Kodak Tower Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Kodak Tower
Kodak Tower as seen from Morrie Silver Way
Alternative names	Kodak Office Tower Building 7
Record height
Tallest in Rochester, NY from 1914 to 1968
Preceded by	Saint Michael's Church
Surpassed by	Xerox Tower (1968–present)
General information
Type	Office
Location	343 State St Rochester, New York
Coordinates	43°9′39″N 77°37′11″W / 43.16083°N 77.61972°W / 43.16083; -77.61972
Current tenants	Eastman Kodak Company
Construction started	1912
Completed	1914
Opening	1914
Owner	Eastman Kodak Company
Management	Eastman Kodak Company
Height
Antenna spire	360 feet (110 m)
Roof	340 feet (100 m)
Top floor	260 feet (79 m)
Technical details
Floor count	19
Lifts/elevators	5
Design and construction
Architect	Gordon & Kaelber Architects, Howard Wright Cutler

The Kodak Tower is a tall, 19-story building in Rochester, New York. It is part of the main offices for the Eastman Kodak Company. This company is famous for making cameras and film.

The tower stands about 340 feet (104 meters) tall to its roof. With its antenna spire, it reaches 366 feet (112 meters). For over 50 years, from 1914 to the late 1960s, it was the tallest building in Rochester. Today, it is the 4th tallest building in Rochester. It is also the 9th tallest building in New York State outside of New York City.

People in Rochester see the Kodak Tower as a special landmark. It is also a symbol in the world of photography. Some even call it the "nerve center of photography." The Eastman Kodak Company still owns and uses the skyscraper as its main headquarters. In 2008, the company worked to fix and restore the outside of the building.

History of the Kodak Tower
Tower Architecture
- Signs and Lights
- Restoration Work
Address
Gallery
See also

History of the Kodak Tower

The Kodak Tower was built where an old factory used to be. It was next to several other Kodak buildings. Construction started in 1912. The tower was finished in 1914. George Eastman, who started Kodak, was in charge of the project. When it was completed, the tower became the tallest building in Rochester. It held this title until the 1960s.

Building Design and Construction

Close-up of the spire

The Kodak Tower was designed by architects Howard Wright Cutler and Gordon & Kaelber. They used a French Renaissance style. When building began in 1912, it was planned as a 16-story skyscraper. It had a strong steel frame covered with terra cotta tiles. Once finished in 1914, it was taller than the Powers Building. This made it the tallest building in the city.

Adding the Spire

In the late 1920s, another building, the Genesee Valley Trust building, planned to add a tall feature. This would have made it taller than the Kodak Tower. To keep the Kodak Tower as the tallest, Eastman Kodak hired an architect. They added three more floors to the building. They also added a special sloped roof and an aluminum tower. This work was done in 1935. It brought the tower's total height to 366 feet (112 meters).

Peregrine Falcon Webcam

In 1994, a man named Dennis Money started the Rochester Peregrine Falcon Project. He got permission from Kodak to put a nest box on the tower's spire. This nest box helped bring peregrine falcons back to eastern North America. These birds were once on the U.S. Endangered Species list.

In 1998, a pair of falcons, named Mariah and Cabot-Sirocco, started nesting there. Their story became very popular online. An IT consultant at Kodak, Brad Carney, set up webcams around the nest. People could watch the falcons live on the Kodak website. The webcam quickly became a big hit. Mariah hatched 43 falcon chicks at the top of the Kodak Tower. In 2008, the nest box was moved to the Times Square Building. This was because Kodak planned to do a lot of repair work on the tower.

Tower Architecture

Kodak Tower being repaired in 2008

The Kodak Tower is 340 feet (104 meters) tall to its roof. It reaches a full height of 366 feet (112 meters). The building has 19 floors of office space. Only the Eastman Kodak Company uses these offices. At the very top, there is an 18th and 19th floor balcony. Above that is a steep, pointed steeple. A lightning rod sits at the very top, with the letters "EK" for Eastman Kodak.

Signs and Lights

Large block letters spell out "KODAK" on the north and south sides of the tower's roof. At night, these letters light up with bright red neon lights. Also, the tower's 18th and 19th floor balconies are lit up for special events. These include sports games and holidays.

Restoration Work

On June 13, 2008, Eastman Kodak announced plans to fix and restore the tower's outside. The building needed urgent repairs. The stone on the tower was wearing away in many places. This could have made the building unsafe. The restoration work was finished in 2010.