![The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church at 42 Favor Street in the Cornhill Neighborhood. [PHOTO: J.R. Teeter]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/ame-zion-church-favor-street-rochester-01.jpg)
Last September the Bread and Water Theatre group expressed interest in purchasing the Westminster Presbyterian Church at 660 West Main Street after learning that its owner had asked the City for permission to demolish it. That demolition request has been denied (for now). Meanwhile, the same theatre group now has its eye on another historically significant church…
Archive: ‘Rochester News’...
Local Theatre Group Sets Its Sights on (another) Historic Church
Thursday, April 18th, 2013Tags: 660 W. Main Street, A.M.E. Zion Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Bread & Water Theatre, Cornhill neighborhood, Favor Street, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, J.R. Teeter, North Star, Susan B. Anthony, underground railroad, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Posted in Interviews, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester News, Urban Development | 17 Comments »
On The Fence Between 933 University Avenue & Eastman House
Monday, April 15th, 2013
Okay, so I’m on the fence – sort of. Remember this proposed apartment complex at 933 University Avenue? After the Eastman House and other neighbors complained about the design, Morgan Management went back to the drawing board (or Photoshop or whatever) and they came back with this…
Tags: 933 University Avenue, demolition, development plans, East Avenue, George Eastman House, Monroe Voiture, preservation, preservation district, Rochester, Rochester NY, University Avenue
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News, Urban Development | 46 Comments »
MLB “Field of Dreams” May 18, Frontier Field
Saturday, April 13th, 2013![Former Boston Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs signs autographs before the start of the exhibition game, which was sponsored by Pepsi Max. [PHOTO: Chris Russell, Columbus Dispatch]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/pepsi-max-baseball-01.jpg)
Last September I introduced you to Johnny Perotti 
, the local baseball fan who won Pepsi’s MLB Field of Dreams contest. Well, actually we all won, because the winner’s hometown (that’s you Rochester) will get to play host to a mock MLB all star game.
First off, congrats to Johnny! Good work man. And congrats to Pepsi; you’ve got me blogging about your product which I don’t even drink as caffeine gives me killer headaches. But I digress.
Let’s get to the details of this baseball game which have finally been released. Tickets are now on sale…
Tags: baseball, contest, Frank Thomas, Fred McGriff, Frontier Field, Johnny Perotti, Mike Schmidt, Ozzie Smith, Pedro Martinez, Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Red Wings, Stephen Katchmark, Trevor Hoffman, Wade Boggs
Posted in Events, Rochester News | 1 Comment »
High Falls Visitor Center Will Close, June 30
Sunday, April 7th, 2013![High Falls Visitor Center will be closing at the end of June. [PHOTO: Wayne Senville, Flickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/center-at-high-falls-01.jpg)
Sally Wood Winslow has operated the High Falls Visitor Center , gift shop, and art gallery for 20 years. During that time she has personally greeted every single visitor with a boisterous “HELLO THERE! Welcome to the Visitor Center at High Falls!!” And, she has become a very good friend of mine, so this one hurts me personally. Today Sally announced the visitor center and gallery will be closing on June 30…
Tags: Browns Race, Center at High Falls, GardenAerial, High Falls Visitor Center, Sally Wood Winslow, sunken garden
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester Destinations, Rochester News | 23 Comments »
Should Rochester Chase Soccer Hall of Fame?
Friday, April 5th, 2013![U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame [PHOTO: Steve Hutchinson, Flickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/us-soccer-hall-of-fame.jpg)
Al Schneider has been working for decades to bring some pretty major sporting institutions to Western NY. After the Olympic Summer Games in London, he requested a meeting with Governor Cuomo to discuss bringing the Olympic Games to Rochester. Six months later Rochester ended up on a list of cities who have expressed interest in bidding for the 2024 games. But local officials quickly passed on the idea. Fear not. Schneider’s got other irons in the fire…
Tags: Al Schneider, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Rochester, Rochester NY, U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, United State Soccer Association (USSA)
Posted in Rochester News | 15 Comments »
Original Spaceman Artwork Now Available
Monday, April 1st, 2013![Spaceman artwork now available for you to own. [IMAGE: SPACEMAN]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-spaceman-sticker.jpg)
A few months ago we interviewed the local artist known only as Spaceman. You’ve seen the iconic images on the streets of Rochester. Now you can own them (and contribute to two great causes). Proceeds gathered from the sale of these stickers, prints and t-shirts will go towards Spaceman’s efforts to clean up waterways in the Genesee Valley; including the Genesee River and surrounding tributaries. Spaceman also requests that a portion of the proceeds go to RocSubway for the upkeep of the site. Thanks Spaceman!
But don’t wait. Quantities are EXTREMELY limited so grab this stuff while it’s here.
Tags: art, artist, David Bowie t-shirt, Genesee River, Gift Shop, spaceman, Spaceman prints, Spaceman stickers, stickers, streetart, subway gifts, who is Spaceman
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester Gifts, Rochester News | 1 Comment »
Local History Classes at New “Rochester Brainery”
Friday, March 29th, 2013
Danielle Raymo and Stephanie Rankin, two recent college grads, have just opened a new and exciting business in Village Gate. Rochester Brainery brings fun and affordable learning experiences to the public with sort of a no-strings attached philosophy. They seek out people in the community to come in and run educational workshops on various topics of interest, and anyone can sign up to take a class…
Tags: Danielle Raymo, educational classes, history of Rochester, local business, local history, new business, Rochester, Rochester Brainery, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Stephanie Rankin, Village Gate
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester News | 3 Comments »
Dollar Store Developer: “Not one preservationist stepped forward”
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013![The former Westminster Presbyterian Church at 660 West Main Street could become a Dollar General store. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-westminster-church-660-west-main-01.jpg)
On Monday I wrote a post about a Zoning Board public hearing coming up on Thursday (tomorrow). Marvin Maye, owner of an old church building on West Main Street will be challenging that building’s status as a Designated Building of Historic Value. If the building is removed from that list of protected city properties, he plans to demolish the church and build a Dollar General store.
Craig Walker is a developer who has been working with Mr. Maye on this project. He tells us that while he would have liked to see the church converted into a jazz/blues club and dance hall, conversion of the church would be cost prohibitive. And while the building was on the market, “not one ‘preservationist’ stepped forward to advance any plan.”
Here are Mr. Walker’s comments in full, with a few follow-up questions afterwards…
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester News, Urban Development | 34 Comments »
Judgement Day for an Old Church, and an Unbuilt “College Town”
Sunday, March 17th, 2013
Two important cases will go before the Zoning Board this Thursday: the ongoing saga of one historic church on Main Street, and design concerns regarding the future College Town. Salvation for the church, as well as the promise of a pedestrian-friendly College Town, may hang in the balance.
First, if you’ve been following the story of the little white church at 660 W. Main Street, owner Marvin Maye will make one more appeal to challenge the building’s status as a Designated Building of Historic Value. If he succeeds, he could have a clear path forward to demolish the 140-something-year-old church.* And in its place would go a Dollar General store…
Tags: 660 W. Main Street, Celebration Drive, College Town, Collegetown, demolition, design standards, Designated Building of Historic Value, development, development plans, Elmwood Ave, Marvin Maye, Mount Hope, Rochester, Rochester NY, Stacie Colaprete, street design, Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood, University of Rochester, UofR, urban design, Westminster Presbyterian Church, zoning, Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), zoning code
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News, Urban Development | 34 Comments »
Loving Life at Erie Harbor Apartments
Monday, March 11th, 2013![Jim Mayer and his wife Irene invite us into their home at Erie Harbor Apartments. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/erie-harbor-apartments-01.jpg)
“The units at Erie Harbor are very poorly designed and overpriced… The ground floor units don’t even have a view of the river – it is blocked by a berm… Shoddy construction… The stairs creak… Tacky… Ugliest building in Rochester…” These are all comments you may have heard about the Erie Harbor Apartments which were officially opened last fall .
When comments like these were left under a recent post on RochesterSubway.com, Jim Mayer didn’t take it sitting down. He contacted me and invited me to visit his home. He and his wife Irene sold their home in Brighton and now live at Erie Harbor. I admit, after nearly a three hour visit, I left feeling a bit jealous at just how much this couple is loving life in their new digs…
Tags: Abundance Cooperative Market, Brighton, downtown Rochester, Erie Harbor Apartments, Genesee River, Genesee Riverway Trail, Genesee Rowing Club, Irene Allen, Irene Mayer, Jim Mayer, Lofts at Village Gate, Mise en Place, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Market, South Wedge, The Hamilton, University of Rochester, urban design, urban living
Posted in Interviews, Rochester News, Urban Development | 41 Comments »
Filling In: 759 Park Ave
Wednesday, March 6th, 2013![John Baker, Steve Gullace, Chris Gullace have proposed to construct a new gym and a 48 unit apartment building here at 759 Park Ave. [IMAGE: Bing Maps]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/filling-in-park-avenue-02.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
Submit your story today.
Well, dear readers, I must admit that this is not exactly what I had planned when I left you the last time. That said, please bear with me while we look at something a little bit different.
John Baker, Steve Gullace, Chris Gullace have proposed to construct a new gym and a 48 unit apartment building at 759 Park Ave . The gym would be for the Talmudic Institute next door, while the apartments would be for rent. This has, not surprisingly, drawn a raft of criticism from the residents of the Park Ave neighborhood…
Tags: 759 Park Ave, Chris Gullace, development, Filling In, infill development, John Baker, Matthew Denker, Park Avenue, Rochester, Rochester NY, Steve Gullace
Posted in Opinion, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester News, Urban Development | 49 Comments »
LEGO Travel Adventure at Strong Museum
Wednesday, February 27th, 2013![LEGO Travel Adventure exhibit at The Strong, National Museum of Play. Now thru May 12, 2013. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/lego-travel-adventures-01.jpg)
I took a few hours to have some fun this week at The Strong, National Museum of Play. They’ve got a killer exhibit going on right now, through May 12. A history of transportation built entirely out of LEGO! I haven’t geeked out this bad since Norm Abrams came to Chase-Pitkin for a “This Old House” book signing. Check this out…
Tags: Henry Ford, LEGO, LEGO Travel Adventures, miniature, Model T, Orville Wright, space shuttle, Strong National Museum of Play, The Strong, Titanic, transcontinental railroad, transportation, Wilbur Wright, Wright Brothers
Posted in Art + Culture, Events, Rochester News, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | No Comments »
City Homeowner Fights to Keep Her Home
Friday, February 22nd, 2013![Mary Smith is fighting to keep her home of 30 years. [PHOTO: Julie Gelfand]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/mary-smith-take-back-the-land-rochester-01.jpg)
Mary Smith has lived at 53 Cutler Street on the city’s north side for 30 years. After her husband died, and some serious health problems (spinal surgeries and years of therapy) Mary says she fell behind on her taxes – by about $30,000. The City of Rochester and Monroe County then sold her tax debt to a Florida company called American Tax Funding . Mary says she now has the ability to pay her debt, but American Tax Funding will not negotiate. On Tuesday, they may throw her out of her house and auction off the property. Volunteers with a group called Take Back the Land is helping Mary with a petition to ask CEO, Matthew A. Marini, to cancel the foreclosure auction and negotiate a settlement…
Tags: 53 Cutler Street, American Tax Funding, City of Rochester, Julie Gelfand, Mary Smith, Monroe County, Rochester, Rochester NY, Take Back The Land
Posted in Rochester News, Urban Development | 3 Comments »
Help Build the Sunken Garden at High Falls
Thursday, February 7th, 2013![Concept for a Sunken Garden at Browns Race, High Falls. Rochester, NY. [IMAGE: Bryant Design Studios]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-sunken-garden.jpg)
GardenAerial is a non-profit organization working to transform the High Falls gorge, including its industrial structures and trails, into a multi-use, public green space. Full disclosure…I serve on the board of the GardenAerial. I jumped at the opportunity to support this organization because I believe the High Falls and surrounding area could be great assets for this city, but they are woefully underutilized. We’re working to change that. And here’s a tremendous opportunity for you to help right now…
Tags: Browns Race, Center at High Falls, downtown Rochester, Friends of the GardenAerial, GardenAerial, High Falls, Rochester, Rochester NY, sunken garden
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 5 Comments »
40 Days After Lake Road
Sunday, February 3rd, 2013![40 days after the insanity on Lake Road. Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/lake-road-rochester-01.jpg)
Forty days after the insanity on Lake Road I thought I’d take a drive out there to see it for myself. To have some quiet time. And to reflect. These photos were taken on Saturday, February 2, 2013…
Tags: arson, crime scene, gun violence, Irondequoit Bay, Joseph Hofstetter, Lake Ontario, Lake Road, Michael Chiapperini, Rochester, Rochester NY, shooting, Theodore Scardino, Tomasz Kaczowka, William Spengler Jr.
Posted in Opinion, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester News | 4 Comments »
Inside the Pulaski Library
Thursday, January 31st, 2013![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…
Tags: 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 »
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 »
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 »
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