The iconic Wings of Progress atop Rochester's Times Square Building

In the heart of Rochester, the Times Square Building, once known as the Genesee Valley Trust Building, rose to completion in 1930. This Art Deco skyscraper was designed by Ralph Thomas Walker of the firm Voorhees, Gmelin, and Walker. It stands 260 feet tall in the Four Corners district and is topped by four monumental aluminum structures known as the "Wings of Progress." These wings, inspired by the forms of seashells, are among the most recognizable elements of the Rochester skyline.

The building's construction began on October 29, 1929, during the stock market crash. The exterior features Indiana limestone and the distinctive winged roof. Inside, the architecture showcases extensive trompe-l'oeil decoration, including stylized wheat motifs that reference Rochester's history as "the Flour City." The main level walls are clad in marble from Valencia, Spain, and Lombardy, Italy, while the original banking room featured red marble and Australian lacewood wall panels.

While the Genesee Valley Trust Company occupied the building until the early 1960s, the property has seen various owners and careful restorations of its Art Deco metalwork and terrazzo floors. Plans for the building's future include a historic certified renovation to convert the upper floors into 90 residential units and upgrade 15,000 square feet of office and commercial space.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons