![Rico Cave in the Genesee River gorge near Lower Falls. [Flickr PHOTO: bobbybeans]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-rico-cave-bobbybeans-1.jpg)
Just when I think I’ve done everything there is to do in Rochester, I discover another little hole in the wall. Literally. Check out these photos of what is unofficially known as “Rico Cave” near Lower Falls…
Exploring the Caves of Rochester, NY
November 15th, 2012Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration, Video | 35 Comments »
Tags: Driving Park Bridge, Genesee River, Lower Falls, Rico Cave, Rochester, rochester photos, urban exploration, urban explorers, video
Hey, Tree, Nice Sweater!
November 10th, 2012Posted in Events, Reader Submitted Stories | 4 Comments »
This little tree caught my attention yesterday on State Street downtown. First of all, it’s wearing a totally rad sweater. But also, this tree has been buttoned up for a good cause. I totally dig stuff like this…
Tags: charity, coat drive, downtown Rochester, Rochester, Rochester City School District (RCSD), Rochester NY, State Street, volunteer, WXXI
Left for Dead: Rochester’s Union Depot
November 9th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 13 Comments »
![Rochester's NY Central (Bragdon) Station half demolished, c.1970? [PHOTO VIA: John R. Stewart]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-bragdon-station-demolition-1.jpg)
I know I keep coming back to this over and over and over again. But I just can’t believe we intentionally reduced this once world-class rail station to rubble only so we could pay tens of millions 50 years later in an attempt 
to build a much smaller and less impressive imitation of what we once had.
I’m not going to say much more about it. I just wanted to share these recently found photos of Rochester’s half-demolished NY Central (Bragdon) Station. Like a decapitated, rotting corpse left to rot in public as a reminder of a brutal ‘auto’cracy. Most of the building was torn down in the 1960’s but one section stood like this for over a decade before it was finally removed altogether and replaced with the current Amtrak building in the mid to late 70’s. Oy, how painful…
Tags: Amtrak Station, architecture, Bragdon Station, Central Avenue, Claude Bragdon, demolition, downtown Rochester, history of Rochester, Joseph Avenue, New York Central Railroad, North Clinton Avenue, NY Central Station, old photos, railroad, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Union Station
Update on Midtown
November 3rd, 2012Posted in Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 25 Comments »
The former Midtown Plaza site contained eight office buildings, an indoor shopping mall, Greyhound/Trailways bus station, and three levels of under-ground parking. Today, this nearly nine-acre, City-owned super-block is sloooowly being transformed…
Tags: Buckingham Properties, Charlottesville VA, Christa Development, development, downtown Rochester, Ithaca Commons, Ithaca NY, Ken Sato, Midtown Plaza, Midtown Tower, pedestrian mall, Rochester, Rochester NY, Windstream
Susan B. Anthony Asks for Your Help to Save Church
November 1st, 2012Posted in Events, Rochester News, Urban Development | 15 Comments »
About a month ago, someone set up a petition in opposition to a plan to demolish 660 West Main Street (formerly Westminster Presbyterian Church) and to prevent the building of a Dollar General in its place. The owner of the petition is using “Susan B. Anthony” as an alias. And this week “Susan B. Anthony” sent me a plea for help via email…
Tags: 660 W. Main Street, church, City of Rochester, Dawn Noto, demolition, Designated Building of Historic Value, Dollar General, Main Street, Marvin Maye, petition, Rochester, Rochester NY, Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood, Westminster Presbyterian Church, zoning
State Takes Rochester Rail Station Project From City
October 26th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester News, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | 11 Comments »
![New York Central Railroad Station c.1905-1914 [PHOTO: Detroit Publishing via Library of Congress]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-ny-central-railroad-station.jpg)
First, a little bit of history. The building shown above was one of Rochester’s earliest rail stations. Make sure you click to see all the great detail in the photo. It was located on Central Avenue between St. Paul & Clinton near the site of the current Amtrak Station. This view is looking west from Clinton Avenue, sometime between 1905-1914. In 1914 this station was replaced by the great Bragdon station in 1914, which was demolished in 1965…
Tags: downtown Rochester, New York Central Railroad, NYSDOT, old photos, old photos of Rochester, railroad station, Rochester, Rochester Amtrak Station, Rochester NY, rochester photos
What the Hell is a PILOT and Why Does I-Square Need One to Take Off?
October 21st, 2012Posted in Rochester News, Urban Development | 4 Comments »
The I-Square project which was widely celebrated when it was announced last year has gotten tangled up in “negotiations” over local tax deals. Mike & Wendy Nolan want to invest $13 million to build a 7-building project including a new street, sidewalks and outdoor stage / “town square” area. They say they need a 25 PILOT agreement in order to be able to afford to build and maintain the project they’ve proposed. The Town of Irondequoit have offered a 10 year PILOT. Both sides seem to have dug in their heals. Today the Nolan’s posted a video on YouTube to explain (in detail) their 25 Year PILOT proposal “so that any questions can be answered and any misconceptions cleared up.” Watch the video…
Tags: Cooper Road, development, development plans, Irondequoit, Irondequoit Square, Mike Nolan, movie, PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes), Rochester NY, Titus Avenue, Town of Irondequoit, video, Wendy Nolan
I Want to Bring YOU to TEDx Rochester
October 15th, 2012Posted in Events, Freebies, Rochester News | 5 Comments »
Perhaps my favorite site on the great big internet (besides this one of course) is TED.com . Originally begun in California, TED is a not-for-profit foundation whose sole mission is simply to “Spread Good Ideas to the World.” Much of its content is offered free online, and every 18-minute TED talk is billed as an “idea worth spreading.” A few years ago, Tony Karakashian, Gary Jacobs, and Amanda Doherty began TEDx Rochester , a local offshoot of TED…
Loew’s Theater: Rochester’s Other Lost Movie Palace
October 11th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 27 Comments »
![Loew's Rochester Theatre, Rochester. On the marquee: Greta Garbo, Charles Bickford, Maria Dressler in “Anna Christie” and on stage Barto and Mann, Harry Girard’s Ensemble, and A. Robbins. Photo by George Mann of the comedy dance team, Barto and Mann. April 26, 1930. [PHOTO: George Mann of the comedy dance team, Barto and Mann. Via Brad Smith's Flickr Stream]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/loews-theater-rochester-01.jpg)
Earlier this week a collection of photos of Rochester’s RKO Palace Theater was discovered thanks to the Rochester Theater Organ Society. Mixed in with those RKO Palace photos were a few interior shots of Rochester’s other lost movie palace… Loew’s Theater. So I thought it only fair to shine the spotlight on this one too. Loew’s Theater also happened to be on Clinton Avenue, just four or five blocks south of the RKO. Xerox Tower now occupies the spot. Take a look…
Tags: downtown Rochester, Loew's Theater, old photos, old photos of Rochester, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, South Clinton Avenue, Washington Square, Xerox Tower
Never Before Seen Photos of RKO Palace Theater
October 7th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 16 Comments »
![Rochester's RKO Palace Theater during demolition. 1965. [PHOTO: D.O. Schultz / Rochester Theater Organ Society]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/RKO-Palace-013-AuditoriumNorthWall.jpg)
A few weeks after we discovered the RKO Palace Theater floor at the site of RGRTA’s future transit center, Russ Shaner, president of the Rochester Theater Organ Society contacted me. These were the guys who saved the old Wurlitzer pipe organ from the RKO Palace before the building was demolished. And as it turns out, one of their founding members, D.O. Schultz, captured a treasure trove of photographs and left them with the Organ Society before he moved to Florida years ago. Russ asked RochesterSubway.com for help, both archiving the photos, and sharing them with you, the public. Yesterday you saw part 1, and now, here is part 2 of this awesome collection…
Tags: Clinton Avenue, demolition, downtown Rochester, Mortimer Street, old photos, old photos of Rochester NY, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester Theater Organ Society, Russ Shaner, Saint Paul Street
Never Before Seen Photos of RKO Palace Theater
October 7th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 33 Comments »
![Rochester's RKO Palace Theater during WWII. Main entrance on Clinton Ave. 1942. [PHOTO: D.O. Schultz / Rochester Theater Organ Society]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/RKO-Palace-001-ClintonAveEntrance1942.jpg)
A few weeks after we discovered the RKO Palace Theater floor at the site of RGRTA’s future transit center, Russ Shaner, president of the Rochester Theater Organ Society contacted me. These were the guys who saved the old Wurlitzer pipe organ from the RKO Palace before the building was demolished. And as it turns out, one of their founding members, D.O. Schultz, captured a treasure trove of photographs and left them with the Organ Society before he moved to Florida years ago. Russ asked RochesterSubway.com for help, both archiving the photos, and sharing them with you, the public. Below is part 1 of this awesome collection…
Tags: Clinton Ave, demolition, downtown Rochester, Loew's Theater, Mortimer Street, old photos, old photos of Rochester, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Theater Organ Society, Russ Shaner, Saint Paul Street
Drunken Hijinks and Homicide in Rochester’s Sibley Building
October 5th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 9 Comments »
![This was the Sibley Building office, and murder scene, of J. Frank O'Connor, a tailor merchant. A sewing machine and its table have been knocked over and lie in front of the radiator. The cutting table is at the right. A lower table, on the left, holds a bolt of fabric, a pressing board for sleeves, and an electric iron. A chair and a box of material sit in front of the lower table. [PHOTO: Albert R. Stone Collection]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/sibley-murder-scene-3.jpg)
J. Frank O’Connor, known by his clients and friends as “Scrappy” O’Connor, was a merchant tailor. After a long weekend of partying, he would be murdered during a drunken battle in his office (shown above) on the second floor of Rochester’s Sibley Building. O’Connor’s body was found about 6:00 p.m., Monday, August 28, 1922. These are actual crime scene photos by Albert R. Stone…
Tags: Albert R. Stone, Browncroft, downtown Rochester, Grace M. Begy, homicide, J. Frank O'Connor, Main Street, murder, Owen DeWitt, prohibition, prohibition saloon, Rochester, Rochester NY, Sibley Building, Sibley's, Sibley's Department Store, speakeasy, Stillson Street
Transit Takes a Back Seat at University of Rochester
September 30th, 2012Posted in Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 5 Comments »
![University of Rochester president Joel Seligman showing off plans for College Town. Original plans included an enclosed public transit center. The latest plans include twice as much parking as originally called for and no transit center. [PHOTO: Democrat & Chronicle]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/joel-seligman-college-town.jpg)
In case you haven’t heard, plans for a transit center at University of Rochester’s College Town have been scrapped. The project is set to receive $20 Million in public loans but the D&C reported that plans for an enclosed transit center—which would have had 10 to 12 bus bays—no longer fits the developers’ needs.
Tags: College Town, Joel Seligman, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), satellite transit center, University of Rochester, UofR
Back to Main Street
September 28th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 70 Comments »
![Main Street Rochester. c.1908 [PHOTO: Albert R. Stone Collection]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-main-street-then-and-now-1.jpg)
The image above was printed in the Rochester Herald on October 10, 1908. This was Main Street looking east from the Four Corners on a busy day in October. The sidewalks are thronged with pedestrians. Several traffic police are standing at various spots in the intersection. A cluster of westbound trolleys, one labeled “Plymouth” and the other “Saratoga”, have stopped in their tracks. A few people are waiting to board, and others are crossing the street in front of the stopped cars. Several wagons, some covered, are traveling along the street. But then the trolley tracks were ripped up…
Tags: Main Street, old photos of Rochester, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, vintage postcard, vintage views
Cammy Enaharo
September 26th, 2012Posted in Interviews | No Comments »
![Cammy Enaharo, 20, Rochester [PHOTO: Facebook.com/CammyEnaharoMusic]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/cammy-enaharo-1.jpg)
At one of the Greentopia films a few weeks ago my ears caught the sweet sounds of Cammy Enaharo and I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since. Cammy, 20, is from Rochester… so I admit I may be a little biased. But give her music a listen and I think you’ll agree, this girl is going places…
Tags: Adele, artist, Best Busker Contest, Bug Jar, busker, Cammy Enaharo, folk music, Greentopia Festival, Ingrid Michaelson, Ken Hardley, Lauryn Hill, movie, music, musician, Rochester City Newspaper, rochester music video, Rolling Hills Radio, SoundCloud, ukulele, video
What’s With Selleck?
September 24th, 2012Posted in Interviews, Opinion, Rochester News | No Comments »
RochesterSubway.com has been nominated for Best Local Blog of 2012. If you’d like to cast your vote, simply fill out City Newspaper’s Final Ballot before October 3 (5pm) and select “RochesterSubway.com” for question #66.
Many people have been asking why Tom Selleck of the classic TV drama Magnum P.I. has been campaigning for RochesterSubway. Tom held a press conference at Letchworth State Park this weekend to answer these questions…
Tags: best blog, Best of Rochester, blog, Rochester, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester NY, rochestersubway.com, subway blog, Tom Selleck
Where’s Cogswell?
September 21st, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 6 Comments »
![This was the corner of Main and Fitzhugh Streets (1884). Can you find Cogswell? [PHOTO: Rochester Public Library]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-savings-bank-cogswell.jpg)
Often times while I’m doing research for a story, I’ll stumble upon something new and get completely sidetracked. Today I was digging for information on the Academy Building when I found the image above. It’s a shot of the Rochester Savings Bank building located at the corner of West Main and Fitzhugh. The Academy Building is to the immediate left of the bank. But forget the buildings for now. Do you see that strange little man standing in the lower left corner of the photo? That was actually a drinking fountain named Cogswell…
Tags: Academy Building, Cogswell Fountain, downtown Rochester, Dr. Henry D. Cogswell, Fitzhugh Street, fountain, Main Street, old photos of Rochester, Powers Hotel, prohibition, public art, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Savings Bank, sculpture, St. Luke's Church, statue, temperance movement, Women's Christian Temperance Union
Rochester’s Old Federal Building Should Go
September 19th, 2012Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 10 Comments »
![Old Federal Building (now City Hall). [PHOTO: Richard Margolis]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-city-hall-richard-margolis.jpg)
“Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated a city landmark, the old Federal Building is considered a fine example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. No one’s particularly interested in using it, however, because inside it’s dark, gloomy, usually uncomfortable and just plain ramshackle. Blow it up. It’s an ugly thing…and not particularly interesting inside or out…It should be demolished. A modern, tax-producing building would be a better use for the site and would give more new life to that section of downtown…”
Tags: Church Street, demolition, Federal Building, Fitzhugh Street, Landmark Society of Western New York, National Register of Historic Places, preservation, preservation code, Richard Margolis, Richardsonian, Rick U., Rochester, Rochester City Hall, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Romanesque, State Street, Times-Union, zoning code
Johnny Perotti Brings Field of Dreams to Rochester
September 17th, 2012Posted in Events, Rochester News | No Comments »
After being selected as the American League (AL) consumer winner of the Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams program, Rochester resident Johnny Perotti edged out National League (NL) consumer winner Stephen Katchmark in the hometown voting competition to officially bring the Field of Dreams Game to Rochester…
Tags: baseball, Cal Ripken Jr., contest, Frontier Field, Johnny Bench, Johnny Perotti, Pepsi MAX MLB Field of Dreams, Randy Johnson, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Red Wings, Stephen Katchmark, Yogi Berra
Sh!t Rochester People Say
September 17th, 2012Posted in Art + Culture, Video | 2 Comments »
“These people cannot drive in the snow. I went to the beach today and it smelled like sh!t. I loooove Wegmans. Why’s the TV on R-News?”
If you’ve uttered any of these words, then you might be a Rochesterian. Maybe you’re visiting from out of town and finding it difficult to converse with the natives. No worries. Let Dave Maslyn and Andrew Specksgoor teach you how to speak our language in 2 minutes and 11 seconds…
Tags: Andrew Specksgoor, Dave Maslyn, how to speak Rochesterian, movie, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochesterians, vernacular, video, YouTube
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