All the controversy over whether or not to demolish the 120 year-old brewhouse at 13 Cataract Street got us thinking. Those in favor of demolishing the building say it’s an eyesore and a haven for drug dealers; even prostitutes. So, just remove the building and our problems go away.
Right?
But if we demolished every eyesore in Rochester, would we have solved all the City’s problems? Or might we end up tossing the proverbial “baby” out with the bath water? For the next two weeks we’ll take a look at some local eyesores …or rather, opportunities, nearly lost.
All the controversy over whether or not to demolish the 120 year-old brewhouse at 13 Cataract Street got us thinking. Those in favor of demolishing the building say it’s an eyesore and a haven for drug dealers; even prostitutes. So, just remove the building and our problems go away.
Right?
But if we demolished every eyesore in Rochester, would we have solved all the City’s problems? Or might we end up tossing the proverbial “baby” out with the bath water? For the next two weeks we’ll take a look at some local eyesores …or rather, opportunities, nearly lost.
All the controversy over whether or not to demolish the 120 year-old brewhouse at 13 Cataract Street got us thinking. Those in favor of demolishing the building say it’s an eyesore and a haven for drug dealers; even prostitutes. So, just remove the building and our problems go away.
Right?
But if we demolished every eyesore in Rochester, would we have solved all the City’s problems? Or might we end up tossing the proverbial “baby” out with the bath water? For the next two weeks we’ll take a look at some local eyesores …or rather, opportunities, nearly lost.
Yet another press release from the Brewery today. They are clearly on the defensive and changing their story every day. Now they say, “the building at 13 Cataract Street will NOT be replaced with a parking lot. See the attached rendering.”
I’m sorry, I just can’t take this rendering seriously. It looks like an episode of South Park unleashed on our streets. But hold on… if the Brewery wanted to put a stage in the place of the historic 13 Cataract building, why did their plans show a parking lot? Is this rendering real; or clever marketing spin? I think the answer lies somewhere in the Zoning Board’s January 19th decision.
Boy oh boy, this Brewery story is getting complicated. So let’s review the events that led to this horrific rendering issued yesterday. Here’s a timeline:
Brewery CEO, Rich Lozyniak, said Thursday that those who want to save 13 Cataract Street are “a very small group of people standing in the way of progress.” I don’t believe tearing down a 120 year old brewing landmark for 27 parking spaces is progress… I’ve always supported the idea of a Brewery Visitor Center. But I also support the effort to save the 120 year old brewhouse across the street (13 Cataract ). And I know I’m not alone…
Evidence that a story can be spun in multiple directions. Here is Rich Lozyniak today announcing that he has listened to the community but he’s not open to allowing 13 Cataract St. to be redeveloped—a building which was designated one of official historic value by the City in 2003. He’d rather threaten to scrap his project across the street than remain open to the possibility for two development projects side by side. The threatening tone of his statement below is clearly aimed to scare the Planning Board into denying Landmark status for 13 Cataract. Yet, somehow, it’s his name that is being “dragged through the mud”? Be careful what you wish for Mr. Lozyniak. That “small group of people” you say are standing in the way of progress might actually be standing on the progressive side of the issue. Enough of that. Here’s his statement…
This Wednesday the Preservation Board will decide whether or not to sponsor a citizen’s request to nominate 13 Cataract St. for Landmark Designation. If they sponsor the nomination it will move on to a public hearing and to the Planning Board for consideration later this month. If they don’t, it could spell the end for this valuable piece of our history and any possible redevelopment on the eastern rim of the High Falls gorge. In the meantime, North American Breweries, Inc. continues to move ahead with work on their visitor center across the street. No problems posed so far by the big bad historic building across the street.
The following is a letter I will be submitting to the Preservation Board (via Peter Siegrist, [email protected]).
Bret Garwood, Director, Business & Housing Development [email protected]
If you would like for 13 Cataract to be preserved, you should do the same. Use the email addresses above. And feel free to steal from my letter if you’d like…
Cars parked in the High Falls neighborhood this week got notices slipped under their wiper blades. RG&E will be demolishing the last Beebee Station smokestack sometime within the next six months due to high levels of asbestos contained within the structure.
Yes, we have a parking problem. Quite simply, there’s too much of it. It’s EVERWHERE. No rhyme or reason or method to the madness. We lost control of this problem decades ago when we bulldozed half of our downtown in the name of urban renewal, and to this very day we continue to allow our few urban spaces and historic buildings to be paved over.
At its best, this is land that’s not being used for any productive purpose but to store our cars on. More than that, these ugly gray patches of land create voids in our community; Dead-zones where no one wants to be for any length of time. These are places not worth caring about. And our city is literally covered with them…
If you’re a snow bunny like me, this winter had been pretty darn cruel until today. Over the past 24 hours Rochester got nearly as much snow as it’s seen all season—and it landed just in time for the 2012 Lakeside Winter Celebration at Ontario Beach. We weren’t able to stick around for the wagon rides and the snow sculpting contest, but I did catch the good part—THE POLAR PLUNGE! If you got stuck at home digging out and missed the action, here’s a short video…
A new exhibition celebrating Rochester’s heritage encourages us to honor and preserve our past as we seek to revive our city for the future. Beginning February 3, a collection of digitally-enhanced images of Rochester during the Progressive Era will be on display at Joe Bean Coffee Roasters [map ] throughout the entire month of February.
Two teens from Toronto, Ontario did the unthinkable a few weeks ago. They launched a Lego man into space and recorded the whole thing! And get this, Rochester should have been the Lego man’s landing spot…
I dropped by the Irondequoit Planning Board meeting Monday night because there were two very interesting matters on the agenda. One of those was Irondequoit Square (or I-Square) which RocSubway broke news of here last August. The other involved an all-but-forgotten friend, Chase-Pitkin…
The very same people responsible for Rochester’s Greentopia Festival are expanding the Greentopia brand this year to include a series of film screenings. My heart skipped a beat when I learned they’ll be bringing Gary Hustwit’s Urbanized to the Little Theatre for a one-night-only event featuring a panel discussion afterwards. I’ve been waiting for this movie to hit Rochester for months. Now I won’t have to travel to someone else’s city to see it!
On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day we are hopefully reminded of the inspiring actions and many speeches by an individual who dedicated his life to the pursuit of freedom and basic human rights—not just for one group, but for all people.
Of course, in Rochester we also remember other individuals who made tremendous contributions to this ongoing effort… Susan B. Anthony for women’s rights and suffrage. And Frederick Douglas (depicted above) for the abolition of slavery.
One speech in particular, given by Douglas on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, is arguably one of the most momentous oratories in American history. It’s one that helped set the stage for the transformation of America from a country that was, in Abraham Lincoln’s words, “half slave and half free” to one which was at least on its way to guaranteeing the “blessings of liberty” to all men (and eventually women)…
A new web site, SaveCataract.com , and a mountain of information on Rochester’s endangered Cataract Brewery building has surfaced this week… The accomplished life (and death) of its architect… Original architectural drawings… And new documents submitted by North American Breweries to the Zoning Board (see the section called Offers to Buy Cataract). Ready? Let’s dive right in… (more…)
If you’re looking for something to do with the kids while they’re off from school for the holidays, grab your conductor hats and head out to the Garden Factory [map]. They’ve got a 60’x20′ model railroad on display thru the end of the month that you won’t want to miss.
A few weeks ago I was driving home from my downtown office and happened to have my camera with me. Not sure why but I thought it be interesting to see what I’d capture if I left it on my dashboard for the ride. Now don’t try this at home—distracted driving is not cool. I’m a professional… idiot that is.
Anyway, the results I thought were pretty cool. And it got even cooler with some quick editing and quadruple speed playback. Throw in a mirror effect and some of that dope-ass hip hop music all the kids are listening to… and now we’ve got something worth sharing.
So go ahead—turn down the lights, pump up the volume, and hit it full screen. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Subway Santa is a little late to the party this year. The lack of snow this holiday season has wreaked havoc on his internal clock. We’ve got just two weeks left for Christmas shoppers—even less for Hanukkah. So let’s cut the bull and get right to it. Last year we were inspired by these crafty Rochester Subway gift ideas. This year, Rochester Subway Santa has two more goodies for you.
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got us thinking. Those in favor of demolishing the building say it’s an eyesore and a haven for drug dealers; even prostitutes. So, just remove the building and our problems go away.
![A stage where 13 Cataract brewhouse used to be? Not sure if this is serious or not. [RENDERING: Eric Mower and Associates]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-visitor-center-stage.jpg)
![13 Cataract Street at night. [Flickr Photo: Steven Yacuzzo]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/cataract-brewery-night.jpg)
![This smokestack which belongs to the old RG&E Bee Bee Station power plant has towered over the High Falls neighborhood since the 1940's. [PHOTO: skyscraperpage.com user: xzmattzx]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/high-falls-smokestack-xzmattzx.jpg)
![High Falls, c.1900 [IMAGE: Part of 'Revisiting Rochester' exhibit]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/revisiting-rochester-high-falls.jpg)
![Two teenagers from Toronto, Ontario sent this Lego man into space riding a weather balloon. One really tiny step for Lego man; One giant leap for mankind. [PHOTO: via Toronto Star]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/lego-space-man-1.jpg)
![An engraved portrait of Frederick Douglass, noted African-American abolitionist. Douglass was an active abolitionist in the Rochester area and a sought-after lecturer after the Civil War. After his home on South Avenue was destroyed by fire in 1872 he moved to Washington, D.C. [PORTRAIT BY: Ritchie, Alexander Hay, 1822-1895.]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/frederick-douglass-portrait.jpg)
![Subway Santas [Flickr Photo: t_a_i_s]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/subway-santas-t_a_i_s.jpg)
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