Oh 1926, it seems like you were only 87 years ago. Oh wait, what, it was only 87 years ago? Ok then. Well, since the Neighborhood of the Arts is receiving so much press these days, let’s take a look at a piece of the neighborhood from then and see what was happening.
A great deal has already been written about the development planned at 933 University Ave. (see: here , here , and here ). Even so, it is important that we take a step back and really think about the kinds of arguments that are being made. Further, let us consider how the neighborhood could benefit from this development, how George Eastman House can meet its needs going forward (and better integrate with Neighborhood of the Arts, as they express a desire to do), and how to move the entire neighborhood towards the increased success it deserves…
Ever notice how the Xerox Tower looks like one of the original World Trade Center towers? Did you know that the Xerox Tower was completed five years before the World Trade Center towers? Hmmm, so maybe the Xerox Tower inspired the design of the World Trade Center Towers? This would make Xerox Tower an extremely important building in the history of architecture. I had to do some research…
I haven’t been able to find anyone who knows exactly when this mural was painted, but it’s been a fixture in Manhattan Square Park for at least 30 years, says Charles Moreland, Executive Director of Rochester Parkour . The outdoor venue has been mostly abandoned for the past 10 years, but its concrete walls and irregular geometry make it ideal for practicing the fine art of Parkour. Charles’ group can often be found moving throughout the park. Yesterday Charles noticed the mural had been covered with a fresh coat of gray paint…
Hey kids, you know what today is? That’s right, Fun Foto Friday! I know you’ve probably had your fill of spandex-wrapped web-slingers, street closures, and NYC squad cars blowing up everywhere. But I just wanted to post some of my pics from the last couple days of Spider-Man filming. And I’d like to see yours too. If you were able to slip past the barricades and snag a few good shots, go ahead and post a link in the comments section…
A recent story in the Rochester Business Journal had me pleasantly surprised to learn that the Hilton hotel chain is strongly considering adapting a five-story former clothing store at 155 E. Main Street into a Hilton Garden Inn. Around the corner at 25 Stone Street , a smaller two-story building (formerly the Stone Street Grill) would also be part of the 15 million dollar plan.
Normally I don’t get all revved up for national chains, but there are at least two REALLY good things happening here: Private interest/investment in Main Street (good), AND adaptive reuse of three or four old buildings (REALLY GOOD).
I also learned something very interesting about these buildings. What’s old may be new again…
Rochester admittedly has its share of problems: socioeconomic, educational, and transportation, among many others. Most problems will take a great amount of knowhow, community support, and time to correct. The problem of “junkyard” dogs—dogs used to guard, watch, or protect businesses such as car dealerships and metal recyclers while the property owners are absent—is potentially quickly solvable. Simple solutions would be beneficial to the animals that spend their lives lost on the lots of this city.
The GardenAerial project could one day transform High Falls – Rochester’s oldest neighborhood. A landscaped pedestrian trail is planned to be built all the way around the rim of the gorge. Pre-existing structures & trails would be converted into multi-use public green spaces. And if all goes according to the vision, the entire area (in and around the gorge) could become New York’s first EcoDistrict . But this is not an initiative led by City Hall. The idea was brought to the table by two Rochester residents, and is now being advanced by their non-profit, Friends of the GardenAerial.
The first phase of the GardenAerial project will be funded in part by this this online campaign . But there’s only one week left and $6,600 still to raise. In a recent comment to RochesterSubway.com, city resident Jim Fraser explains why crowdsourced projects like this are critical to the future of our city…
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…
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…
I get a ridiculous amount of email here in the Rochester Subway. Most of it isn’t really worth sharing but occasionally I get a diamond in the rough. So here’s one from the mailbag…
Al from Wolcott, NY sent me this great photograph today along with a question. He writes, “Someplace on the internet I recently ran across a comment that the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad terminal was the place where people boarded a passenger train for Charlotte and then got on a boat for a trip to Cobourg, Ontario. Can you confirm this?” Yes. Yes I can. But first, let’s look closer at this photo…
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…
Dear readers, let’s take a short break from redeveloping Rochester. Instead, can we take a moment to consider that which we’ve lost? That which we can still repair?
This week, let’s talk about parks. Specifically, let’s talk about Lomb Memorial Park, and Schiller Park. But first, take a look at Columbus Circle in New York City (above). Oh man! Look at poor Christopher Columbus hanging out there all alone in the middle of traffic. At least he has a convenient parking spot for his car. Wait, what? You say that Columbus Circle doesn’t look anything like that? Well, I guess it doesn’t, now…
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…
As some of you may or may not know, the city has finally released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on 88 Elm Street . Up front, here’s a link to the RFP , in case you run a development company, or if you’re Larry Glazer and you’re looking for another project to work on.
In any event, here’s some background on 88 Elm St. Somehow, despite being built sometime in the 60s, no one is exactly sure when 88 Elm St. was constructed, or where, exactly, it came from. You’d think that’d be impossible in this day and age, but it’s not. In 1998, the city decided it had enough of the owners of the property not paying their taxes and they took it. All well and good, except now it’s been empty for 15 years. It’s emptier than you might think. The city spent more than a million dollars on an asbestos abatement and a new roof. The building has no electrical system, no sprinkler system, no HVAC, no plumbing. It is a completely bare 13 story tower. That’s a bit of a rarity, and it could be yours for only $360,000. Apparently that’s the market rate for the 13-story husk of a building…
It was 37 years ago today when the greatest photo in RPD history was taken. David Bowie was in town on his 1976 World Tour. After giving a performance at the War Memorial Arena on March 20, Bowie was arrested in a hotel suite in the early morning hours of March 21. Three others were also booked including James Osterberg, or Iggy Pop, the “godfather of punk rock.” This infamous mugshot was taken when the rockstar returned to Rochester and pleaded “not guilty” to the felony drug charge in Rochester City Court. This was the story printed in the Democrat and Chronicle the morning of March 22, 1976…
She’s a thing of beauty, don’t you think? Hundreds of thousands of square feet packed with mind-strengthening knowledge, all wrapped in 16 stories of brick and limestone, and capped off with 6,668 pounds of bronze bells. It’s the largest musical instrument in the city of Rochester, and also one of the top 50 research libraries in North America.
Proudly watching over the Eastman Quad , Rush Rhees Library at the University of Rochester seems to call out, “Come to me. Come to me and get your education on.” Personally, I’ve always wondered what the views are like from the top of that bell tower. What do you say we all climb up inside there and race to the top? Let’s go…
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…
One of the best places to put additional density is near public parks. Why you ask? Well, that’s an excellent question. Not only do parks double as excellent backyards that homeowners don’t need to mow, but they provide excellent views (that will never go away), and density around parks makes the parks themselves more attractive to passers-by.
All of this translates to adding housing around pre-existing parks. This should be a priority for the city. While I am hoping to tackle a master plan for Brown Square Park (by Frederick Law Olmsted, no less!), let’s start out with something a little smaller…
I’ve given myself a photo assignment for 2013. Pick 13 subjects, and take 13 snapshots of each. Simple. We started last month with 13 mailboxes. This month I turned my lens on what I thought were some of Rochester’s most intriguing storefronts. These images were taken on the city’s east side, from Monroe Ave up to East Ridge Road…
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After the Erie Canal was rerouted south of downtown Rochester, the Rochester
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changed, and highways replaced the railroads, the Rochester subway gradually
became a relic of a bygone era. In 1956 the subway was abandoned and much of
its route was converted into Interstate 490 — built to connect Rochester
with the New York State Thruway (I-90). Read more about the history of the Rochester Subway.
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![The corner of Atlantic and Anderson in the Holmes Tract. Gleason doesn't want this lot anymore. Maybe we can put it to good use? [PHOTO: Google Streetview]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/filling-in-holmes-tract-01.jpg)
![Proposed new development at 933 University Ave. [IMAGE: Morgan Management]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/933-university-ave-06.jpg)
![Xerox Tower. Completed 1966. [PHOTO: Friscocali, Fickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/xerox-tower-rochester-friscocali.jpg)
![The City recently painted over this mural, a fixture in Manhattan Square Park for probably 30 years. [PHOTO: Kristen Cavanaugh]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/manhattan-square-park-mural.jpg)
![Filming of Spider Man 2 in Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/spider-man-rochester-ny-01.jpg)
![The Hilton hotel chain is strongly considering adapting this five-story former National Clothing Store on Main Street into a Hilton Garden Inn. [PHOTO: Rochester Public Library]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/national-clothing-store-rochester-2013.jpg)
![Everyday, dogs like this one are used to guard, watch, or protect businesses such as car dealerships and metal recyclers while the property owners are absent. [PHOTO: Joel Helfrich]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-junkyard-dogs-01.jpg)
![The Greentopia Festival in High Falls, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Greentopia]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-greentopia-2011-1.jpg)
![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)
![Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Provide by Al from Wolcott, NY]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/baltimore-and-ohio-railroad-station-rochester.jpg)
![U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame [PHOTO: Steve Hutchinson, Flickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/us-soccer-hall-of-fame.jpg)
![Columbs Circle, maybe early 1970's? [PHOTO: andrewcusack.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/filling-in-reparations-01.jpg)
![88 Elm Street. 13 floors of empty waiting for you to do something with it. [PHOTO: City of Rochester]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/filling-in-88-elm-01.jpg)
![David Bowie's mugshot after being arrested in Rochester NY for possession of marijuana. [PHOTO: Provided by Todd Hess]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/david-bowie-mugshot-rochester-ny-01.jpg)
![University of Rochester's Rush Rhees Library, originally completed in 1930 and named for Rush Rhees, the university's first president (1900-1935). What do you say we climb up inside this? [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/university-of-rochester-rush-rhees-library-01.jpg)
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