Stately Mansions of East Avenue, Rochester N.Y.

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Reflecting the architectural legacy of George Eastman, and the prosperity of industrial era Rochester

Welcome to a guided tour of the amazing mansions of East Avenue, Rochester NY

Photo: The George Eastman House, East Ave. A classic Georgian/Federalist design of immense proportion

"Back in the day" Rochester NY was home to some very serious business icons; George Eastman (Founder, Eastman Kodak) was just one of them. These men built some of the finest homes in America, using local and imported materials. They sampled all sorts of architectural design elements, and they lived Large!

The images you see on this page are all from today; these houses were built to last. While many are no longer single-family homes, and many have been extensively remodeled; they remain some of the best examples of classic American architectural interpretation.

Agree

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Disagree

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Big stone Victorian Gothic home

Harking back to medival Castle designs, this heavy stone house is a fortress

Elegant tradional Gothic Tudor

A nice mix of Gothic and Tudor influences for this spacious home.

Please visit the new Tudor Zone

See even more of these beautiful Tudor Revival homes in the new zone:

 Meet the Tudors of East Avenue, Rochester NY

Preview pics from the Tudor Zone

A peek at one Second Empire

When the trees leaf out, this one will be nearly invisible.

A lovely brick Victorian

Imagine the party you could host on that porch!

Jazzy Queen Anne, now a business

1545 East Ave, Hypotenuse Enterprises, Inc.

A fine and fancy brick Federal

Notice the gorgeous conservatory, left side

by A. South

Architecture Styles of Colonial Times The buildings of Colonial Williamsburg are true examples of the old adage "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". The structures that Thomas Jefferson describ...read more
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Finding East Ave in Rochester

One more brick beauty

This one shows solid Federalist influences, with some additions tacked on over time.

It's a Castle!

...or at least a Squire's mansion. (Victorian Gothic style, modified)

This one's a palace!

1639 East Ave, Congregation Beth Hamedresh, Beth Israel (Greek Revival style)

How big is big enough for you?

How much space do YOU need?
A nice studio apartment is fine
2 bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths, please
2,000 to 3,000 square feet
Can I move into one of these, shown here?

Is this the Governor's Mansion?

Georgian? Adams? Whichever, it's a big one!

Here's a huge sandstone Federalist design

See a close-up of that second-floor balcony, next column right.

A Tudor cottage fit for an Earl

An intesting mix of stone and wood, with colorful slate roof.

by Sue Osgood

Today's interpretation of Tudor architecture might best be expressed as a copy of a copy. This style derives from building methods commonly used during the reign of Britain's Tudor monarchs (1485 to ...read more
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White brick makes handsome, dignified Neo-Classical

Simplicity and elegance prove that some design elements are indeed timeless

by Royce Radcliffe

There are a lot of reasons why builders mix architectural designs in today's new houses and understanding what they are and their ramifications is vital for true awareness of architecture as it is use...read more
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by Shelly Mcrae

From colonial times to the 21st century, Americans have built homes that suited their needs and protected them from the elements. Most homes from the 15th and 16th century are long gone, but their sty...read more
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Making a grand entrance

Sometimes the front door is very easy to find!

Heavy pillars support arched pediment

Notice the depth of this doorway (very thick walls!) and the large transom window above the door.

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Showing Comments 1 to 10 of 27

Jim Bessey
Posted on: Sep 24, 09 at 02:09 AM
Thanks, Petra. You made my day. All pics always welcome, too. Have a wonderful winter on Vancouver Is.
Petra Newman
Posted on: Sep 23, 09 at 03:40 AM
Hi Jim; I love visiting this zone. I'll be spending the winter on Vancouver Is. and am sure to keep my eyes open for any stately homes they have in Victoria. If I find anything unusual, I'll send you some pictures. As always, this zone is eye candy to anyone who loves architecture:) It will always have my thumbs up vote.
Olivia Bredbenner
Posted on: Sep 02, 09 at 11:48 AM
Wish I could move into this neighborhood!!! :) Just love it. Great job! Olivia
Jim Bessey
Posted on: Jun 08, 09 at 12:09 AM
So glad you stopped by, Veronica! Everywhere I go my eye is drawn to the endless ways that designers blend hundreds of years of architecture. I love houses, large and small!
Veronica Shine
Posted on: Jun 07, 09 at 07:09 PM
What an unique zone. Great job!!! You have just opened up endless possibilities of interests throughout the world for zones.
Jim Bessey
Posted on: May 31, 09 at 09:20 PM
Thanks for stopping by, Abagael and Phillip! We drove East Ave on the way home today. The trees, bushes, and gardens are in full bloom -- you can barely catch a glimpse of many of these homes now.
PN Schiavone
Posted on: May 30, 09 at 01:45 PM
This is a zone that I visit quite often. I am really interested in older homes and Real Estate. Visit http://www.helium.com/zone/2024-ncs-inspections-inc-real-estate-forum for another perspective on the market.
Abagael MacAskill
Posted on: May 25, 09 at 10:28 PM
Jim, I don't know anything about architecture but I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. My aunt was a curator at the Eastman House for many years so that building is very familiar to me. Thanks! Abby
Jim Bessey
Posted on: May 10, 09 at 07:04 PM
Thanks, Ethel. Mine is far less grand. You can see a glimpse of it as the thumbnail for the Home & Garden Stewards Zone, in fact. I've linked to your English mansions zone in Resource Links, top and right. Sue, thanks for visiting -- I love your article, included here!
Ethel Smith
Posted on: May 09, 09 at 12:11 PM
Wow. Own up then, which one is yours. Love this place and will link it to my stately homes of england. I think they will complement each other nicely.

Sky high!

church steeple

Resource Links

Find out more about mansions, real estate, East Avenue, and architectural design

Architecture: It's all in the details

Close-up views of East Ave details

turret window

classic pillared turret over entry

four windows

copper bay and brick arches

doorway

brick, stone, bays, and concrete pediment

fancy window

ornate round window on a corner

four bay windows

stacked leaded windows in brick

bay window

transommed bay and lookout window in stone

railed balcony dormer

intricate curved railed balcony and dormer

oval window

leaded oval window in brick feature

arched nook window

arched nook window in brick by corner pillar

classic door pediment

classic cast pediment doorway and window in brick

door and arched window group

door with sidelights and transom, fancy brick arched ("palladian") window

 

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A textbook Palladian window

palladian window

Imagine the work that went into creating  this classic window group. Is that a drain of some sort, bottom and center?

Curves and Columns

columned portico

Neo-Classical details make this an imposing entrance, two stories tall. Notice the greeting balcony above the doorway.

Rochester weather

Live Conditions from Brighton, NY USA

Nov 21, 2009, 5:35 PM   get more weather

Cloudy
Temperature: 46.6 °F
Humidity: 76 %
Wind Speed: 1 mph NW
Rain Today: 0.00 "

Copyright notice

Photographs by Jim Bessey, March 2009

All rights reserved

Want to reprint a picture from this site? Please do: just add photo credit and a link to this web page. Thanks, ~Jim
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