RochesterSubway.com : Mayor Duffy Awakening

Archive: May, 2009...

Mayor Duffy Awakening

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

The City Newspaper this week published an interview with Mayor Duffy, ‘It’s not too late to change’: Duffy on Ren Square . In it Duffy explains his recent coming out against the project as it is currently proposed. He cites recent changes in the business and development landscape downtown, new transportation stimulus funding, and sort of a personal awakening for his change of heart. Let’s show the Mayor we support him…

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Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
Tags: city planning, downtown Rochester, Maggie Brooks, Main Street, mass transit, Mayor Duffy, Monroe County, New York, NY, Renaissance Square, Rochester, Rochester City Newspaper, transportation, urban planning, urban renewal, urban revitalization
Posted in Interviews, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 1 Comment »

New York Museum of Transportation

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

If you’re visiting Rochester, or you and the kids are looking for something to do this weekend, the New York Museum of Transportation should be at the very top of your “to-do” list. The NYMT, located just off the New York State Thruway and I-390 in Rush, NY, focuses on not only the State of New York’s rail history but also its transportation history in general as well. Its exhibits range from railroading equipment and trolley cars to historic vehicles and carriages. Jim Dierks, a member of the NYMT Board of Trustees, tells us the museum also boasts plenty of Rochester Subway artifacts. “…not the least of which is the Casey Jones speeder… the only surviving piece of Subway rolling stock that is in operating condition. We also have models, station signs, and a video that operates continuously in our gallery.” Dierks adds, “We also operate a mile-long electrified interurban trolley line…the only trolley operation in New York State.”

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Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Tags: caboose, Casey Jones, Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad, Elmira Corning & Waverly Railway, HO scale, interurban, locomotive, model trains, New York Museum of Transportation, New York State Railways, Northern Texas Traction Company, NYMT, Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, R&GVRRM, rail, railroad, railroad museum, railroad ties, railroad tracks, Rochester, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rochester Railway Company, Rochester Subway, Rush NY, snow sweeper, speeders, things to do in Rochester, train museum, trains, transportation, trolley, Whiting trackmobile
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Train/Railroad Stuff, Video | 2 Comments »

Gas Stations Pose Urban Design Challenge

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

On Monday evening, June 8, 2009, the Rochester Regional Community Design Center will go before Rochester’s City Planning Commission and appeal the decision to allow a Fastrac gas station to be built on Main Street next to the Main/University Inner Loop on-ramp. Roger Brown, Creative Consultant at RRCDC explains, “Though we don’t agree with the Zoning Board’s decision to allow a gas station at that site … much of our case will be about the urban design of the building and how it needs to be designed according to the Center City Design Standards for Main Street.”

I’ll talk more about those “urban design standards” and how you can help. But first, there’s a virus spreading across America…

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Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Tags: architecture, Center City, city, city planning, design, design standards, downtown Rochester, Exxon Mobil, eyesore, fast food restaurant, franchise, gas station, infrastructure, Main Street, McDonald's, mixed-use, Monroe Avenue, Monroe County, multi-use construction, ordinance, Pittsford, Rochester Regional Community Design Center, Roger Brown, RRCDC, sidewalks, suburbs, sustainability, urban design, urban planning, urban renewal, Walmart, Webster, zoning
Posted in Rochester News, Urban Development | 2 Comments »

Space Station Over Rochester, NY

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Okay this was too cool to keep to myself. This photo was snapped by the space shuttle as it passed by the International Space Station a few years ago. Rochester just happened to be in the background. Lake Erie and Buffalo are on the left side of the image, while Lake Ontario and Rochester are on the right. Holy smokes, I can see my house from here!

Incidentally, this SkyWatch 2.0 tool is supposed to tell you when the Space Station can be seen passing over any given location. But I don’t think I’m smart enough to know how to use it.

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
Tags: image, photo, photography, Rochester, satellite, space, space shuttle, space station
Posted in Rochester News | No Comments »

Jacky Grimshaw to Give Lecture on Transit-Oriented Development

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Jacky Grimshaw, Vice President of Policy, Transportation, and Community Development at the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago will be in Rochester this Wednesday, May 13, to discuss neighborhood revitalization and the importance of transit-oriented development. RocSubway followers do not want to miss this event. It’s also the final lecture in this series entitled Reshaping Rochester hosted by the Rochester Regional Community Design Center .

UPDATE: Listen to the lecture here…

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Friday, May 8th, 2009
Tags: city planning, development, global warming, human-scale lifestyle, Jacky Grimshaw, lecture, public policy, quality of life, rail, Rochester Regional Community Design Center, RRCDC, suburban sprawl, suburbs, sustainability, transit, urban planning, urban renewal, urban revitalization, walkable communities
Posted in Events, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | No Comments »

Rewind: High Speed Rail Art from 2002

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Fast forward or rewind? The dream of high speed rail in Upstate NY is nothing new. Back in 1993 Mario Cuomo wanted to see Amtrak service upgraded to 125mph between Albany and Buffalo. And the idea has been studied up and down since the 70’s. But now with Obama and Biden calling for a new high speed rail network to ease congestion on U.S. roadways, and Representative Louise Slaughter spearheading a new push to bring high speed upstate , what’s old just may be new again. Check out this poster…

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