![72 Conkey Avenue has been demolished. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/clifford-and-conkey.jpg)
Here’s a quick update on a story we brought attention to exactly five years ago. On this empty lot (shown above) once stood 72 Conkey Avenue. The old 19th century Victorian storefront had been the subject of a demolition-vs-rehabilitation debate—one between the City of Rochester and neighborhood resident, Jim Fraser, who has restored a handful of neglected homes in the area. Jim saw 72 Conkey as a diamond in the rough…
Posts Tagged ‘Rochester’...
72 Conkey Avenue: Lost
Sunday, October 25th, 2015Tags: 14621, City of Rochester, Clifford Avenue, Conkey Avenue, demolition, historic preservation, Ibero, Jim Fraser, Jo Dickinson, Rochester, Rochester NY, urban renewal, urban revitalization
Posted in Rochester News, Urban Development | 8 Comments »
Marshmallows and Rochester
Sunday, October 25th, 2015![The former Rochester Marshmallow Company factory located in the High Falls District. [PHOTO: India Lombardi-Bello]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-marshmallow-company.jpg)
Story via Rochester Brainery
This former Rochester Plumbing Supply building at 281 Mill Street 
has recently been renovated and converted into 14 new apartments in downtown’s growing High Falls district. This is an exciting development not only because of the new life it will add to this neighborhood, but because this building has a pretty sweet past…
Tags: High Falls, history of Rochester, history of the marshmallow, Joseph B. Demerath, marshmallows, Mill Street, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester Marshmallow Company, Rochester NY, The Mills at High Falls
Posted in Architecture, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Apartments, Rochester History, Rochester News, Urban Development | 2 Comments »
Filling In: 37 Eagle Street Part 3
Thursday, October 15th, 2015![This is to inform you that a public hearing has been scheduled for [37 Eagle Street]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/denker/37eagle/37_Eagle_Street_Postcard.jpg)
Consider this a lightweight palette cleanser in the middle of the five course, multi-month feast that is the zoning series. Even so, it’s deeply related to zoning, so you’re not getting off that easy. Read on if you dare (Halloween pun intended!).
Tags: architecture, Corn Hill, custom home, Eagle Street, Filling In, Matthew Denker, real-estate, Rochester, Rochester NY, SWBR Architects, urban development
Posted in Architecture, Urban Development | 18 Comments »
Filling In: Zoning Part 3, Commercial
Wednesday, October 7th, 2015![The Flatiron Building - The highest of the highs in C-1. [IMAGE: Mike (M J M), Flickr.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/flatiron-building-night-01.jpg)
Goodbye houses, hello something more! Having already discussed the city’s 3 residential zones, it’s time to talk about its 3 mixed-use zones. In one of the many progressive moves in the 2003 re-zoning, Rochester moved away from pure commercial use zones by adding mixed use and residential uses to the (formerly) commercial zones. The narrative descriptions changed, but the letter designations did not. Anyway, ditch the bowtie, grab a monocle and let’s go…
Tags: development, Filling In, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, urban development, urban planning, zoning, zoning code
Posted in Architecture, Urban Development | 4 Comments »
Meet Rochester Artist and Craftsman, Scott Grove
Monday, September 28th, 2015![Meet Scott Grove, a Rochester artist, sculptor, furniture designer, architectural preservationist, among other things. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/scott-grove-powers-building-maintenance-01.jpg)
On my almost daily walk along State and Main streets I’ve often noticed this boom lift blocking the sidewalks around the Powers Building . I’ve never given it much thought. I just figured Daniel Powers liked his windows really clean.
Then, last week while at the Fringe, my RocSubway teammate Joanne Brokaw got introduced to Scott Grove. As it turns out, Scott is that guy hanging high up over Rochester’s sidewalks—and he’s not cleaning windows…
Tags: architecture, artist, Bausch & Lomb Headquarters, Daniel Powers, downtown Rochester, Eastman Theater, H.H. Warner Building, historic preservation, Jonathan Child House, Neighborhood of the Arts, Piano Works Mall, Powers Building, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Market, Scott Grove, sculpture, State Street, University of Rochester
Posted in Architecture, Art + Culture, Interviews, Rochester History, Rochester News, Urban Exploration | 4 Comments »
Filling In: Zoning Part 2, Residential
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015![34 Atkinson Street - An utterly illegal house to build today. [IMAGE: Google]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/denker/zoning/34_Atkinson_St.jpg)
Hope your heart is still racing from our introduction to Zoning last week, because this week we’re talking about residential zoning in Rochester!
Contrary to common knowledge, residential zoning isn’t exclusively for residences (nor is commercial zoning exclusively for commercial – it’s a good place to build apartments, in fact). That said, Rochester has 3 specific residential zones that we’re discussing here. Grab your bow tie and let’s go…
Tags: City of Rochester, Filling In, Matt Denker, Matthew Denker, Rochester, Rochester NY, zoning, zoning code
Posted in Architecture, Urban Development | 34 Comments »
Park(ing) Day 2015
Wednesday, September 16th, 2015![An empty parking lot in downtown Rochester at Franklin & Pleasant Streets. [PHOTO: Young Urban Preservationists]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/parking-day-2015-02.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Sara Jenks, Young Urban Preservationists. Submit your story today.
Over the past year I’ve been itching to move downtown (“Oh, you live really downtown” is the common response upon mentioning my address). This past spring I finally ripped the bandaid and moved out of my mom’s house. In the month between choosing where to live and moving in, I scoped out my new neighborhood nearly every day. It was always obvious that surface parking lots dominated the usable land in the St. Joseph’s Park neighborhood, or as I like to call it, St. Joseph’s Parking Lot. What shocked me was one particular lot that never saw a car. Morning, noon, and night I drove by the lot on the Northwest corner of the intersection at Franklin & Pleasant Streets . Every time there sat only a rusty chain and two cones across the entrance…
Tags: Eat Me Ice Cream, Franklin Street, Inner Loop Country Club, Neighborworks Rochester, North Winton Village, Park(ing) Day, parking, parking lots, parking madness, Pleasant Street, Reconnect Rochester, Rochester, Rochester NY, Ugly Duck Coffee, Young Urban Preservationists (YUP)
Posted in Events, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development, Urban Exploration | No Comments »
Filling In: Zoning Part 1, Introduction
Thursday, September 10th, 2015![Current Rochester Zoning Map [IMAGE: City of Rochester]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/denker/zoning/Rochester_Zoning_Map.jpg)
Well readers, this is it. The series of articles you’ve been waiting for your entire life without even knowing it. That’s right, we’re going to talk about zoning, and more specifically, zoning in Rochester. I’ve been known to refer to zoning as the last bastion for the wicked, and over the next few weeks, I look forward to pleading my case.
Tags: City of Rochester, Edward Bassett, Filling In, form-based code, Matt Denker, Matthew Denker, New York City, Rochester, Rochester NY, Village of Euclid (Ohio) v. Ambler Realty Co., West Palm Beach FL, zoning, zoning code
Posted in Architecture, Urban Development | 18 Comments »
Filling In: Aldi Revisted
Tuesday, September 1st, 2015![Aldi Sign [Image: Matzo Electric Signs]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/denker/aldi/Aldi_Sign.jpg)
Welcome back, readers – it’s been a while! But now that summer is drawing to a close, and we’re starting to stock up for the long winter ahead (wouldn’t want to be THIS guy ), it’s time to start Filling In again. For our first discussion, let’s revisit Aldi. When we last wrote about it, Mike was advocating for getting good design, and I was putting forward a couple ideas about how the store might improve its relationship with the neighborhood . “Fine,” you say, “where is this going?” Well I’m glad you asked.
Tags: Aldi, biking, Blossom Road, Bus Stops, Development News, Filling In, grocery store, Matthew Denker, North Winton Village, Rochester, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), Rochester NY, urban planning, Winton Road, Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
Posted in Architecture, Urban Development | 11 Comments »
Help Nurture Rochester’s Fruit Belt
Wednesday, August 26th, 2015
Orange Street, Lime Street, Grape Street, Orchard Street…
This is Rochester’s fruit belt, and the inspiration behind a new collaboration between Greentopia and Shawn Dunwoody. The Fruit Belt Mural Project aims to transform one of Rochester’s most challenged neighborhoods (JOSANA, in the northwest quadrant) through art…
Tags: Dutchtown, Fruit Belt Project, Grape Street, Greentopia, Indiegogo, Jay Street, JOSANA neighborhood, Lime Street, Maple Street, Orange Street, Orchard Street, Rochester, Rochester NY, Shawn Dunwoody, The Big Paint Out!, Walnut Street
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester News, Urban Development | No Comments »
Rochester’s Changing Landscape
Tuesday, August 25th, 2015![Satellite before & after image of Rochester. [IMAGE: Google Earth via Nick Russo]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-satellite-before-and-after-midtown-plaza.gif)
The following is a guest post submitted by Nick Russo.
Submit your story today.
I’ve always been a fan of Rochester Subway content which looks at our city from a different angle. I thought I might contribute something in turn, that looks at our city from an aerial angle.
I noticed this week that Google Earth had updated its imagery to include snapshots from as early as a month ago. It is now possible to follow a lot of tangible changes that have been going on in the city for a while. I put together a handful of before-and-afters that I thought were interesting (to me anyway). Take a look at the album and see if you can spot the differences…
Tags: Carnegie building, Charlotte, CityGate, Collegetown, dredging, Eastman Business Park, Golisano Children's Hospital, Google Earth, Google Street View, I-390, Inner Loop, Interstate 390, Kodak building 53, Kodak implosion, Kodak Park, Midtown Plaza, Nicholas Russo, Nick Russo, Port of Rochester, RIT Gene Polisseni Center, Rochester, Rochester before and after photos, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester NY, satellite image
Posted in Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 4 Comments »
Remembering the Old Rochester Monroe County Airport and Murals
Sunday, August 23rd, 2015![Do you remember the mural at the old Rochester Monroe County Airport? A reader asked if we could share photos of it. [IMAGE: Rochester Public Library Local History Division]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-monroe-county-airport-00.jpg)
I received an email last week from George Conboy, Chairman of Brighton Securities. He asks, “Have you seen anywhere a photo of the transportation mural that was behind the long ticket counter at the old airport? I remember it as a vaguely Art Deco theme of general transportation with an emphasis, of course, on air transport.”
Mr. Conboy explained that he used to fly a lot during the “glory days” of air travel back in the 1960s when he was a kid. “I just liked that old mural. I used to see it all the time and it has always been in my mind.”
This is a great question. I had been told of this mural before but have never seen it myself. Photos of it online are practically non-existent, so this one will require some digging…
Tags: airport, art, Art Deco, Brighton Securities, George Conboy, Greater Rochester International Airport, history of Rochester, infrastructure, Monroe County Airport, mural, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, rochester photos, transportation
Posted in Architecture, Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure | 18 Comments »
Inside the Abandoned Camp Haccamo, Penfield
Wednesday, August 12th, 2015![Abandoned Camp Haccamo, Penfield NY. [IMAGE: Snoop Junkie]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/camp-haccamo-rochester-56.jpg)
By Snoop Junkie
Since 1955, Camp Haccamo has been a fun filled getaway for both adults and children with varying mental and physical disabilities. First established on Panorama Creek Drive in Penfield (just behind Panorama Plaza), Haccamo was free to the 300 plus campers per year who participated. But in 2009 camp organizers ended their relationship with the town of Penfield and moved to Rush, NY – while, oddly, leaving quite a bit of stuff behind…
Tags: abandoned, abandoned places, Camp Haccamo, Monroe County Rotary, Penfield, Penfield NY, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rotary Sunshine Camp, Rush, Rush NY, Snoop Junkie, urban exploration, Wegman's
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 46 Comments »
Rochester’s Carousel is “Not Garbage Art”
Sunday, August 9th, 2015![This painted picaninny panel on Rochester's Dentzel carousel has been the subject of debate since the confederate flag was removed from South Carolina's State House in July. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-ontario-beach-carousel-04.jpg)
By Mike Governale with help from Carlie Fishgold.
In 1867 Gustav Dentzel founded the Dentzel Carouse Company in Philadelphia, PA. In 1905, Gustav’s “Duchess” menagerie carousel opened at Ontario Beach Park where it has since entertained many generations of Rochesterians.
Recently, a debate has erupted concerning one of the ride’s painted panels; two black children—or more accurately, picaninnies—being harassed by a rooster. Stereotypical depictions of black children such as these were intended to dehumanize blacks and provide entertainment for whites at their expense. There’s no debate here. It is what it is. The question is what do to with the panel…
Some have called for it to be removed or replaced with something different. Others believe it should be preserved – either in place, or in another setting where it can be used to educate future generations about America’s history and the pitfalls of racism and bigotry.
Bill Dentzel is the great-grandson of Gustav Dentzel. In a letter to Rochester’s Preservation Board dated August 4, 2015, Bill suggests that the panel may be moved, but should not be discarded as “garbage”…
Tags: African-American, Bill Dentzel, Charlotte, Charlotte Beach, Dentzel carousel, Dentzel Carousel Company, Edward P. Dentzel, Gustav Dentzel, historic preservation, Monroe County, Ontario Beach Park, Ontario Beach Park carousel, picaninny, preservation, race in Rochester NY, racism, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Preservation Board, slavery, William H. Dentzel
Posted in Art + Culture, Opinion, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester News | 15 Comments »
A Carousel of Debate: The Preservation of Ridicule
Friday, August 7th, 2015![Dentzel carousel at Ontario Beach Park. Rochester, NY. [IMAGE: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-ontario-beach-carousel-01.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Carlie Fishgold, Associate Editor at POST Magazine and Independent Scholar. Submit your story today.
For those in the Rochester community who have a hard time understanding why the Dentzel carousel painted picaninny panel disallows African-American families and children from a carefree experience at Ontario Beach Park, I encourage you consider that you are not the butt of the joke…
Tags: African-American, Carlie Fishgold, Charlotte, Charlotte Beach, Dentzel carousel, historic preservation, Landmark Society of Western New York, Monroe County, Ontario Beach Park, Ontario Beach Park carousel, picaninny, preservation, race in Rochester NY, racism, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Preservation Board, slavery
Posted in Art + Culture, Opinion, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Destinations, Rochester History, Rochester News | 39 Comments »
2015 Rochester Fringe Festival Lineup
Thursday, July 16th, 2015![Rochester Fringe Festival [IMAGE: RochesterFringe.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-fringe-festival-2015-01.jpg)
Story via Rochester Fringe Festival
The fourth First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival (Thursday, September 17 – Saturday, September 26) announced its complete lineup this week at its annual BIG REVEAL at The Little Theatre. The 2015 Fringe will include more than 500 performances and events (up from 2014’s 380) featuring all genres of art in 25+ venues in downtown Rochester, with more than 120 of them offered free of charge. The full schedule is available and all tickets are on sale as of now at RochesterFringe.com …
Tags: Abilene, Absinthe, Bernunzio Uptown Music, Blackfriars Theatre, Brown Bag Disco, Bushwacked, Dance Ministry, Dashboard Dramas, Downton Abbey, Eagles Network International, East Main Street, Eastman School of Music, Eastman School of Music’s Kilbourn Hall and Sproull Atrium, Erica Fee, Gallery r, Garth Fagan Dance Studio, George Eastman House’s Dryden Theatre, Geva Theatre Center’s Fielding Stage, Gibbs Street, Gospel Sunday on Sunday, Grounded Aerial, Hot Tub: The Musical, HSBC Plaza, Jamie Lissow, Java’s Café, Jay Pharoah, Kilbourn Hall, Lady Natasha House, Lewis Banks, Luke Kempner, Lyric Theatre, Matt and Heidi Morgan, MuCCC, Nazareth College, Patton Oswalt, Rimini Protokoll, Rochester, Rochester Association of Performing Arts (RAPA), Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), Rochester Fringe Festival, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY, School of the Arts, Silent Disco, Spiegelgarden, Spiegeltent, Spiegelworld, SUNY Geneseo, The Aurora, The College at Brockport, The Little, The Strong, TheatreROCS Stage, Tribute to Man sculpture, University of Rochester, Upside Downton, Writers & Books
Posted in Art + Culture, Events, Rochester News | No Comments »
Inside Rochester’s Abandoned Walters Psychiatric Building
Wednesday, July 8th, 2015![Inside the abandoned Walters psychiatric building. [IMAGE: Snoop Junkie - Rochester Urban Exploration Squad]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-state-hospital-walters-building-04.jpg)
The complex of the Rochester Psychiatric Center (a.k.a. Rochester State Hospital or Monroe County Insane Asylum) is legendary among urban explorers and history fanatics alike. Originally built in the early 1800s as the Monroe County Almshouse (or poorhouse), new buildings and facilities were gradually added to care for the mentally ill.
Although the hospital still operates to this day, a few buildings were closed in the mid-1990s and now sit in various states of decay. One notable example we’ve explored previously is the towering 16-story Terrence Building which looms over Elmwood Avenue. Another is the sprawling Walters Building (originally known as the Orleans Building) which we’ll be exploring today…
Tags: abandoned, abandoned places, David Paul Ritton, Dr. Charles La Moore, Dr. Eugene H. Howard, Dr. John L. VanDeMark, Elmwood Avenue, Howard Buildings, insane asylum, Joseph Goder trash incinerator, mentally ill, Monroe County Almshouse, Monroe County Insane Asylum, Mrs. Gertrude Ehinger, Mrs. Mary McClelland, Orleans Building, photography, Robert Grahan, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Rochester Psychiatric Center, Rochester State Hospital, Snoop Junkie, Snoop Junkie Rochester Urban Exploration Squad, South Avenue, Terrence Building, Terrence Tower, urban decay, urban exploration, urban explorers, Walters Building
Posted in Architecture, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Exploration | 45 Comments »
Aerial Drone Footage of Rochester Subway and Carnegie Building
Friday, July 3rd, 2015![Aerial drone footage of Rochester; the subway and Carnegie Place after fire. [IMAGE: Ander Kazmerski]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-carnegie-building-drone-video-01.jpg)
A good friend of mine, Ander Kazmerski , just posted some sweet drone footage of Rochester. The video focuses on two sites – the Rochester subway and the Carnegie building on Goodman Street just after its devastating fire. I don’t think I need to say much about it. These images speak for themselves. You’ll definitely want to go full-screen with this one…
Tags: abandoned places, abandoned subway, abandoned subway tunnel, aerial photography, Ander Kazmerski, Carnegie building, Carnegie Place, drone, drone video, Rochester, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway photos, urban decay, urban exploration, urban ruins
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Subway, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Exploration | No Comments »
Inner Loop Redevelopment Recommendations
Wednesday, July 1st, 2015![A recent report from Stantec outlines recommendations and suggestions for the redevelopment of Union Street after the Inner Loop is filled. [IMAGE: Philip Michael Brown Studio / City of Rochester]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-inner-loop-development-00.jpg)
Yesterday we took a bike ride down inside the Inner Loop with Matthew Ehlers to see how Rochester’s “big fill” was progressing. Quite nicely I’d say. But once filled, the next question becomes, what will fill the void.
RocSubway reader Ben Voellinger pointed us to a recent document posted to the City’s website that outlines recommendations for future development(s) along the new Union Street. Thanks Ben! Let’s take a look…
Tags: Charlotte Street, City of Rochester, East Ave, Great Wolf Lodge, infill development, Inner Loop, Inner Loop East Reconstruction Project, Manhattan Square Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, parking, parking garage, parking lots, Philip Michael Brown Studio, Pitkin Street, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rotterdam, Stantec, Strong National Museum of Play, Union Street, urban development
Posted in Architecture, Rochester Destinations, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 33 Comments »
Nature abhors a vacuum – as illustrated by the Inner Loop
Tuesday, June 30th, 2015![I noticed grass growing on the piles of dirt in the Inner Loop construction project today. It’s as if nature can’t wait for the filling in of the Inner Loop to complete before reclaiming the land. [PHOTO: Matthew Ehlers]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/rochester-innerloop-fill-grass.jpg)
The following is a guest post submitted by Matthew Ehlers.
Submit your story today.
I noticed grass growing on the piles of dirt in the Inner Loop construction project today. It’s as if nature can’t wait for the filling in of the Inner Loop to complete before reclaiming the land…
Tags: automobile, biking, infrastructure, Inner Loop, Inner Loop fill webcam, Mark Twain, Matthew Ehlers, Rochester, Rochester NY, transportation, urban development, urban highway, video
Posted in Opinion, Reader Submitted Stories, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development, Urban Exploration | 4 Comments »
![\"RochesterSubway.com\"](\"https://rochestersubway.com/images/pixel_white.gif\"){kind=tracking}
