Clinton-Rosekrans Law Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1892 at the corner of Genesee Street and Driscoll Avenue in Greene, this two-story brick building is notable for its ornate galvanized iron front. A local builder had the facade ordered from Mesker Brothers Iron Company of St. Louis, a firm that sold complete storefronts made of stock iron pieces and shipped ready to assemble. The front combines Classical and Romanesque details, including paired engaged columns, a bracketed cornice and a triangular pediment. It is the only galvanized sheet iron facade in the village and remains the most elaborate storefront on a street of older commercial buildings. Over the years the ground floor has housed a jewelry store, a post office, an ice cream parlor, a drugstore and a clothing store, while the second floor has held a law office since 1892. The interior has been altered many times, but the exterior is largely unchanged, making the building a rare surviving example of a once-common type.
Significance in brief: It has the only galvanized sheet iron facade and the most ornate storefront in the village, ordered from Mesker Brothers Iron Company of St. Louis in 1892. The front is almost unchanged and is one of the few surviving Mesker Brothers storefronts in the region. The nomination calls it a rare example of a once-common building type.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79001569, listed July 27, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 62 Genessee St, Greene |
|---|---|
| County | Chenango County |
| Listed | July 27, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Charles L. Williams |
| Architectural style | Galvanized iron front mixing Classical and Romanesque details |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent and altered. The exterior is largely intact, the interior retains little original detail, and the building has shops on the first floor and law offices on the second. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Greene Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.32989, -75.77047 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79001569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5134043
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.