Remarkable Architectural Art A Rochester Tour by Nancy Gong, Gong Glass Works, and Valerie O’Hara, Pike Studio

thy designers and stained glass studios are plentiful in a 1.7 mile stretch with what some call the miracle mile. For a whirlwind tour of in Rochester, put your hiking shoes on for a trek, bike ride or drive along East Ave and ARTWalk of Rochester on University Ave. All are very convenient to visit. If you choose to drive, park- ing in Rochester is available and often free. You’ll experience a grand preservation district, all very well maintained, on the edge of the cultural district East Avenue. On the edge downtown Rochester is an impressive array of of important historic dotted with contemporary glass added through the years. We’ve The Eye Institute, Rochester, installation by Nancy Gong. put together a self-guided, condensed tour of stained and architectural we think you’ll find inspiring. Most of Located south of Lake Ontario, a community. Of interest to SGAA mem- these you’ll be able to see from outside. short drive from the beautiful glacier- bers, Rochester has established and nur- To assure access from the inside, you formed Finger Lakes and one-and-one- tured an arts and cultural community may want to call ahead. If there is inter- half hours west of Syracuse is through the years, resulting in a still- est, we would be happy to lead a group Rochester, NY. Rochester is the second growing appreciation of new installa- tour. We’ll start at the west end of East largest regional economy in New York tions in architectural art glass as well as Avenue, downtown, and head east. State. With a city population of more the preservation of noteworthy stained than 200,000, the surrounding area’s glass. Through the years, glass designers (1) Eastman School of Music’s population exceeds one million. The and studios have added to a fabulous Wolk Atrium: (585) 274-1110 for access area has a rich history of innovation; collection of centuries-old . hours. Venetian-style chandelier, blown businesses such as Bausch and Lomb, Artists working in many disiplines glass. Dale Chihuly 2010. Eastman Eastman Kodak, and Xerox have facili- have established studios in the area or Theatre, Renovation and addition com- ties in the area; it is a leader in optics- have for a time had a studio in pleted 2010, is worth a visit as well. manufacturing research; and it is home Rochester, including Wendell Castle, to fine educational institutions such as Claude Bragdon, Cab Calloway, Garth (2) Christ Episcopal Church: (585) the University of Rochester, Rochester Fagan, Nancy Gong, Lou Gramm, 454-3878; 141 East Avenue, Rochester Institute of Technology, and smaller col- Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Chuck 14604. Chancel, north transept, and leges such as Nazareth College and Mangione, Peter McGrain, Valerie choir loft by Tiffany Studios, 1890s. SUNYcolleges. These entities, com- O’Hara, Albert Paley, Christopher Side chapel attributed to Henry Sharp; bined with the geographical attributes of Seaman, Michael Taylor, and Patricia North nave by Rambusch Studios; the region, have contributed to attracting Tyser, to name a few. Historic architec- Narthex and vestry by Pike Studios all sorts of creative people to the the ture and its art glass gems by notewor-

46 The Stained Glass Quarterly (3) LiDestri Residence — Private residence; please be mindful of their pri- (8) Greek vacy; 234 East Avenue, Rochester Orthodox Church of 14604, next to the Little Theater. 25' the Annunciation, wall of etched, chipped, and cold paint- (585) 244-3377; 962 ed glass depicting Letchworth State East Avenue, Park, the grand canyon of the east. The Rochester 14607. art is a privacy screen between the resi- Recent work by Pike dence and the urban street life: “Our Studios, 2003. Special Place,” Nancy Gong, Gong Glass Works. (9) St Paul’s Episcopal Church, (4) Rochester Area Community (585) 271-2240; 25 Foundation, 24-hour visibility; 500 East Westminister Rd. off Avenue, Rochester 14604. Outdoor East Avenue, sign. Cast and painted. Nancy Gong, Rochester 14607. Gong Glass Works. Ambulatory (moved Greek Orthodox Church installa- from old church bldg.) attributed to tion by Pike Studios. (5) Third Presbyterian Church — Henry Sharp; East and west transepts 585-271-6531 for a docent led tour; 4 and chantry by Tiffany Studios, 1897; Meigs Street (corner of East Avenue). 12 windows in the east and west naves (10) ARTWalk of Rochester Artistic You can’t miss this limestone lady in the by Connick Studios. Bus Shelter, Public Art; 24-hour access / Gothic Revival style. For those interest- visibility; 1000 University Ave (From ed in historical stained glass, this collec- According to Valerie O’Hara, Pike East Avenue, one block over, taking tion is well documented. One chancel Stained Glass Studio, “The locations... Portsmouth Terrace to University Ave. and four nave windows by Willett are important because of the sizes and Sited in front of Gleason Works.) Studios in 1951, 1961, 1965; six east quantities of the windows. Combine that “Engineers Have Fun Too!” etched and transept, two west transept windows by with the breadth and depth of studios chipped glass by Nancy Gong, Gong Pike Studios, 1921, 1934, 1945, 1966; and their work represented in each Glass Works. three nave windows, 26 clerestory win- church, especially the Third dows and east choir loft by Tiffany Presbyterian and St. Paul’s, and it makes (11) Asbury First United Methodist Studios, 1910 - 1915; one by them veritable museums of stained glass Church, (585) 271-1050; 10050 East Charles Allen; one window by Maitland history. If you add the stories behind the Avenue, Rochester 14607. Sanctuary Armstrong; west choir loft by Tiffany, donors, who are significant personalities windows by Willet Studios, office win- 1893; south entry and colum- in the history of Rochester, and the bib- dows by Tiffany Studios, entrance win- barium by Pike Studios, 1965 and 1976. lical iconography of the compositions, dow by Pike Studios, 2006. This church has three generations of many Stained Glass Association of windows made by Pike Stained Glass America members will be thrilled to (12) Frank Lloyd Wright’s E. E. Studios. know of this cache of windows in our Boynton House, Private residence. city. As an added enticement, there is a Please respect the privacy of the home- (6) Lutheran Church of the window behind the baptismal font at St. owners by remaining on the sidewalk. Incarnate Word, (585) 244-6065, 597 Paul’s Church that is unsigned and lacks 16 East Blvd., Rochester 14610. East Avenue. Willett Studios, faceted any archival information. It is very sim- glass. ilar, and in the same era as the Tiffany For a city of its size, Rochester has windows nearby, but Gwen Cheney, a lot to offer, with lots of friendly peo- (7) Strasenburg Planetarium; parishoner and docent, explained that ple. Heading back, there are several Contact: Heidi Luizzi, (585) 697-1941; there is a La Farge connection to the nearby neighborhoods you can stop in 657 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. church and would love help in solving for shopping, to see more art, or stop for Located in the lobby: “Monument,” the mystery.” a drink or a meal. There are also plenty Leaded glass by Peter McGrain. of night clubs with the full range of

The Stained Glass Quarterly 47 Other notewor- thy installations out- side of our miracle mile: • Interfaith Chapel on the University of Rochester Campus; 500 Wilson Blvd, Rochester 14620. Faceted Blenko Glass by Willet Studios, Charles Z. Lawrence, Designer. • Temple Beth El, (585) 473-1770; 139 South Winton Road, Rochester 14610 — Faceted glass in sanc- tuary by Samuel Weiner, Jr. • Rochester Institute This public art etched glass installation is by Nancy Gong, Gong of Technology, Administrative Glass Works. Photography by Christopher Maggio. Services Building / Innovation Center, Building 87, Rochester music that any large metropolitan area rants and pubs. Parkleigh is a 14623 — 54' x 10' wall of etched might offer. Listed below are several favorite shopping place, with the and hand chipped glass. “In Art options. friendliest people on earth. Hogan’s Science and Life, What is the Hideaway, Charlie’s Frog Pond, Question?” Nancy Gong, Gong Museums, Galleries, Culture: and the Park Avenue Pub are Glass Works. Project awarded • International Museum of Photography, favorites. LEED Platinum status. 2010 AIA 900 East Avenue, Rochester 14607 • Neighborhood of the Arts; Unversity Rochester Merit Award. • Rochester Museum and Science Center and Goodman Streets. University • WXXI, Public Broadcasting, (585) / Strasenburgh Planetarium, 657 East runs parallel to East one block 258-0200; 280 State Street — Avenue north. You’ll find ARTWalk of Relocated leaded glass from a pri- • Memorial Art Gallery of Rochester, 500 Rochester on University from vate residence by Patricia Tyser, University Avenue, Rochester 14607 Goodman to Culver Rd. from her German period. Tyser • National Museum of Play, One studied with Ludwig Schaffrath. Manhattan Square, Rochester 14607 • ARTWalk is an urban trail of public art • Port of Rochester Towers, Contact Pier • Geva Theatre Center, 75 Woodbury work — an outdoor museum. An 45 (restaurant) for access, (585) Blvd, Rochester 14607 expansion project is underway from 865-4500; 1000 N River Street, • Rochester Contemporary, 137 East University to Prince Street, and Rochester 14612 on the Genesee Avenue, Rochester 14604 from Goodman to Village Gate. River by Lake Ontario. Public Art • Little Theatre - Independent Films, 240 You’ll also find the Memorial Art project featuring leaded and etched East Avenue Gallery, Visual Studies Workshop, glass by Nancy Gong, Gong Glass and School of the Arts and Craft Works. Nearby Neighborhoods: Company No 6, a North American • Seneca Park Zoo, (585) 336-7200; 222 • Park Avenue — Runs parallel to East Craft store housed in an old fire- St. Paul Street, Rochester 14621, Avenue, one block south. The hip- house along ARTWalk. off Route 104 — Bengal Tigers in and-trendy-people street, filled with leaded glass by Peter McGrain. great , shops, restau- • Wilmot Cancer Center at Strong

48 The Stained Glass Quarterly This installation at Sonnenburg Gardens is by Pike Studios.

Memorial Hospital, (585) 275- throughout sanctuary by Pike The oldest recorded window of 5830; 601 Elmwood Ave. Box 704, Studios, 1958, 1960, 1967. more than 650 commissions by Pike Rochester, NY 14624. Meditation • St. Mary’s RC Church, (585) 232- Stained Glass Studios (1911) is at the Room window by Pike Studios, 7140; 15 St. Mary’s Place, Sonnenburg Gardens in Canandaigua, 2008; lobby by Michael Rochester 14607 — features win- NY. Taylor. dows by Tiffany and Pike Studios. Once the weather breaks, Rochester • Christ Episcopal Church, Pittsford, • Rush Rhees Library, (585) 275-4461 becomes a city of festivals. In June, the (585) 586-1226; 36 South Main St., — Graduate Studies Room window Jazz Festival will take over, with stage Pittsford 14534 — Early Gothic by Pike Studios, 2009; carved glass venues on the street, clubs, theatres, and revival building, 1870s. One nave installation in the lobby by Nancy everywhere else. If you are planning on window by Tiffany Studios; three Gong, Gong Glass Works. stopping during the Jazz Festival, make nave windows by Keck studios, your reservations now. Rochester is 1940s; three nave, several narthex Other facts: worth the stop, a feast for the eyes and and Fellowship Room windows by The earliest church and oldest pub- nourishment for the heart and soul. For Pike Studios; one chancel window lic building in Rochester is St. Luke & more information, contact Nancy@ attributed to Sharp Studios. St. Simon Cyrene, founded by Nathaniel NancyGong.com. • St. Thomas More Church, (585) 381- Rochester. It houses early-ninteenth- 4200; 2617 East Ave. Rochester, century grisaille windows. e NY 14610. — Twelve windows

The Stained Glass Quarterly 49