Alcoa Care-free Home
Why it's listed
Built in 1958 at 1589 Clover Street in Brighton, outside Rochester, this one-story Ranch house was one of 24 demonstration homes promoted by Alcoa and is the only one in New York State. Architect Charles M. Goodman designed it with a post-and-beam frame, a shallow side-gabled roof and prefabricated aluminum wall panels in bright colors, alternating with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass end walls. The roof is textured aluminum coated with sky-blue acrylic film. Inside, an open plan flows around a central galley kitchen, with cypress ceilings, recessed carpet areas and aluminum trim throughout. Promotional material described these as care-free features that reduced cleaning and painting. Goodman was known for the Hollin Hills subdivision in Virginia, where prototype Alcoa homes were built in 1957, and for his work with prefabrication and new materials. The house was listed for its architectural significance as a well-preserved example of that experimentation. It remains a private single-family residence on a nearly one-acre lot.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant in architecture under Criterion C as an example of a prefabricated, aluminum-intensive Ranch house designed by architect Charles M. Goodman. It was one of 24 Alcoa demonstration homes and survives with its original design and interior largely intact. Goodman's Hollin Hills work and experiments with new building materials and industrialized housing add to its importance.
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 10000358, listed June 18, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1589 Clover St, Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | June 18, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000358 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1958 |
| Architect / builder | Charles M. Goodman; Fred P. DeBlase |
| Architectural style | Ranch style (classified as Other) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling; the carport has been enclosed and some kitchen and bathroom fittings have been updated. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.12749, -77.54706 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 10000358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4713205
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.