![A tour of Rochester's abandoned subway tunnel. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/abandoned_rochester_subway_05.jpg)
I often get asked if there are tours of the Rochester subway. The short answer is no. The longer answer is while there is no official tour of the “subway,” every October there is usually a tour of the “historic Erie Canal aqueduct.” And it’s coming up this weekend…
Posts Tagged ‘Rochester’...
Rochester Subway Tours This Weekend
Friday, October 4th, 2013Tags: abandoned subway, abandoned subway tunnel, abandoned tunnel, Aqueduct Bridge, Broad Street Underground, Canal Society of New York State, downtown Rochester, Erie Canal Aqueduct, River Romance, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway tunnel, subway tour, urban exploration
Posted in Events, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Subway, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Exploration | 5 Comments »
What Is This Strange Water Feature?
Friday, September 27th, 2013![I have seen these concrete triangles in the river before. But I had never noticed the spring water bubbling up. What is this strange water feature? [PHOTO: Michael Krauklis]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-river-triangle-rochester.jpg)
Last week a reader, Michael Krauklis, sent me this picture and asked two perplexing questions. Michael said, “I’ve worked downtown just next to the Broad Street bridge for 11 years now, and the entire time there has been a strange feature in the river just south of the bridge 
. Upon first glance it appears to be a spring, in the middle of the river, but with further inspection one can see the carcass of an old abandoned structure surrounding it… What was the original purpose of this and where is the water is coming from?”
I have seen these strange concrete triangles in the river myself, and I know there are more than one of them. But I had never noticed the spring water bubbling up! In either case, I had no good answer for Michael. So, I started digging. Here’s what I found out…
Tags: artesian spring, artesian well, Bill Chaisson, Broad Street, cofferdam, Court Street dam, downtown Rochester, Genesee River, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Pat Welch, Rochester, Rochester NY, Tom Hack
Posted in Rochester History, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Exploration, Video | 21 Comments »
Inside the Abandoned Sykes Datatronics Building
Wednesday, September 25th, 2013
The following is a guest post submitted by an anonymous reader.
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If you’ve ever driven down the eastern end of Lyell Ave., or been to a soccer game at Sahlen’s Stadium, you’ve probably seen an enormous old shell of a building looming in the distance. Many times I had seen it’s old edifice sitting silent and, as I usually do, I wondered what the walls contained, what stories it could tell, and what it once was. That’s why one cool September morning I went to meet with the building and see what it could tell me…
Tags: abandoned, abandoned places, City of Rochester, Delco Appliance, demolition, Lyell Avenue, Northeast Electric Company, Orchard Street, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Sahlen’s Stadium, Sykes Datatronics, Whitney Street
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 69 Comments »
Broad St. Underground: ANOTHER Proposal for the Abandoned Subway!
Monday, September 23rd, 2013![Lewis Childs, co-founder of Broad Street Underground, explains how Rochester's abandoned subway tunnel could be converted into commercial and retail space. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-broad-street-underground-01.jpg)
Rochester’s old subway tunnel hasn’t seen a passenger car come through here in nearly sixty years. But lately, redevelopment ideas are arriving with unbelievable frequency. A few weeks ago we were talking about the ROC Low Line; an underground park designed by a team of RIT students. This week, another local group has come forward with a different plan. And these guys want to take theirs beyond just an academic study. Stand clear of the yellow line folks – here comes the “Broad Street Underground” concept…
Tags: abandoned subway, adaptive reuse, aqueduct, Aqueduct Bridge, architecture, Broad Street Corridor Master Plan, Broad Street Underground, development plans, downtown Rochester, Lewis Childs, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway tunnel, underground mall, underground shopping, urban planning
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester News, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development, Video | 44 Comments »
Ehrmentraut Farm Bridge in the Town of Riga, NY
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013![The Ehrmentraut Farm Bridge is easily one of the oldest and most unique bridges in the entire United States. [PHOTO: Chris Clemens]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/ehrmentraut-farm-bridge-01.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Chris Clemens.
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The Ehrmentraut Farm Bridge is easily one of the oldest and most unique bridges in the entire United States, and that kind of distinction is something that piques my interest. There isn’t exactly a ton of information out there on the internet about old bridges on private property, but I’ve managed to piece together its pretty cool history, and then went to check it out myself…
Tags: architecture, bridge, bridges, Brockport, Chris Clemens, Ehrmentraut Farm Bridge, Erie Canal, history of Rochester, New York State Barge Canal, Riga, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Squire Whipple, The Curious and Uncommon, Whipple Arch
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure | No Comments »
Rochester Mafia, the Banana King, and the Infamous “Barrel Murder”
Monday, September 16th, 2013![A whiskey barrel lies among the shrubs and fallen leaves in a Webster gully. This close-up photograph, showing cloth in the top of the barrel, was taken before the dismembered body of Francesco Manzello had been removed from the barrel. [PHOTO: Albert R. Stone]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-mafia-barrel-murder-01.jpg)
What could be more fun than a barrel of monkeys? How about one filled with the body parts of a Rochester mobster? Yeah, I thought so. Ok, so here’s the story…
Tags: Banana King, Black Hand (Mano Nero), Empire Blvd, Italian Mafia, mafia, mob, murder, Rochester, Rochester and Sodus Bay Railway, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Market, Webster State Road
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 40 Comments »
Kodak Sign, of the Times
Friday, September 13th, 2013
I happened to be walking by Eastman Business Park this week when I noticed workers messing with the big Kodak sign. My heart of skipped a beat as my first thought was, they must be taking the sign down. I know it’s just a sign. But it’s also part of our collective story. I’d be disappointed to see it go. So I stopped and asked one of the guys if this was the case…
Tags: Eastman Business Park, Kodak, Kodak Park, Ridge Road, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Rochester Images, Rochester News | 7 Comments »
Two Upsets In One Year? Not Likely.
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013
In what’s being called one of Rochester’s biggest election upsets, City Council President Lovely Warren handed Mayor Tom Richards his hat in this week’s Democratic primary for mayor.
In another, unrelated election race, Rochesterians are now asking if RochesterSubway.com has any shot of upsetting CITY Newspaper for Best Local Website of 2013 in CITY Newspaper’s own “Best Of” contest (on line #74).
Spoiler alert: The answer is NO! — N… O.
I mean, come on! It’s CITY’s own contest. This ain’t no mayoral race.
Tags: Best of Rochester, City Newspaper, City of Rochester, Lovely Warren, Mayor Thomas Richards, Rochester, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester NY, rochestersubway.com
Posted in Rochester News | 1 Comment »
Grave of Francis Tumblety
Wednesday, September 11th, 2013![Grave of Francis Tumblety at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. [PHOTO: Chris Clemens]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/francis-tumblety-01.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Chris Clemens.
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Rochester has a number of famous people buried within its cemeteries, but Francis Tumblety (spelled: “Tumuelty” on the grave stone because Francis’ parents changed it) is probably one of the few infamous people to rest in peace, right in the historic Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on Lake Ave. Known for a number of his high profile arrests, Tumblety’s name has been cleared numerous times of various committed atrocities, but the stigma associated with his sordid lifestyle and relationships has managed to remain his legacy…
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Chris Clemens, Francis Tumblety, Hall Caine, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Jack The Ripper, Lake Avenue, Napolean Bonaparte, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History | No Comments »
Remixing Main Street
Thursday, September 5th, 2013![The current view looking west down Main Street, Rochester. Blah. If only we could rearrange things. [IMAGE: Google Streetview]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/remix-your-street-01b.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
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Welcome readers. I’m going on a slight deviation from my usual “Filling In” article to talk about the mean streets of Rochester. Let’s take a look at, eh, Main St. Yeah, Main St. What’s that looks like? Ok, well, there’s some tall(ish) buildings built to the street. There’s sidewalk, theoretically two driving lanes in each direction, and (supposedly) some street trees. If I were to give this street a grade, it would get an “in-complete.”
Oy, how I wish I could reconfigure things! Just pick stuff up and move it around. Maybe add a cycle track or a tree-lined median. Heh heh… can you say, STREET REMIX?!
Tags: bike lanes, complete streets, cycle track, downtown Rochester, infrastructure, Main Street, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, streetcars, streetmix, streetmix.net
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Transit + Infrastructure | 23 Comments »
Man vs. The 100 Ton Hunk of Slag
Friday, August 30th, 2013![The Port of Rochester shrouded in a thick orange haze. Smoke from an epic battle going on right now. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/slag-button-charlotte-beach-rochester-07.jpg)
For the past few weeks workers have been attacking a 100 ton hunk of slag that was discovered at the Port of Rochester last spring. Yesterday I noticed the giant plume of smoke from the O’rorke Bridge and made my way down to the scene of this epic battle. When the dust settles, who will remain standing? Man? Or The Slag?
Tags: Bethlehem Steel, blast furnace, Charlotte Beach, City of Rochester, construction, iron button, iron mill, Ontario Beach Park, Port of Rochester/Charlotte, Quinnesee Iron Mining Co., Rochester, Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E), Rochester NY, slag, steel mill
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 5 Comments »
Inner Loop Informational Meeting Tonight
Wednesday, August 28th, 2013
Reconnect Rochester has alerted us to an important informational meeting tonight about the Inner Loop’s future (or lack thereof). As we wait to find out whether or not this project will be a recipient of a USDOT TIGER grant, the City is moving forward with plans to scale down a large portion the underutilized 12-lane highway. Ultimately that will mean greater connectivity between downtown and the neighborhoods to the east, and lower road maintenance costs in the long run. If there was ever a big road project to support, this is it.
Read what Reconnect Rochester has to say about the project and attend the meeting tonight to learn more… 6-8pm on the third floor of City Hall .
Tags: Anderson Park, City of Rochester, East Avenue, Inner Loop, Inner Loop East Reconstruction Project, Main Street, Reconnect Rochester, Rochester, Rochester NY, Union Street, USDOT TIGER grant
Posted in Events, Opinion, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 7 Comments »
The Northeast Regional Beard and Moustache Championships
Wednesday, August 21st, 2013![On Saturday, August 17th the Rochester Beardsmen Society hosted the Northeast Regional Beard and Moustache Championships at Water Street Music Hall. [PHOTO: Chris Clemens]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/beard-and-moustache-championships-01.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Chris Clemens.
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On Saturday, August 17th the Rochester Beardsmen Society hosted the Northeast Regional Beard and Moustache Championships at Water Street Music Hall in downtown Rochester, NY. Competitors from the U.S. and Canada assembled to show off their facial hair and compete in 17 in different categories to determine who’s facial follicles could produce the top ranking tufts…
Tags: Austin Facial Hair Club, Beard and Moustache Championships, Chris Clemens, Growin’ A Beard, Jack Passion, Jack Schifano, Mo-vember Campaign, Rochester, Rochester NY, Water Street Music Hall, Whisker Wars
Posted in Art + Culture, Events, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester News | No Comments »
Filling In: Old Sherwood Shoe Company Site
Tuesday, August 20th, 2013![A view of the Rochester Subway looking east from the Meigs Street bridge. A westbound car is shown approaching the Goodman-Meigs station. The Sherwood Shoe Company building on Goodman Street and Uhlen Place is seen in the right background. [PHOTO: Rochester Municipal Archives]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-subway-and-sherwood-shoe-company-1956.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
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One of the sites that the city has, let’s say aspirationally, earmarked for development is the site of the former Sherwood Shoe Company. The shoe company itself was incorporated in 1905 by Frederick A. Sherwood, and the factory for it was built on this site at roughly the same time. I’m less sure when it was torn down, but it is on the 1935 plat maps, so it was certainly there through the depression. (UPDATE: the photo above is from 1956)
As for what to do here, I think there are a million great ideas, and I am hoping that we are able to get a good conversation of the various uses: lofts where the factory used to be? More houses? All of these things and more? All great ideas, and I’m not one to come to the table empty handed, so let’s take a look at what I think should go here.
Tags: cargo container architecture, City of Rochester, development plans, Filling In, Goodman Street, I-490, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, Sherwood Shoe Company, South Clinton Avenue, Tumbleweed Homes, Uhlen Place, vacant lot
Posted in Opinion, Reader Submitted Stories, Urban Development | 17 Comments »
The Rochester African-American Landmarks Project Needs Your Help
Monday, August 19th, 2013![African-American dancers among the performers at Bardos' Inn in Gates, N.Y. c1930-1935 [PHOTO: Albert R. Stone Collection]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/african-american-dancers-rochester-1930s.jpg)
The Landmark Society is reaching out to the Rochester community to gather facts, events, places, and stories that have been important in the lives of ordinary African-Americans in Rochester. We need your help with this important project…
Tags: African-American history, African-American landmarks, Austin Seward, Landmark Society of Western New York, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester News | 1 Comment »
The Little Free Libraries of Rochester, NY
Wednesday, August 14th, 2013![The Little Free Libraries of Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Chris Clemens]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-free-library-00.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Chris Clemens.
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In an effort to promote literacy and the love of reading, two businessmen out of the Mid-West have been operating a grassroots, ground up neighborhood rallying effort to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to read. Since 2009 the group has been making available little wooden stands that at first glance look like large birdhouses, but are actually little, free libraries…
Tags: Arbor Drive, books, Chestnut Hill Road, Chris Clemens, free stuff, Freebies, Hartsville Lane, library, little free libraries, little free library, Newcrest Drive, Rochester, Rochester NY, The Curious and Uncommon, Whitlock Road
Posted in Art + Culture, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Destinations, Rochester News | 5 Comments »
ROC Low Line: A (new) Proposal for Rochester’s Abandoned Subway
Monday, August 12th, 2013![Nine RIT students collaborated to design a subterranean urban park inside the old Rochester subway called the ROC Low Line. [RENDERING: RocLowLine.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-lowline-aquaduct.jpg)
Over the years there have been many proposals for the reuse of Rochester’s abandoned subway tunnel. Some would like to see the tunnel preserved and turned into a living museum open to the public. Others would like to turn back the hands of time even further, converting the tunnel back into a water canal – as it was part of the Erie Canal pre-1920s.
Even today as the City continues to take steps towards the latter option, new ideas continue to surface. The most recent concept comes from RIT’s architectural program, and a very interesting student project being called the ROC Low Line…
Tags: abandoned subway, Alexandra Bush, Allison LaChance, aqueduct, Aqueduct Bridge, architecture, Bridget Carney, Broad Street Corridor Master Plan, development plans, downtown Rochester, Dr. Alex Bitterman, Jennifer Danielle Harper, Kate Krueger, Matt Burke, Priyanka Sondhi, Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester Low Line, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway tunnel, S. Adam Stoker, Sergey Selyuzhitskiy, The Lowline, underground park, urban parks & trails, urban planning
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 17 Comments »
The Walls of El Camino
Friday, August 9th, 2013![Art from the Wall Therapy project along Rochester's El Camino Trail. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/wall-therapy-el-camino-trail-rochester.jpg)
I went to a big expensive university to study art for four years. I’ve traveled to Italy and marveled at the work of the great masters. I’ve gone out of my way to tip-toe through all the fancy art museums and galleries in New York and Toronto.
Earlier in the week I rode my bike down Rochester’s El Camino Trail. I’m not sure why, but art has never taken my breath away quite like this…
Tags: art, El Camino Trail, Graffiti, mural, Rochester, Rochester NY, street art, urban parks & trails, Wall-Therapy
Posted in Art + Culture, Opinion, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 11 Comments »
Rochester’s Park System: a model for the world
Wednesday, August 7th, 2013![One of the pedestrian bridges in Genesee Valley Park. This was not originally part of Olmsted's plan. [PHOTO: Rochester Public Library, Local History Division]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-valley-park-bridge.jpg)
If you’re a RocSubway reader and you love learning about Rochester as much as I do, you might want to check out 585 Magazine. It’s a pretty slick new bimonthly packed with tasty local bits on every topic imaginable. Plus, you might catch an occasional story on local places & history written by yours truly. In the current issue I attempt explore Rochester’s incredible, Olmsted-designed park system – in 800 words or less! Completely impossible, but I tried.
First, head over to 585 Mag and check out the story . Then come back here for fun extras, including Olmsted’s original plan drawings of Highland, Seneca, and Genesee Valley Parks, AND audio from my interview with JoAnn Beck, cochair of the Landmark Society’s Olmsted subcommittee…
Tags: 585 Magazine, Frederick Law Olmsted, Genesee Valley Park, Highland Park, JoAnn Beck, Landmark Society of Western New York, Rochester, Rochester NY, Seneca Park, urban parks & trails
Posted in Interviews, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 7 Comments »
Hope for Pulaski Library
Monday, July 22nd, 2013![Rochester is trying to save the vacant Pulaski Library before it's too late. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-pulaski-library-01b.jpg)
Last winter the City of Rochester made a Hail Mary pass to save the historic Pulaski Library. They posted an offer to sell the vacant building for a thousand dollars to anyone with a serious plan to fix it up. I’m not sure how many proposals were submitted, but I’ve learned that Providence Housing Development Corporation has been given the green light.
[ Take a look inside Pulaski… ]
Providence Housing has worked on similar adaptive reuse projects such as Paul Wolk Commons on State Street, and the Holy Rosary Apartments on Dewey. Although Pulaski may be smaller, it could prove to be a much bigger challenge…
Tags: adaptive reuse, Designated Building of Historic Value, historic preservation, history of Rochester, Hudson Avenue, New York State Historic Preservation Office, Norton Avenue, preservation, Providence Housing Development Corporation, Pulaski Library, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester landmark, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Library, urban exploration
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester News, Urban Development | 2 Comments »
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