Commentary: History of the Powers Building in Rochester

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In 1865, the United States saw the end of this country’s first domestic war, and Rochester saw the worst flood in its entire history. That year was of further note as the year that construction began on Rochester’s most famous complex, the Powers Building. Today, the building would be impossible to recreate.

The marble used in the construction alone would prove a considerable obstacle to any real kind of appraisal. Over eight million pounds of iron went into the construction of the building with the grand staircase alone weighing over 50 tons. Upon its completion, Daniel Powers boasted that the building could hold Rochester’s entire population of 80,000 people within the building’s 65,000 sq. ft. of Vermont and Italian marble.

The year of completion was another red-letter day in history. In 1870 Rochester saw the merger of the two newspapers — The Democrat and The Chronicle — as well as the patent being filed by George Selden for the world’s first internal combustion engine.

When Powers began construction, he had a vision of the tallest building in Rochester. His dream was realized in 1870 and was not challenged until 1883 when the Elwood Building was erected at a height of seven stories. Not being one to be outdone, Powers added a second Mansard roof to the Building, reclaiming its title as Rochester’s tallest. This was the same year that the Powers Hotel was opened across the street. It was another five years before the “tallest building” title was challenged, this time by the Ellwanger & Barry Building (39 State St.) which topped off at a contemporarily impressive eight stories. It wasn’t long however, before Powers added a third Mansard roof to the Powers Building, again reclaiming its “tallest building” title.

The last time that the title was held was in 1891, when the tower was constructed, raising the height from eight to 13 stories, in competition with the neighboring Wilder Building.

At the time of its completion in 1870, the Powers Building was hailed as the only fireproof structure in Rochester and the only building west of New York City equipped with elevators, then called vertical railroads. It also has the distinction of being the first building in Rochester with marble floors, electricity and gas lighting.

Among many other merits, the Powers Building is home to the retail franchise concept. Martha Matilda Harper, first female member of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce and progenitor of the retail franchise, started her hair and skin care products business in the Powers Building in 1888 and built it from there into an international empire.

In 1973, the Powers Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, its tenants include two branches of the M & T bank, the Public Abstract Corp., and 13 law firms employing 38 attorneys, a far cry from the 85 attorneys that called the Powers Building home during the 1880s. At that same time, the U. S. Marshall’s office was also located in the building.

Beginning in 1990, the building underwent renovation and modernization that was only completed last summer at a cost of $30 million. Today, the property is owned by the Ashley Group. Mark Stevens, a representative of the Ashley Group, said that the building is 97 percent leased, with an average rental rate of $13 to $15 dollars per sq. ft.

This monthly column in The Daily Record is intended to spotlight some of the interesting people and places in western New York. If you have a suggestion of future topics, please contact Nora Jones with names and details. [email protected] or 585-232-6920.