EASTMAN THEATRE: 'Kodak Hall' reflects Eastman's vision
On Apr. 29th, 2008
I was disappointed with your editorial about the name Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Both the expansion project and the new concert hall reflect George Eastman's values.
George Eastman, who was initially responsible for the hall, probably was more proud of his work at Kodak than any other aspect of 
his life. I am sure that he would be delighted that, after nearly 80 years, we are completing his vision of expanding the Eastman Theatre to include the recital hall he had initially contemplated and that Eastman Theatre in the future will embrace not only Kodak Hall and the new recital hall but Kilbourn Hall in the contiguous academic building.
JOEL SELIGMAN, ROCHESTER
(Seligman is president of the University of Rochester.)
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Louis richards on April 30th, 2008
Neither Joel Seligman nor Antonio Perez are local boys and I doubt that they realize what your proposed Eastman Theatre "name change" represents to citizens & music lovers in Rochester; they will discover that we don't like the idea at all.
Quite frankly, it is hubris to attempt to "improve" on a design by McKim, Mead & White. However, what is lacking in creativity is amply made up by Chaintreuil, Jensen, Stark & UR with a healthy dose of chutzpa in their "re-design" of the historic Eastman Theatre. Mr. Eastman was involved in every aspect of his theatre.
Eastman Kodak's job base is evaporating, daily, in Rochester. Is Kodak's participation in this desecration - renaming the theatre "Kodak Hall" - a last-gasp bid for local self-aggrandizement? If events continue as they have, within a decade this may be the single remaining building bearing the Kodak name in the city of Rochester.
Let's not mince words, the claims of Seligman & Perez "completing" the vision of founder, George Eastman, strike me as being less of a vision and more of an hallucination!