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The Kodak Tower is a historic landmark and a long-standing symbol of Rochester鈥檚 industrial heritage. Rising prominently from the city鈥檚 High Falls District, this 19-story skyscraper has served as the headquarters of the Eastman Kodak Company since its completion in 1914. Originally built as a 16-story structure, the tower was expanded in 1930 with three additional stories, a mansard roof, and a cupola鈥攂oosting its total height to 366 feet (111.6 meters) including the antenna. Designed in a French Renaissance style by architects Howard Wright Cutler and Gordon & Kaelber, the building is clad in terra cotta and features a distinctive Gothic-inspired steeple crowned with a lightning rod bearing the initials 鈥淓K鈥� for Eastman Kodak.

Constructed on the site of a former factory near Kodak鈥檚 Camera Works buildings, the tower was personally overseen by company founder George Eastman, an amateur photographer turned industrial visionary. For over half a century, it held the title of Rochester鈥檚 tallest building, and for many, it became known as the 鈥渘erve center of photography鈥濃�攁 physical and symbolic epicenter of one of the world鈥檚 most influential photographic companies.

Its illuminated rooftop signs鈥攕pelling out 鈥淜ODAK鈥� in red neon鈥攔emain a familiar sight, glowing above the city skyline each night. On special occasions and holidays, the building鈥檚 upper balconies are also lit, adding to its role as a beacon of civic pride. Though no longer the city鈥檚 tallest, Kodak Tower retains a commanding presence and continues to house the operations of Eastman Kodak, embodying over a century of innovation, architectural ambition, and global cultural impact.

The Button Factory Building stands as a rare industrial relic in Rochester鈥檚 High Falls district, reflecting the city鈥檚 once-booming role in America鈥檚 clothing accessories trade. Established in 1904 to house the Rochester Button Company鈥攆ounded in 1887 by Moses B. Shantz鈥攖he factory grew into one of the world鈥檚 largest producers of buttons made from vegetable ivory, milk curd, and early plastics. Though production ceased in 1990, the company's influence was profound, having merged and evolved through various corporate stages while remaining a major local employer for nearly a century.

The site comprises three buildings constructed between 1903 and 1920, notable for their heavy timber-frame structure, expansive windows, brick fa莽ades, flat roofs, and decorative cornices. The varying heights鈥攆ive, two, and one story鈥攐nce corresponded to the different stages of button manufacturing, offering insight into early 20th-century industrial workflow and architectural adaptation. Its location along the original path of the Erie Canal made it both logistically strategic and historically significant.

Recognized as one of only two surviving early 20th-century button factories in Rochester, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. This designation underscores not only the site鈥檚 industrial legacy but also its role in shaping the city's economic identity during the rise of the American garment industry. The preservation effort honors Moses B. Shantz's impact on the ivory button trade, which once dominated national markets.

Today, the refurbished Button Factory Building spans three city blocks and accommodates commercial offices, seamlessly blending historic character with modern functionality. Renovations have preserved original brickwork and exposed wood-beam ceilings, while select units now overlook local landmarks such as the Genesee River, High Falls Gorge, and Frontier Field鈥攐ffering a unique convergence of Rochester鈥檚 past and present within walking distance of downtown.

The Triphammer Forge Site is an archaeological site in the Brown's Race Historic District. The original building dated back to 1836 and was the site of a triphammer used to forge the wrought-iron tools created here. Although the building saw expansion in the late 1800s, Its use as an industrial building gradually declined since then.

This building burned in 1977, and a critical discovery took place after the fire. There was a basement room that locals had forgotten about found under the rubble. The iron and wood water wheel measuring 25 feet was found in this room, marking an important discovery.

As an archaeological site, Triphammer Forge provides an exciting glimpse into the city's industrial past. These ruins have been stabilized, allowing visitors to walk by without disturbing any of the artifacts present. The massive water wheel has been reconstructed, demonstrating the importance that this area once held in the manufacturing industry in New York.

The Parazin Building, standing on Mill Street in Rochester's High Falls District, is one of the city's oldest industrial structures, originally built in 1826 as a two-story facility. It was the first building constructed in the Brown鈥檚 Race area and served as the headquarters of the Selye Fire Engine Company, which produced hand-pump fire engines for cities across New York State. Powered by the Triphammer Mill, the building later hosted a series of manufacturers, from lantern makers to shoe pattern producers and office equipment suppliers. Its stone fa莽ade reflects the early industrial character of the district, with coursed stone rubble on the lower levels and random ashlar stone on the upper stories鈥攅lements typical of the period's utilitarian design.

After decades of shifting uses and eventual abandonment, the Parazin Building was donated to WXXI in 1984, then fell into further disrepair before being reclaimed by the city through foreclosure. In 2006, developer Ben Kendig acquired the property and spearheaded a $2 million renovation that salvaged the severely deteriorated structure. The restoration included full roof replacement, new windows, and reinforced support walls, transforming the building into mixed-use loft apartments and office space. Today, the Parazin Building not only preserves a vital piece of Rochester's industrial heritage but also contributes to the revitalization of the historic High Falls area.

Rising above the heart of Rochester鈥檚 historic Four Corners district, the Powers Building stands as a monument to 19th-century ambition and architectural flair. Originally constructed in 1869 and continuously expanded through the late 19th century, the building reflects both the aspirations of its namesake, businessman Daniel Powers and the vision of celebrated architect Andrew Jackson Warner. At nine stories tall, with its distinctive triple mansard roof and observation tower鈥攁dded between 1873 and 1888鈥攖he building was intentionally designed to retain the title of Rochester鈥檚 tallest structure during a period of rapid urban growth.

The building's footprint, measuring 165 by 171 feet, wraps around a dramatic central stairwell that now forms the core of a soaring, sky-lit atrium. Designed for prestige as much as for function, the interior boasts marble floors, mahogany doors, and ceiling heights reaching up to 15 feet. Originally built on the site of Rochester鈥檚 first cabin鈥擧amlet Scrantom鈥檚 1812 homestead鈥攖he Powers Building blends local legend with innovation: from its early use of man-made pressed stone resembling limestone to the cast iron facades on its later additions.

Declared a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and joined by the adjacent Powers Hotel in 2019, the building has undergone sensitive restoration that merges Victorian grandeur with modern utility. Class A mechanical systems, new windows, weatherproofing, and lighting upgrades have ensured the Powers Building remains a vital part of Rochester鈥檚 downtown core. Its central atrium now serves bright retail and office spaces, drawing tenants and visitors into a setting where historic charm meets contemporary function.

Whether admired from Main and State Streets or explored from within, the Powers Building continues to impress鈥攊ts layered design echoing a city鈥檚 evolving skyline, and its ghostly folklore lending a touch of mystery to one of Rochester鈥檚 most iconic structures.

The Times Square Building, an Art Deco icon in the heart of Rochester, rises 260 feet above the city at the corner of Broad and Exchange Streets in the historic Four Corners district. Completed in 1930, its bold lines and geometric elegance are the work of Ralph Thomas Walker, one of America鈥檚 most influential architects of the period. Originally constructed as the headquarters of the Genesee Valley Trust Company, the building's cornerstone was laid on October 29, 1929鈥攃oinciding with the infamous Black Tuesday stock market crash. Despite the timing, the structure has endured as a symbol of resilience and progress.

Its most distinctive feature, the soaring 鈥淲ings of Progress,鈥� consists of four 42-foot aluminum structures mounted atop the roof. Inspired by seashells Walker found on a beach, these sculptural elements suggest motion and uplift, contributing to the building鈥檚 commanding presence on the Rochester skyline. Each wing weighs 12,000 pounds and adds a sense of kinetic energy to the otherwise symmetrical, streamlined fa莽ade鈥攈allmarks of the Art Deco movement that embraced modernity, industrial strength, and machine-age optimism.

Inside, the building once featured a Depression-era mural titled Rochester Past, Present, and Future by local painter Carl W. Peters. Though believed destroyed for decades, recent speculation suggests it may still survive beneath drywall. The building鈥檚 interior also showcases stylized trompe-l鈥檕eil d茅cor, including wheat motifs referencing Rochester鈥檚 past as 鈥渢he Flour City.鈥� Today, the Times Square Building provides commercial office space, with approximately 95,000 square feet of usable area spread across 14 stories and a basement.

Beyond its architectural significance, the building plays an active role in urban ecology. A nesting box for Rochester鈥檚 peregrine falcons was installed here after being relocated from the Kodak Tower in the late 2000s. With its blend of historical depth, artistic detail, and contemporary relevance, the Times Square Building remains a vital landmark鈥攁n enduring artifact of ambition and design amid the ever-evolving fabric of downtown Rochester.

Rising 443 feet above downtown Rochester, the Xerox Tower 鈥� now known as Innovation Square 鈥� remains the city鈥檚 tallest building and a striking symbol of mid-20th-century corporate architecture. Completed in 1967, the 30-story tower was a technical marvel of its time, becoming the tallest structure in the world built with poured-in-place exposed aggregate concrete. Originally serving as the headquarters of the Xerox Corporation, the tower anchored the 2.7-acre Xerox Square complex, which once included an outdoor skating rink and The Shakespeare, a popular English-style pub.

Xerox鈥檚 famous 鈥淒igital X鈥� logo, which once crowned the building, was removed in 2005 as the company shifted away from its identity as "The Document Company." In 2009, Xerox announced plans to sell the property and lease back office space. By 2013, the complex had been sold to Buckingham Properties for $40 million, with Xerox remaining a tenant for several years. A colorful LED light display was added to the tower鈥檚 rooftop corners in 2015, adding a new visual signature to the Rochester skyline.

In 2018, Xerox officially vacated the tower, relocating local operations to its Webster campus. A new chapter began when Gallina Development acquired the property, rebranding it as Innovation Square. The updated vision transformed the tower into a multi-use hub with residential, commercial, and student living spaces, aiming to foster a vibrant downtown community.

Among its latest additions, a YMCA branch opened in 2023, and the restored auditorium was relaunched as a performing arts center in 2021, preserving the tower鈥檚 legacy as both a landmark of innovation and a renewed anchor for urban life in Rochester.