the words “Tiffany” and “glass,” you may immediately think of leaded glass windows or luminous lamps, but artist Louis C. Tiffany expressed his passion for color and glass most innovatively in the technique of mosaic.

From monumental architectural installations to inkwells for desktops, Tiffany’s Glass Mosaics will be the first museum exhibition focused exclusively on this aspect of Tiffany’s extraordinary artistic career. We’ll have ample free time to enjoy other exhibits, including their spectacular new Contemporary Art and Design Wing. Lunch in their café is included, on your own time. After some free time to explore Market Street—a wonderful example of small town revitalization—we’ll end with a dinner at Sorges, a family owned Italian place since 1951. Indulge in their homemade pasta bar, salad bar and more as we share our discoveries and fortify ourselves for the ride home.

Members: $165 Nonmembers: $185

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The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

Feeling Foolish?

Celebrate on April 1st at our unique April Fools event

by Cindy Boyer

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or one day only, The Stone-Tolan House historic site will once again be forced to suffer the indignities of sushi, lava lamps, and a number of other inappropriate items on display in its venerable rooms. You’d think the Fools of April would have a little more respect for a house that is more than 200 years old. But it’s just so much darn fun to visit during the April Fools tour and try to figure out what does not belong in the historic setting. Especially when there are prizes to be won!

On April Fools’ Day come to Stone-Tolan and see what you can find that is out of place in the tavern room, kitchen, parlor bedroom, hallway, and pantry. Some may be obvious—like the sushi. Others will be a bit more challenging (hint: what is the date on that coin?)

Your family or group will get a sheet to record your discoveries. Groups with more than one generation might be able to find more “stuff.” Grandma will recognize some things Dad does not, and the kids will know certain objects about

Sure, the lava lamp is easy to spot. What other items don’t belong?

which we adults have no clue. After your hunt is done you’ll score your results, see how many you got right, discover what you missed, and get your prize. You’ll also find out when that “out of place” object

One of these things is not like the others. Or is it two or three?

was invented or became popular (we have to throw a little bit of fun historic site learning into the mix!)

If you attended in the past, don’t expect that this year’s special tour will be a piece of cake. There will be new anachronistic items to find. Who knows, maybe one of them will be a piece of cake.

The April Fools Tour will be Saturday April 1st from 12 noon to 4 pm.

Admission is $5 per adult. For this special event, children up to age 16 are welcome free of charge. We need their help to get everything identified—gotta get the place back to its appropriate, historically correct settings in time for the spring school tours!

The Stone Tolan House Historic Site is located at 2370 East Avenue, with free parking onsite.

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People

Member Profile

Andy and Jacquie Germanow – A Renaissance Couple

by Larry Francer They met at St. Lawrence University where Andy earned a BA in Sociology and Jacquie, a BS with honors in Biology.

Then on to graduate degrees at Utah State; for Jacquie, a MFA in Sculpture and Ceramics with a strong emphasis on Drawing; Andy got a Masters in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning.

As educators, an artist and a businessman, who raised a family in an 1890s farm house near Palmyra then moved to the city into another old house—this warm and engaging couple has always had a deep connection to their surroundings and preservation.

Q

: Andy, please share some memories of growing up in Rochester and our wonderful stock of historic buildings.

Andy: Yes, I did grow up in Rochester and graduated from Brighton High School.

Thinking back to my youth, the Bragdon Train Station stands out as an important building that might have sparked my interest in historic preservation. It was so impressive and unique even to my young, untrained eyes. One distinct memory I have is of driving down East Ave and all the grand Elm trees—like riding through a tunnel—opening up onto the Sibley building—this was such a vivid experience with the spatial environment.

Q

: Jacquie, I want to share this description of your work— “Germanow’s entire oeuvre stems from her early reverence for the mystery of the life force, its magnetism, structure and chaos.

Her sculpture uses different materials and techniques to embrace a visual metaphor by penetrating the forces of growth, healing and connection. Her paintings probe the magnetism of the human psyche with layers of transparent glazes that tap into the permeability of existence within our emotional and physical environments.” My question is, how do you view preservation through an artist’s lens?

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Jacquie: Because I was raised by parents who were steeped in a proud British island culture, I absorbed much of what was integral to them. They met in China. I was born in Buenos Aires & lived there until we came to the US when I was 5. Spirit was everywhere. Walk into any church or Cathedral in Europe and the dead are visibly there, their stories, their spirit.

I grew up with a love of ancient patinas, the richness of a historical past, and the stories of a world in turmoil. Growing up in metropolitan NYC afforded my parents the ability to impart their legacy to me in art, music and theater. Post war families must have been so thirsty for the arts.

Q

: The project you recently finished on the Germanow-Simon Corporation buildings on St. Paul Street and the 100th Anniversary is very impressive.

Why did you choose to restore and adapt the building instead of just moving or rebuilding?

Andy: In 1994 we were, in fact, exploring options to move out of the city to buy or build a more efficient manufacturing facility. The company property had been a site with many different owners and industrial operations over the years and we had discovered environmental contamination that was the result of the activities of long gone prior owners.

In NYS law the current owner is responsible for the cleanup—bottom line we weren’t going anywhere! As a result we embarked on what turned out to be 20 year Brownfield Cleanup program.

Our decision to renovate our building on St. Paul Street evolved out of the need to do that clean up. The multi-phase renovation project resulted in upgrading factory and office facilities and machinery to create a state of the art manufacturing operation in turn-of-the-century (last century) buildings.

The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

Q

: The creativity seen in the design of the office spaces and the art on display throughout the buildings really shows the thoughtfulness of the project. Why did you choose to put Jacquie’s studio there and what was that like—creating the space and now working in it?

Andy: We had this 4th floor factory loft space with many high windows overlooking the High Falls. Prior to the project all the windows were boarded up and the space was filled with machinery and production until the 1950’s and for storage since then. Jacquie had used this space to paint the horse that leaps off of my building.

Jacquie: That’s what gave us the idea that it might be a feasible move for us.

The studio/exhibit space that you saw is something that I never expected to see—it’s a dream I am still developing. So all these things evolved out of a need to exercise our visions, and to make a place to grow. We’ve persevered, we’ve been unlucky and we’ve been lucky. We are grateful for the opportunities we’ve been able to exercise and magnify. This new space is one such opportunity.

Q

: As a long time member of The Landmark Society Board of Trustees, Andy, why do you encourage others to join and support our organization?

Andy: Understanding, appreciating and honoring the past teaches lessons for the future.

New Trustees

Lauren Gallina

Gerald Gamm

Randy Morgenstern

Glen Skalny

Karen Wolf

We were pleased to welcome five new trustees to our Board of Trustees at the Landmark Society Jubilee in December.

Elected to a three year term were Lauren Gallina, Gerald Gamm, Randy Morgenstern, Glen Skalny, and Karen Wolf. Trustees, staff and Landmark Society members are grateful for their willingness to serve, and look forward to working with them in the coming years.

The arts enrich all our lives.

A community is more than a collection of homes and businesses.

It’s also the institutions that improve our lives through art, music, dance, and theater. KeyBank supports a wide range of arts organizations, because we know that a vibrant cultural scene is vital to bringing the people of our communities closer through their shared appreciation of the diverse talents they provide.

Financial Strategies Group is a proud sponsor of

The Landmark Society Alan A. Cook II Financial Advisor Christopher Q. H. Leverett, CFP®, AWM Financial Advisor Eric G. Cook Financial Advisor

John W. Thoman Senior Investment Associate Marianne Bolton Investment Associate Kim Hillock Client Associate

That’s why KeyBank is a proud sponsor of The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc.

Visit key.com

Key.com is a federally registered service mark of KeyCorp. ©2016 KeyCorp.

KeyBank is Member FDIC. 160914-3122156

Phone: (585) 423-2160 www.rbcwmfa.com/ financialstrategiesgroup

Financial Strategies Group

© 2016 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

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LANDMARKS | SPRING 2017

11/1/16 2:45 PM

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Including Over 50 Communities in the Rochester Area!

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The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

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Two W. Main Street Victor, NY 14564 585-924-7471

Sharing the Stone-Tolan House Historic Site New Docents Welcome This Spring

by Cindy Boyer

C

all them docents, interpreters, guides or teachers: it takes people to open up the world of 1815 at the Stone-Tolan House Historic Site and help visitors connect what they see to their life experiences today. We’re looking to expand our docent group, and invite you to consider learning more about this opportunity. Docents provide guided experiences to school and adult groups throughout the year, with the busiest times taking place in Spring and Fall.

What’s it like? Here are a few comments from some of the dedicated Stone-Tolan docents: Garth Brokaw shared “I joined the docent team because I love American History, am an ardent preservationist and believe that history reminds us of whose shoulders we stand on, where we have come from and gives foundation to and guidance for the future.”

Garth continued, “What really thrills me is when I see school kids' faces light up because they get the connections between what they see at Stone-Tolan and how we live our lives in this day and age. Or, when adults are struck with how much we owe to our ancestors, how deeply our current culture reflects that which has gone before and the sacrifices made to bring us to where we are today.”

Lisa McNamara says she loves being able to “name drop” during a tour. “Kids know about the wildly popular musical Hamilton and all the real life characters

in the musical. Aaron Burr visited Stone’s Tavern. It’s a great connection to our country and its turbulent past. There’s a reverberation to ‘now’ and we see the visitor make the connection.”

“I became a docent at the Stone-Tolan house almost 14 years ago and I never regretted sharing the life and times of a most interesting family living in the most interesting of times in a new country of independence and growth,” said Ellen Zoeller.

Brighton Town Historian Mary Jo Lanphear is also a docent—appropriate, since Stone-Tolan was the site of the founding of the town. “I was appointed town historian of Brighton in November of 1986 and joined the docent group in early 1987 because I wanted to learn more about the Stone-Tolan House and share my knowledge of the community in which it is located. As docents for a nationally and locally designated landmark house we represent the importance of preservation in our community. A 224-year-old building still exists because of The Landmark Society.”

Sandy Lerner remarked on the connections to the world today. “I love to show the kids how life was so different 200 years ago. How water is so important, but we don’t have water in the house.

Did you go out to the outhouse in the nighttime? As they giggle about the outhouse, I tell them billions of people today still use outhouses.”

Docent Maureen O’Connor sharing artifacts during a Flashlight Tour.

Irene Johnson also reflected on change over time, a central theme in our tours.

“I love experiencing ‘days gone by’ and understanding how quickly the world has changed. When I give a tour to young children, they will remember what they saw and how much more the world has evolved.”

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a docent, contact me at cboyer@landmarksociety.org or at (585) 546-7029 extension 12. We’ll invite you to our docent gatherings and you can shadow some tours in the spring then decide if this is the right commitment for you.

Lisa McNamara said “Stone Tolan Historic Site is like a tied quilt—keeping past, present and future together.” We hope you’ll consider being part of that future.

Over 30 Years of Painting Rochester’s Finest Houses and Vacation Homes

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People

The YUP-date

by Clare Farnung

T

he YUPs finished the year with some great events and we’re looking forward to all the exciting things we have coming up in 2017!

First, many congratulations to YUP steering committee member Bradley Huber. On November 13th, Bradley was awarded one of the Special Citation Awards at The Landmark Society’s 2016 Preservation Awards. A Special Citation recognizes outstanding individual or group accomplishments in the field of historic preservation. In addition to serving on our steering committee, Bradley is president of the Winona Woods Neighborhood Association in Irondequoit. Bradley is also the owner of a beautiful early-20th century Bungalow that he’s rehabilitated and has earned him a feature in “This Old House” Magazine.

Congrats again, Brad!

In October, a few of us road-tripped to Cincinnati for the third meetup

We toured the Cincinnati Union Terminal during our Rust Belt Coalition meetup in October.

www.landmarksociety.org/yup

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P U Y

of the Rust Belt Coalition of Young Preservationists. We biked the city, toured the brewery district, and were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Cincinnati Union Terminal—a jaw-dropping Art Deco gem.

Sound like fun? Think about joining us for the next trip! It’s a great way to get involved with and get to know the YUPs. The next Rust Belt meetup will take place in St. Louis, May 5–7. Even more exciting, we’ll be hosting a summer meetup right here in Rochester, July 14–16!

On December 14th we hosted our third annual Holiday Party. This year the YUPs enjoyed food, drinks, and a dessert competition at The Yards Collaborative Art Space at the Public Market.

Throughout the night partygoers sampled desserts made by their fellow YUPs and voted for their favorites. At the end of the night three sweet trophies were handed out for The Tastiest, The Most Festive, and

Holiday party at The Yards.

!

The Most Preservation Nerdy. It was a great way to finish out the year and we’re grateful to the Yards for letting us host our party in their beautiful space!

YUPs heart bomb the former Cliff St. brewery building in Rochester.

On February 11th, we’ll be hosting our second heart bombing. Heart bombing is an event started by our fellow Rust Belt Coalition members, Buffalo’s Young Preservationists. The concept is simple: everyone deserves a little love on Valentine’s Day and our old buildings are no different. We’ll start the day by crafting up some valentines and then we’ll head out and put them up on buildings in Rochester that are in need of a little extra love. Check us out on social media for pictures!

YUP steering committee member, Bradley Huber, receives Special Citation award from The Landmark Society.

www.facebook.com/YoungUrbanPreservationists

The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

@YoungUrbanPres

HOLLEY GARDENS

One of the Landmark Society’s Five to Revive Home Leasing and the Village of Holley are working together to convert this historic treasure into affordable senior housing and Village offices.

Development, construction and management of adaptive reuse, historically preserved and newly constructed high quality apartments

give us a call at 585.262.6210

EFPR GROUP IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE LANDMARK SOCIETY OF WESTERN NEW YORK.

visit us online at www.homeleasing.net

Proud supporter of The Landmark Society of Western New York

A Proud History

of Serving Individuals & Businesses with Accounting, Tax, and Business Consulting Services for Over 65 Years.

Custom plywood & lumber crating, pallets & more Family owned since 1948

585.427.8900 | EFPRgroup.com 280 Kenneth Drive, Suite 100 | Rochester, NY 14623

LANDMARKS | SPRING 2017

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People

New Membership & Digital Media Coordinator

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and then a naturalist-educator at West Irondequoit CSD’s Helmer Nature Center, he received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities to develop curricula on environmental history in partnership with Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Colorado and the Montana Historical Society.

he Landmark Society welcomed a new Membership & Digital Media Coordinator in October. Tyler Lucero’s position will have him facilitating member services, managing the Society’s online presence, and supporting preservation activities. He is excited to have this opportunity to contribute to revitalization across the region, having grown up in Henrietta and having long family roots in Orleans and Livingston Counties.

Tyler’s interest in heritage preservation and education was sparked working at Genesee Country Village & Museum while in high school and at Rocky Mountain National Park as an undergraduate. After earning bachelor’s degrees in geological sciences and history at Brown University in historic Providence, Rhode Island, he returned to train as a teacher at the University of

BRE W IN G

Tyler Lucero

Rochester’s Warner School of Education.

As a middle school science teacher at Rochester Academy Charter School,

C OM PANY

PROUDLY BREWED IN ROCHESTER FOR OVER FIVE GENERATIONS.

/geneseebrewery

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@geneseebrewery

@geneseebrewery

The Landmark Society of Western New York | landmarksociety.org

When the opportunity arose to work with The Landmark Society on a historical resource survey right in his own Rochester neighborhood this past summer, he couldn’t pass it up! In his new role, as in his teaching, Tyler hopes to invite more people into the discussion on our region’s many resources, particularly through social media and outreach to schools. He is also excited to continue acting, singing, exploring the natural world, and pursuing his family history in the Rochester region.

The Landmark Legacy Society Gifts for Future Generations

by Tyler Lucero

O

ur Landmark Legacy Society recognizes those thoughtful individuals who have included The Landmark Society in their estate plans in the past, as well as those who are committing to do so today.

A planned gift is a complementary element to personal estate planning.

When you make your personal estate plans, you ensure that future generations in your family will benefit from having the resources to care for one another.

When you include a planned gift to organizations like The Landmark Society, you are ensuring that future generations in your community will continue to have the resources to encourage preservation of the historic structures that support dynamic and sustainable community life.

Planned gifts take many different forms: a gift may be a monetary bequest, stocks, bonds, or real estate. What they have in common is “planning.” Making advance arrangements for your future gift has several benefits. Your financial planner or tax professional can advise you as to whether there are any current or future tax benefits for your gift. Your thoughtful actions today ease future decision-making for your benefactors. Prior planning provides clear instructions on how you

The Ellwanger Garden remains a monument to Rochester’s historic nursery industry and a classroom to future generations, thanks to Helen Ellwanger’s planned giving to The Landmark Society.

would like your gifts managed. Finally, your estate planning can give you peace of mind, knowing that your legacy will continue to benefit our preservation and restoration work today and tomorrow.

Consider this: Helen Ellwanger left her home and garden to our organization to continue the work of preservation in our area. Per her wishes, we placed protective covenants on architectural details of the home to insure their protection even when the house changes owners. Funds from the sale of the house supported our activities, and we maintained ownership of The Ellwanger Garden as a living museum tribute to her father’s horticultural legacy.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Landmark Legacy Society, we only ask that you send us your intention in writing and include your current contact information. We would be pleased to list your name among our Landmark Legacy Society members and invite you to an annual social gathering solely for members of this select group.

Please contact us if you would like to receive our planned giving brochure at (585) 546-7029, extension 10. Thank you in advance for your interest in continuing our important preservation work for future generations.

Become a member today!

Do you like this?

BEFORE

AFTER

So do we!

Across our region, our historic resources are again contributing to our community life because of The Landmark Society’s advocacy and work. As a member of The Landmark Society, you will have a shared sense of pride in this renewal.

Join today at www.landmarksociety.org/giving/ or give us a call at (585) 546-7029 extension 16, and we’ll be glad to send you membership forms or sign you up on the spot.

The former Eastman Dental Dispensary was one of our first Five to Revive properties in 2013, attracting the attention of developers; the ribbon-cutting for new apartments in the building this past summer brings new life and beauty to Main Street in Rochester.

LANDMARKS | SPRING 2017

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Non-Profit Organization PAID Rochester, NY Permit No. 1759

133 South Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, New York 14608

STAY ENGAGED

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Hang in there—Spring is coming!

Find out about spending quality time at our Ellwanger Garden as a volunteer.

Contact horticulturist Beverly Gibson at bgibson@landmarksociety.org

DePaul Carriage Factory Apartments NYS Historic Preservation Award Winner

387 EAST MAIN STREET ROCHESTER NY

(585) 232 8300

W W W. S W B R . C O M