tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459589521823128924.post9024723945544060343..comments2024-02-28T12:07:52.862-05:00Comments on Remembering Rochester: At Home in Rochester: The William Deats ResidenceRemembering Rochesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01664321554979055748noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459589521823128924.post-41293008813776488472010-10-07T10:10:03.408-04:002010-10-07T10:10:03.408-04:00When I was a child, this building housed the salon...When I was a child, this building housed the salon where my Mother had her hair done. Some of my fondest memories are of my Mother and I having breakfast at the Brass Lantern, then she would have her hair done at the salon, and I, bookworm that I am; would go to the Library which was then located across Pine street, on the northeast corner of Pine and University.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459589521823128924.post-11317731210423465552010-07-15T17:46:41.807-04:002010-07-15T17:46:41.807-04:00(Annonymous = John Mohr)
In my opinion, the most ...(Annonymous = John Mohr)<br /><br />In my opinion, the most tragic aspect concerning historical Rochester is the fact that the old local mentality seems to have been one of "tear-down-and-build-a-parking-lot" rather than one of historical preservation. What constituted a local gem vs. a local eyesore was (and continues to be) pretty obvious, and many of the latter category where thankfully taken down. Unfortunately, far too many of the former category have also been demolished, giving way to parking lots (old St. Andrews on Walnut comes to mind) or bland, cookie-cutter, generic-looking new constructions (I'll refrain from listing examples of these to avoid the risk of offending or hurting the feelings of a current occupant) or residential developments, It’s gotten to the point that there is very little of noteworthy left in town, unlike nearby Romeo and even Almont, both of whom have done an excellent job maintaining their historic buildings, or rebuilding anew in the historical style.<br /><br />Of the few gems that managed to survive in Rochester, many underwent various types of renovations or "updates" that much, if not all, of their original appearance has been physically obstructed or any hints of their former grounds have been bull-dozed and covered over with asphalt or concrete. This is especially painful when I remember the building in its former glory. The Deats/Flumerfelt House is an example of one of these. Granted, its appearance is much nicer than it had been in the 1970s-80s, but its all-asphalt grounds make it look so tiny and unimpressive that nowadays, I often look the other way when driving by.<br /><br />In defense of myself: I am not all negative about Rochester – hardly is that the case, otherwise I wouldn’t continue to happily live here these past 42 years! In fact, I’m pleased to say that I have noted a lot of good things over the past 2 decades: the exterior of the Chapman House on Walnut has been beautifully restored since the fire back in the early 1990s (?), and looks as though it could easily revert to a private residence. Then, there is the trend of Main Street store fronts being rebuilt or remodeled to look as though they were original structures on Main Street built in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. This trend seemed to begin when Crissman building on the northeast corner of Main & 5th (LOL! I mean “University”!) was built following the tragic explosion which destroyed its predecessor back in 1991. Some other new constructions on the west side of Main Street have been similarly renovated or rebuilt following fires or other events. Then, there are the brand new constructions that aren’t necessarily historic in appearance, but define a “new” style and appearance for Rochester: The Royal Park Hotel, The Library, even the two Attalla buildings, are examples that come to mind.<br /><br />Posted by John Mohr<br />Email: jamohr2@yahoo.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com