Rochester Historical Society to Sell East Ave. Mansion ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - The Rochester Historical Society says it's signed a deal to sell its headquarters at 485 East Avenue to a Rochester couple -- who plan to restore it as a private residence.

The society said Thursday that Robert and Amy Tait of Brighton will buy the house for 450-thousand dollars and convert it back into a home. The Taits are commercial real estate developers and also have experience in renovating historic houses.

The Historical Society house is known as Woodside. It's part of mansion row on East Avenue where George Eastman and other leading Rochester industrialists built their homes. Woodside was donated to the society in 1941 and became both the society's headquarters and a museum covering 150 years of Rochester history.

But the collection and archives outgrew the mansion and it also needs structural repair and restoration. The society's board of directors voted over the summer to find a private buyer for Woodside and to move the collections to the Rundell Library Building.

Board President Rebecca Edwards says the mansion will be restored to its original look and use, and the historical collections will get better care and community access.

The Taits are expected to take title to the property next spring, pending approval by the society membership at a vote scheduled for late September.
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