| Eastman School of Music | East Wing |
|
| East
Wing Facade |
 |
 |
| Eastman Theatre under construction in
1921, showing buildings on future site of the East Wing |
Aerial photo of nearly
completed East Wing |
George Eastman intended to purchase the entire block bounded by Gibbs, Main, and Swan Streets and Barrett Alley for the School of Music, but was unable to reach agreement with Alexander B. Lamberton, the owner of the property at 433-453 East Main Street.
The Eastman School finally acquired this property in 1961 for $225,000 and used it as a parking lot until it was decided to build the East Wing on the site. The Eastman Theatre was also renovated during the construction of the new wing, and both were reopened in 2010.
References
1926 Plat
Book of the City of Rochester
Plate
2: Eastman School and Theatre
1935 Plat
Book of the City of Rochester
Plate
1: Eastman School and Theatre
1961 "Main-Swan
Site Sold to UR for $225,000," Democrat and Chronicle, July
7, 1961, Page 16.
Sold by Jarold Properties, Inc. The university took over a $60,250
mortgage and paid the remainder in cash.
1977 History
of the University of Rochester, 1850-1962, by Arthur J.
May. Expanded edition with notes
Chapter 18, The Birth of a Music Center
For the projected center of musical training and entertainment, Eastman
acquired a tract at the southeast corner of Gibbs and Main Streets;
Barrett Place (or Alley) formed the boundary on the Gibbs Street side, and
the property extended along Main Street almost to Swan Street. Owing to
the excessive price demanded by the owner of the land on the southwest
corner of Main and Swan, Eastman refused to buy it (though it was
purchased by the University in 1961), and that necessitated significant
revisions in the original plan of construction.
Chapter 39, The Eastman School--The Postwar Years
George Eastman at the time of the School's founding had planned to acquire
all property bounded by Main, Gibbs, Barret, and Swan Streets, but
speculators drove up the price of that remaining small plot. The rumored
one million was too much for Eastman's blood, and plans for the Theatre
had to be altered accordingly. In 1961, however, the owners met the
University's offer, and the property was sold for $225,000. The building
was then razed, and a hitherto unrevealed and rather blank facade of the
Theatre was disclosed. Plans for a small park-like area succumbed,
temporarily at least, to the demands for faculty and staff parking.
1983 "UR,
Eastman may build downtown," Democrat and Chronicle, January
25, 1983, Page 1A. | Part
2 |
Schools considering office building next to Eastman Theater.
1987 "A
History of the Eastman Theatre," by Vinci Lenti, Rochester
History 49(1):1-24 (January 1987)
This city block-bordered by Main Street on the north, Barrett Alley on the
south, Gibbs Street on the west, and Swan Street on the east-underwent a
profound and dramatic change during the years 1919-1922. George Eastman
had selected this site for the new Eastman School of Music and adjoining
Eastman Theatre, and only two buildings were spared demolition. The owner
of the large building at the comer of Main and Swan demanded too high a
purchase price from Eastman. Rather than agreeing to what he considered to
be an exorbitant amount, the mil-lionaire philanthropist ordered his
architects to redesign the plans for the new theater and abandoned his
efforts to acquire the building. It stood there for over forty more years,
cutting a triangular wedge into the side of the theater, and was finally
purchased by the Eastman School of Music and demolished.
2010 "Harmonious
Halls," Democrat and Chronicle, December 5, 2010, Page 1C. |
part 2 |
Eastman School of Music celebrates $46.9 million project - with concerts,
of course.
© 2021 Morris A. Pierce