The home at 80 Adams Street, which dates back to the 1870s, has undergone numerous transformations and alterations that have led to its present state. Prominent Rochester tailor Archibald Smiley purchased the house for $14,500 in 1875 and owned it until his suicide by morphine in 1885. The house had dozens of subsequent owners before it became an unfortunate victim of the urban renewal movement of the 1960s. Like many of Corn Hill’s older homes, it sat vacant and boarded up for years. Spray-painted messages on one of its exterior walls became a symbol of area residents’ frustration with local public housing policies.
In the early 1970s, the house was threatened with demolition before the Landmark Society intervened to save it. Kenneth Frantz purchased 80 Adams Street in 1972, paid off its six years of unpaid taxes, and promptly sold it to Jose Flores. Unfortunately, the rear part of the house and full-length porch were not salvageable and Mr. Flores had them removed. He restored the current section of the house and added the triangular addition on the rear of the dwelling, as well as the current front porch, in the mid-1970s.
The current owners purchased the home in July 2013. Over the past year, they have focused the majority of their efforts on renovating the kitchen, bathroom and other areas to make it more consistent with their vision for the house. Their modern touches on this delightful residence have all been completed while attempting to carefully preserve its historic charm. They invite you to explore their unique home and hope you enjoy it as much they do!
