Built in 1885, this true double-wythe masonry building was the original home of the Rochester Era Printing House, Rochester’s first successful newspaper. After several owners and various uses over its 140-year lifespan, Oak Street Design decided to purchase the building in 2023 and renovate it into our new downtown studio space, for our small but growing team. This major renovation marks a new chapter in the story of the building and a milestone for our business.

A full exterior and interior renovation was completed, to honor and expand upon the building’s history and style. Layer after layer of exterior paint was stripped away to expose the original brick; the mortar of the entire brick facade was removed and retuckpointed; the original wood cornice was stripped back to raw wood and missing details were rebuilt; the main floor street-facing facade was fully removed and new storefront windows and lower cornice detail were installed in its place; most of the interior brick walls were exposed from behind old plaster applications and preserved; the layout of the interior was entirely rethought; and new finishes were selected with the style of the original building in mind.

The renovation makes the building highly functional for our day-to-day studio use, with a variety of new spaces to meet with clients, work on projects, collaborate as a team, and continue to chase our passions designing custom, thoughtful spaces.