![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…
Posts Tagged ‘Rochester’...
City Homeowner Fights to Keep Her Home
Friday, February 22nd, 2013Tags: 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 »
13 Mailboxes
Friday, February 15th, 2013
I don’t know why, but I really like the number 13. Some people go out of their way to avoid 13. Not me. In fact, I’m about to embark on a yearlong project for 2013. I’m going to pick 13 random subjects. Take 13 snapshots of each. And we’ll see if we can paint a portrait of Rochester.
Let’s start with the seemingly mundane mailbox. Most of these snapshots were taken near Sea Breeze…
Tags: 13 mailboxes, 13x13x13, mailbox, mailboxes, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester Images | 4 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 »
Filling In: Capron/Geva
Wednesday, February 6th, 2013![Our second installment of 'Filling In' looks at developing the parking lots between Capron Lofts and Geva Theater. [IMAGE: Google Streetview]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/filling-in-capron-street-01.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
Submit your story today.
Welcome back! Last week we looked at a block that almost had it all. This week, let’s see what we can do on a much larger scale with a block that needs a little more work. A roughly 600’x600’ square mega block at the southern entrance to downtown. There are a few good things going on here; Geva Theater , Capron Lofts , Plan Architects . And, a few not so good; a sweeping highway off-ramp, a GIANT parking lot across the street from TWO garages, and random weedy surface lots…
Tags: Capron Street, Clinton Ave, Clinton Avenue, development, downtown, downtown Rochester, Filling In, Geva Theater, infill development, Matthew Denker, Merkel Donohue, Rochester, Rochester NY, St. Mary's Place, urban design
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 19 Comments »
University of Rochester’s Lost Swimming Pool
Monday, February 4th, 2013![A little known abandoned swimming pool at University of Rochester. [IMAGE: Chris Seward]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/university-of-rochester-abandoned-pool-01.jpg)
“It’s one of the eeriest, strangest places I’ve ever been.” That’s what Chris Seward said of this little known spot on the University of Rochester campus when he took these photos. The Merle Spurrier Gymnasium opened in 1955 as part of a women’s center and the Susan B. Anthony women’s dormitory. Spurrier housed this 25-yard-long, six lane swimming pool. According to a 2004 Campus Times article , the pool has been closed ever since the women’s gym facilities were moved to the Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center in 1982…
Tags: abandoned swimming pool, Chris Seward, Flickr, Jane Possee, Merle Spurrier, Merle Spurrier Gymnasium, Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester panorama, rochester photos, Tony DiPietro, U of R, University of Rochester
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 30 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 »
Filling In: 18-26 Exchange
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013![Aerial view of the Main Street bridge. 1929. [IMAGE: Rochester Municipal Archives]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/aerial-main-street-bridge-rochester-1929.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Denker.
Submit your story today.
Welcome to the first post in what will be an ongoing series called Filling In. One of the key elements of any great city is a tightly knit urban fabric. Whether you’re in New York City, San Francisco, or our own beloved Rochester, building an appealing city scape at a human, walkable scale promotes health, wealth, and wisdom. We’ve also learned that parks next to parks next to barren windswept plazas don’t put butts in seats, as they say. With that in mind, Filling In aims to explore vacant or underutilized pieces of Rochester in an effort to rebuild or strengthen our built environment. The aerial photo above was taken in 1929, when downtown was dense and energetic. And here is a reminder of what we’re up against…
Tags: development, downtown, downtown Rochester, Exchange Boulevard, Exchange Street, Exhange, Filling In, infill development, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, urban design
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 34 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 »
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 »
Toilet Paper and Rochester’s Center City Master Plan
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
Last night the City of Rochester held the first of two informational/public input sessions for the new Center City Master Plan . This meeting was primarily intended for residents of downtown, although many people who work or live outside the inner loop also gave input.
I listened for about an hour as many great ideas were put on the table… “Plant trees down the middle of Main Street to make it nicer for pedestrians.” “Make people feel safer about walking downtown.” “Stop demolishing older and historic buildings.”
Then one resident announced, “Sometimes I go to the bathroom and I need toilet paper, but the only place to find toilet paper is Wegmans or Tops which are too far to walk to.” So, simply put, downtown could use more retailers and small grocers – for life’s little necessities (i.e. T.P.). Brilliant!
Tags: Center City, Center City Circulator Study, downtown Rochester, Rochester, Rochester Bicycle Master Plan Project, Rochester Center City Master Plan, Rochester NY, transit-oriented development
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 24 Comments »
Saving Car 60: The Last Passenger Car From Rochester’s Subway
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013![The last remaining Rochester subway car... #60. [PHOTO: Christopher Hauf, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-subway-car-60-RGVRRM-01.jpg)
Hopefully you caught yesterday’s story, “Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism” about the defunct Rochester subway. If you missed it give it a read. Originally published in the City Newspaper in 1983, the article mentioned the sole surviving subway car, car #60, and the effort to bring it back to Rochester and restore it to working order. Yesterday I received a more detailed explanation of those restoration efforts from Otto M. Vondrak, one of the trustees of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Henrietta, NY. Here’s the story of subway car #60 from Otto…
Tags: City Newspaper, history of Rochester, Jim Dierks, National Railway Historical Society (NRHS), New York Museum of Transportation, New York State Museum, NYMT, Otto M. Vondrak, Rail City, Rochester, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester subway car 60, Rochester Subway photos, Rochester Subway tunnel, Sam Grover
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester News, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | 2 Comments »
Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism
Monday, January 14th, 2013![Cover of Rochester City Newspaper. June 2, 1983. [COURTESY: CITY Newspaper]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/city-newspaper-rochester-subway-story.jpg)
Sean Kirst began his career as a writer for City Newspaper (he’s now a columnist at Syracuse’s Post Standard ). He says he fell in love with the haunting feel of Rochester’s subway tunnels and was intrigued to learn the subway began taking off just after World War II. But at a critical moment, the system was basically dismantled by community leaders who were already thinking “interstates.” Sean dug into the story and wrote a fairly in-depth story entitled “Rochester’s Adventure in Optimism.” It was published in City Newspaper on June 2, 1983. Thirty years later, City Newspaper has graciously allowed RocSubway to share the story with you again, here…
Tags: City Newspaper, Harold McFarlin, history of Rochester, Jim Dierks, John Thomas, Mary Anna Towler, Mike Dow, National Railway Historical Society (NRHS), New York Museum of Transportation, NYMT, Richard Sale, Rochester, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rochester City Newspaper, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Subway, Rochester subway car 60, Rochester Subway photos, Rochester Subway tunnel, Sean Kirst
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 7 Comments »
West Main Street. c1908?
Friday, January 11th, 2013![View of Main Street, Rochester, NY. c.1908. [PHOTO: Detroit Publishing Co. via Library of Congress]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/hotel-rochester-main-street-1908.jpg)
Here’s one heck of a photo – Rochester’s Main Street around the turn of the last century. It was snapped from a fire escape at 102 W. Main, near the corner of N. Plymouth Avenue, looking east. Make sure you click on the image and zoom all the way in for all the incredible detail. Across the street you’ll notice some pretty major landmarks. The most obvious one being Hotel Rochester on the far right…
Tags: C.B. Woodworth, Detroit Publishing Co., downtown Rochester, Henry Searle, history of Rochester, Hotel Rochester, Main Street, National Theater, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Plymouth Theatre, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Savings Bank
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 17 Comments »
Of Rochester, New York: A Place of Flour and Flowers
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013![Lilacs in Highland Park, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Rich Engelbrecht, via Flickr]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/lilacs-highland-park-rochester.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Joel Helfrich.
Submit your story today.
I live in America’s first boom town—Rochester, New York—on Linden Street. Linden trees, unsurprisingly, line much of my street. Down the street is the Genesee River, once one of America’s most polluted—and possibly still. My street is a historic district that was once part of the world’s largest nursery. The Ellwanger and Barry Company supplied the first fruit trees to California…
Tags: Ellwanger-Barry, Flour City, Flower City, Frederick Douglass, Frederick Law Olmsted, Highland Park, Joel Helfrich, John Dunbar, lilacs, Linden Avenue, Rochester, Rochester NY
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester History | 5 Comments »
A Tour of Rochester’s Times Square Building
Monday, January 7th, 2013![A photo of a photo of a man atop the Times Square Building, Rochester, NY. [PHOTO: Ryan Green]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/times-square-building-rochester-02.jpg)
Ryan Green is a student at University of Rochester. Last month, after joining up with the University’s Urban Explorers (UrbEx ) club, he toured Rochester’s Times Square Building, formerly the Genesee Valley Trust Company . You probably know it by the enormous set of wings on top of it. Aside from maybe the Mercury statue, those “wings of progress” are easily the most recognizable element of Rochester’s skyline. And while they have a story all their own, there’s plenty more history to be found on the fourteen floors beneath.
Although the building is not open for public tours, Richard Calabrese Jr., who manages the property, says he likes touring the urban explorer group because of their genuine curiosity. Although, if a fundraising tour is requested, Calabrese says he’d consider that. “I have all kinds of history that I’ve learned over the years.” Ryan Green had such a good time touring the building, he wanted to share these photos, and his experience, with us…
Tags: Cutler mail chute, downtown Rochester, Elwood Building, Genesee Valley Trust, George Eastman, Gmelin and Walker, James G. Cutler, Kodak Tower, Richard Calabrese Jr., Rochester, Rochester NY, Ryan Green, skyscraper, speakeasy, Times Square Building, University of Rochester, urban explorers, UrbEx Club, Voorhees, wings of progress
Posted in Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 37 Comments »
Rochester’s RKO Palace Theater and the $10,000,000 Twin Towers
Friday, January 4th, 2013![Rochester's RKO Palace Theater, September 1965. A sign is hung on the marquee proclaiming this the site of new $10 Million dollar twin towers. The theater was demolished and no towers were ever built on the site. [PHOTO: Courtesy of Rochester Theater Organ Society]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/RKO-Palace-051-New10MillionDollarTwinTowers.jpg)
Russ Shaner, president of the Rochester Theater Organ Society has dug up another incredible photo of Rochester’s RKO Palace Theater…
Tags: downtown Rochester, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Theater Organ Society, Russ Shaner, The Rochesterian
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 5 Comments »
The Best Holiday Light Displays in Rochester v1.0
Saturday, December 22nd, 2012
Having kids has made me see the holidays in a different light. I find myself thinking about my own childhood and all the stuff I used to look forward to each December so I can do those same things with my own kids. Like when my dad would pile us all in the ’78 Caprice Classic and we’d cruise around to find the best—and most ridiculous—Christmas light displays in town. I know I know, not a very eco-friendly ritual; but most of us are gonna do it anyway. So last week on Facebook, I asked you where your favorite local light displays were. You answered. And I’ve begun mapping them all out in one convenient location so you don’t have to spend countless hours (and fuel) driving around Rochester trying to find them yourself…
Tags: best christmas light displays in Rochester NY, best christmas lights in Rochester NY, Christmas, Christmas houses, Christmas light display, Christmas lights, holiday light display, holiday lights, holidays, map of Christmas lights Rochester NY, map of holiday lights Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos, synchronized Christmas lights, synchronized holiday lights
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester Destinations, Rochester Images | 18 Comments »
Proof, Santa Is Real
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012![Two little girls have a chat with Santa in front of the Duffy-Powers Department Store on the corner of W. Main and Fitzhugh Streets, Rochester, NY. Printed in Rochester Herald, December 24, 1914. [PHOTO: Albert R. Stone collection]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-duffy-mcinnerney-santa.jpg)
It’s December 24, 1914, and two fashionably dressed little girls have Santa Claus cornered at the entrance to a downtown Rochester department store. And they are absolutely spellbound. Be sure to click on this image for a closer look. If this is not the definition of the holidays I don’t know what is. I like to imagine what the girls were saying at this moment; “Hey shouldn’t you be at the North Pole making our toys?! … Can we swing from your beard? … You know, you don’t look nearly as fat in real life, Santa.”
Yes, I am forever grateful to you, Mr. Photographer, for capturing this moment in time. A moment which would have otherwise been lost somewhere in the ether, has been wrapped up and handed to us with a great big bow. Yes, Virginia, Santa is real. Oh, and if you’re wondering where exactly this conversation with Santa took place…
Tags: downtown Rochester, Duffy-McInnerney Department Store, Duffy-Powers Department Store, Fitzhugh Street, Main Street, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester NY, Santa
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 6 Comments »
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