![Inside Rochester's Pulaski Library. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-pulaski-library-01b.jpg)
Rochester’s Pulaski Library (originally the Hudson Avenue branch) was the second permanent library constructed by the City. As explained here 
, the library was closed in 1994, and has sat unused until last week when the City opened the doors to potential buyers. If you’re interested, the City wants your proposal by March 4. $1,000 to buy it, but you’ve got to show you’ve got a serious plan to rehab the property. Historic tax credits and grants could help take a bite out of the million dollars it could cost you when all is said and done. If you missed the open house, here’s a look inside…
Archive: January, 2013...
Inside the Pulaski Library
Thursday, January 31st, 2013Tags: American War of independence, Brigadier General Casmir Pulaski, George Washington, history of Rochester, Hudson Avenue, Norton Avenue, Pulaski Library, Revolutionary War, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Library, urban exploration
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester News, Urban Development | 17 Comments »
Filling In: 18-26 Exchange
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013![Aerial view of the Main Street bridge. 1929. [IMAGE: Rochester Municipal Archives]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/aerial-main-street-bridge-rochester-1929.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
Submit your story today.
Welcome to the first post in what will be an ongoing series called Filling In. One of the key elements of any great city is a tightly knit urban fabric. Whether you’re in New York City, San Francisco, or our own beloved Rochester, building an appealing city scape at a human, walkable scale promotes health, wealth, and wisdom. We’ve also learned that parks next to parks next to barren windswept plazas don’t put butts in seats, as they say. With that in mind, Filling In aims to explore vacant or underutilized pieces of Rochester in an effort to rebuild or strengthen our built environment. The aerial photo above was taken in 1929, when downtown was dense and energetic. And here is a reminder of what we’re up against…
Tags: development, downtown, downtown Rochester, Exchange Boulevard, Exchange Street, Exhange, Filling In, infill development, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, urban design
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 34 Comments »
Rochester May Have to Eat Crow
Monday, January 28th, 2013![A large roost of crows was spotted last week on the edge of the Genesee River gorge near the Smith Street Bridge. [FILE PHOTO: Terri Heisele]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/crows-02-terri-heisele.jpg)
Love’em or hate’em, these feathered Rochesterians may be here for the long haul. Last February the City and USDA used spotlights, pyrotechnics, lasers and recordings of distress calls to scare a pesky flock of crows out of Washington Square Park. But the birds came back. So, in December City Council approved another $21,000 for crow removal and they tried it again. For now, Washington Square seems to be free and clear. But the family of roughly 40,000 didn’t move very far. In fact, they’re hiding in plain sight…
Tags: crows, flock of crows, Genesee River Gorge, High Falls, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Rochester Images, Rochester News, Video | 8 Comments »
Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family
Sunday, January 27th, 2013![The Babcocks, an American family. Rochester, NY. March, 1943. [PHOTO: Library of Congress]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/babcock-family-rochester-ny-portrait.jpg)
Yesterday, the archival photo blog, Shorpy , shared a great photo of the Babcock family from Rochester NY. The image is one of a collection of 38 photographs by Ralph Amdursky for the U.S. Office of War Information. The series shows how the Babcocks, a “typical American war worker’s family,” lived in 1943 during the height of WWII…
Tags: Babcock, Babcock family, history of Rochester, Library of Congress, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester history, Shorpy.com, U.S. Office of War Information, World War II, WWII
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images | 12 Comments »
The First Snapshot of Rochester’s Buildings of Historic Value
Thursday, January 24th, 2013![A map of Rochester's Buildings of Historic Value [Thanks to: Jim Fraser and Joseph Becker]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-designated-buildings-of-historic-value-map-01.jpg)
Scientists have known of the existence of DNA for over fifty years. But until recently , no one had ever seen a photograph of that tricky little double-helix. For the preservation community in Rochester, the image above could be just as big of a breakthrough as photographing DNA for the first time. We had a fuzzy idea of their existence, but until today no one had ever seen a map of the city’s Designated Buildings of Historic Value (DBHV). And I mean NO ONE. Not even the people who put the list together…
Tags: Bret Garwood, City of Rochester, Designated Building of Historic Value, Designated Buildings of Historic Value List, Jim Fraser, Joseph Becker, Landmark Society of Western New York, map, map of Rochester landmarks, Rochester history, Wayne Goodman
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester News, Urban Development | 10 Comments »
RochesterSubway.com Talks at TEDxRochester
Monday, January 21st, 2013![Mike Governale at TEDxRochester. Mike is a designer, blogger, and founder of a local public transit advocacy group, Reconnect Rochester. [PHOTO: Jeffrey Hamson]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/TEDx-Rochester-2.jpg)
Last November I had the ridiculously huge privilege to give a talk at TEDxRochester. The gravity of the honor may have been too much for my little brain to comprehend. In fact, when they initially asked me to do it I said “no thanks” – twice. Long story short, I gave in. And I’m glad I did, because the experience was one of those “once in a lifetime” things.
Since much of my talk was influenced by you, RocSubway readers and participants, I thought you’d like to watch (and share) the official video which has just been released. A word of caution: I’m not the most riveting public speaker, but there is lots of good stuff buried within this 12-minute presentation, so watch thru to the end if you can…
Tags: Amanda Doherty, downtown Rochester, Gary Jacobs, history of Rochester, Jen Indovina, mass transit, mass transportation, Michael Governale, public transportation, Reconnect Rochester, Rick U., Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, suburban sprawl, TED Talks, TEDxRochester, Tony Karakashian, transit, transportation, transportation alternatives, urban revitalization
Posted in Opinion, Rochester History, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development, Video | 4 Comments »
New Aerial Photo of Hojack Swing Bridge
Friday, January 18th, 2013![Old site of the Hojack Swing Bridge near the Port of Rochester. [AERIAL PHOTO: Bob Biakowski]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/Swing-Bridge-Aerial-Photo-Bob-Biakowski.jpg)
Today’s Fun Foto Friday may not be very fun for rail fans and admirers of the old Hojack Swing Bridge near the Port of Rochester. This is an aerial photo of where the bridge used to be. The shot was taken just a few days ago, on January 14, by Bob Biakowski. Here’s what it looked like before it was dismantled…
Tags: aerial photography, Charlotte, demolition, Fun Foto Friday, Genesee River, Hojack Railroad Line, Hojack Swing Bridge, King Bridge Company, New York Central Railroad, photo, Port of Rochester, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad (RW&O)
Posted in Rochester Images, Rochester News, Train/Railroad Stuff | 4 Comments »
Toilet Paper and Rochester’s Center City Master Plan
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
Last night the City of Rochester held the first of two informational/public input sessions for the new Center City Master Plan . This meeting was primarily intended for residents of downtown, although many people who work or live outside the inner loop also gave input.
I listened for about an hour as many great ideas were put on the table… “Plant trees down the middle of Main Street to make it nicer for pedestrians.” “Make people feel safer about walking downtown.” “Stop demolishing older and historic buildings.”
Then one resident announced, “Sometimes I go to the bathroom and I need toilet paper, but the only place to find toilet paper is Wegmans or Tops which are too far to walk to.” So, simply put, downtown could use more retailers and small grocers – for life’s little necessities (i.e. T.P.). Brilliant!
Tags: Center City, Center City Circulator Study, downtown Rochester, Rochester, Rochester Bicycle Master Plan Project, Rochester Center City Master Plan, Rochester NY, transit-oriented development
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 24 Comments »
Saving Car 60: The Last Passenger Car From Rochester’s Subway
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013![The last remaining Rochester subway car... #60. [PHOTO: Christopher Hauf, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-subway-car-60-RGVRRM-01.jpg)
Hopefully you caught yesterday’s story, “Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism” about the defunct Rochester subway. If you missed it give it a read. Originally published in the City Newspaper in 1983, the article mentioned the sole surviving subway car, car #60, and the effort to bring it back to Rochester and restore it to working order. Yesterday I received a more detailed explanation of those restoration efforts from Otto M. Vondrak, one of the trustees of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Henrietta, NY. Here’s the story of subway car #60 from Otto…
Tags: City Newspaper, history of Rochester, Jim Dierks, National Railway Historical Society (NRHS), New York Museum of Transportation, New York State Museum, NYMT, Otto M. Vondrak, Rail City, Rochester, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester subway car 60, Rochester Subway photos, Rochester Subway tunnel, Sam Grover
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester News, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | 2 Comments »
Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism
Monday, January 14th, 2013![Cover of Rochester City Newspaper. June 2, 1983. [COURTESY: CITY Newspaper]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/city-newspaper-rochester-subway-story.jpg)
Sean Kirst began his career as a writer for City Newspaper (he’s now a columnist at Syracuse’s Post Standard ). He says he fell in love with the haunting feel of Rochester’s subway tunnels and was intrigued to learn the subway began taking off just after World War II. But at a critical moment, the system was basically dismantled by community leaders who were already thinking “interstates.” Sean dug into the story and wrote a fairly in-depth story entitled “Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism.” It was published in City Newspaper on June 2, 1983. Thirty years later, City Newspaper has graciously allowed RocSubway to share the story with you again, here…
Tags: City Newspaper, Harold McFarlin, history of Rochester, Jim Dierks, John Thomas, Mary Anna Towler, Mike Dow, National Railway Historical Society (NRHS), New York Museum of Transportation, NYMT, Richard Sale, Rochester, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester subway car 60, Rochester Subway photos, Rochester Subway tunnel, Sean Kirst
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 7 Comments »
West Main Street. c1908?
Friday, January 11th, 2013![View of Main Street, Rochester, NY. c.1908. [PHOTO: Detroit Publishing Co. via Library of Congress]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/hotel-rochester-main-street-1908.jpg)
Here’s one heck of a photo – Rochester’s Main Street around the turn of the last century. It was snapped from a fire escape at 102 W. Main, near the corner of N. Plymouth Avenue, looking east. Make sure you click on the image and zoom all the way in for all the incredible detail. Across the street you’ll notice some pretty major landmarks. The most obvious one being Hotel Rochester on the far right…
Tags: C.B. Woodworth, Detroit Publishing Co., downtown Rochester, Henry Searle, history of Rochester, Hotel Rochester, Main Street, National Theater, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Plymouth Theatre, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Savings Bank
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 17 Comments »
Of Rochester, New York: A Place of Flour and Flowers
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013![Lilacs in Highland Park, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Rich Engelbrecht, via Flickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/lilacs-highland-park-rochester.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Joel Helfrich.
Submit your story today.
I live in America’s first boom town—Rochester, New York—on Linden Street. Linden trees, unsurprisingly, line much of my street. Down the street is the Genesee River, once one of America’s most polluted—and possibly still. My street is a historic district that was once part of the world’s largest nursery. The Ellwanger and Barry Company supplied the first fruit trees to California…
Tags: Ellwanger-Barry, Flour City, Flower City, Frederick Douglass, Frederick Law Olmsted, Highland Park, Joel Helfrich, John Dunbar, lilacs, Linden Avenue, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History | 5 Comments »
A Tour of Rochester’s Times Square Building
Monday, January 7th, 2013![A photo of a photo of a man atop the Times Square Building, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Ryan Green]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/times-square-building-rochester-02.jpg)
Ryan Green is a student at University of Rochester. Last month, after joining up with the University’s Urban Explorers (UrbEx ) club, he toured Rochester’s Times Square Building, formerly the Genesee Valley Trust Company . You probably know it by the enormous set of wings on top of it. Aside from maybe the Mercury statue, those “wings of progress” are easily the most recognizable element of Rochester’s skyline. And while they have a story all their own, there’s plenty more history to be found on the fourteen floors beneath.
Although the building is not open for public tours, Richard Calabrese Jr., who manages the property, says he likes touring the urban explorer group because of their genuine curiosity. Although, if a fundraising tour is requested, Calabrese says he’d consider that. “I have all kinds of history that I’ve learned over the years.” Ryan Green had such a good time touring the building, he wanted to share these photos, and his experience, with us…
Tags: Cutler mail chute, downtown Rochester, Elwood Building, Genesee Valley Trust, George Eastman, Gmelin and Walker, James G. Cutler, Kodak Tower, Richard Calabrese Jr., Rochester, Rochester NY, Ryan Green, skyscraper, speakeasy, Times Square Building, University of Rochester, urban explorers, UrbEx Club, Voorhees, wings of progress
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 37 Comments »
Rochester’s RKO Palace Theater and the $10,000,000 Twin Towers
Friday, January 4th, 2013![Rochester's RKO Palace Theater, September 1965. A sign is hung on the marquee proclaiming this the site of new $10 Million dollar twin towers. The theater was demolished and no towers were ever built on the site. [PHOTO: Courtesy of Rochester Theater Organ Society]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/RKO-Palace-051-New10MillionDollarTwinTowers.jpg)
Russ Shaner, president of the Rochester Theater Organ Society has dug up another incredible photo of Rochester’s RKO Palace Theater…
Tags: downtown Rochester, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Theater Organ Society, Russ Shaner, The Rochesterian
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 5 Comments »
The Rail Bridge over Letchworth Park: Should it stay or go… or both?
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013![The Portageville Bridge over Letchworth State Park looking south from the Middle/Upper Falls Picnic Area. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/letchworth-portageville-bridge-overlook.jpg)
The Portageville Bridge which carries the Norfolk Southern railroad over the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park was built in 1875 after a fire destroyed the former wooden bridge. The steel frame bridge, which towers over the river gorge and its waterfalls, has become a beloved feature of the park and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. But a 2008 inspection by Modjeski and Masters revealed structural deficiencies, and it was determined that the current bridge should either be rehabilitated or replaced. The question is what to do with the old bridge once a new one is built. State officials are now soliciting comments from the public on three different options…
Tags: demolition, Genesee River, Letchworth State Park, National Register of Historic Places, New York State Historic Preservation Office, NYSDOT, Portageville Rail Bridge, Walkway Over the Hudson
Posted in Rochester Images, Rochester News, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | 22 Comments »
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