Rochester's Neighhorhoods

Southwest Rochester and the 19th Ward Strong
The South WedgePark and MeigsOthers

Southwest Rochester and the 19th Ward

Profile from www.rochestercityliving.com: Urban by Choice' banners greet you as you visit the 19th Ward in Southwest Rochester. It is an appropriate slogan for the neighborhood with the oldest continually operating neighborhood association in Rochester. With over 22,000 residents, the 19th Ward is the largest residential neighborhood in the city and among its most diverse. Residents from different economic and racial groups have chosen the 19th Ward because of its many amenities, active neighborhood association and strong sense of community.

Many residents were drawn to the area by the quality and character of 19th Ward's housing stock. Houses range in style and size from one-story cottages to stately mansions. Regardless of size, most houses have hardwood floors, natural wood trim, leaded or stain glass windows and open porches. These houses have been highlighted in the annual Community Association House Tour since 1971.

The current 19th Ward Community Association remains true to its roots. Its mission is "...to create a conscious multi-racial community where individual and cultural differences are not only tolerated, but celebrated and where people share a sense of community..."  In addition to the annual House Tour, the 19th Ward has many other social events, including a Square Fair in June, annual convention in November and community dinners in February. All activities, committees, and events are volunteer based and rely on neighbors working together.

Type of Housing: Most housing in the 19th Ward is in the form of houses or ½ houses for rent.  Many current UR students, faculty, and staff live in the area, and it is very common for rented properties to be ‘passed on’ from one group of students to another.  Chances are, if you ask around, you can find students who can talk about their experiences with their landlord, the neighborhood, and their short commute to campus.

Neighborhood Highlights: Genesee Valley Park (GVP) is a stone’s throw away, with plenty of green space to throw a Frisbee, softball leagues in the spring and summer, a public pool, and easy access to the miles of paved paths along the historic Erie Canal.  Development in the Brooks Landing Area near the footbridge to campus has many people buzzing about a new college town area.

Transportation to Campus: The 19th Ward is a short walk or bike ride from campus via the Elmwood Bridge or the footbridge that runs between the Residence Quad and the developing Brooks Landing Project.  In addition, the 18/19 bus line runs through this neighborhood and to campus.  The bus runs from the Liberty Pole downtown (around the corner from Eastman) down Plymouth, through the 19th Ward to campus.  The line stops at Rush Rhees before continuing on to Strong Hospital.

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Strong

Profile from www.rochestercityliving.com: The Strong Neighborhood is located in the southern part of the city of Rochester. Its boundaries are Elmwood Avenue to the north, the Barge Canal to the south, Genesee Valley Park/Genesee River to the west and South Avenue to the east.

The area takes its name from Strong Memorial Hospital, the teaching hospital of the University of Rochester Medical Center, which is located along Elmwood Avenue. The hospital, in turn, memorializes Henry Alvah Strong, who was a business partner of George Eastman and the first president of Eastman Kodak, and his wife, Helen Griffin Strong. Their two daughters made the naming gift possible in the 1920s.

Because of the convenience to the River Campus and the Medical Center, many of the University's students and staff members live in the area.  The major expansion of the University in 1925 resulted in the area being annexed from Brighton to the city of Rochester in the early 1920s, and began the development of the area, which continued over the next several decades. Most of the homes in the Strong Neighborhood were built from the 1920s to the 1950s and represent the varied architectural styles of the period. The houses are, in general, small to medium- sized, and on city-sized lots. Most streets run east-west off of Mt. Hope or East Henrietta Road, but a few run north-south, mainly from Elmwood or Crittenden.

The residential areas of the neighborhood with their varied architectural styles form a pleasant area for walking, and there is easy access to the Canal pathway at the southern part of the neighborhood for jogging, biking, rollerblading or just going for a walk.

The historic Genesee Valley Park is adjacent to the neighborhood to the west. Starting in 1888, the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted began designing Genesee Valley Park, with its sports fields, golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pool and ice rink. This 800 acre park is located at the confluence of the Genesee River and the Erie Canal and has canoe livery and boathouse. 

Mount Hope Avenue, which runs through the neighborhood for nearly a mile, forms the commercial district of the area.  A number of stores, banks, local and national food establishments and a variety of other services are located on it.  With Route I-390 just on the other side of canal from the neighborhood, Mount Hope Avenue and East Henrietta/South Avenues form gateways to the city from suburban areas.  Several city bus routes serve the neighborhood, converging at Strong Memorial Hospital.

Types of Housing Available: The Strong area is a network of quiet residential streets with smaller homes rented comfortably to 4 persons.  Like the 19th Ward, UR graduates and undergraduates have had a long history of living in the area and a few inquiries will bring helpful reviews of landlords and properties.

Neighborhood Highlights: The quiet streets of the Strong area are protected from and yet within easy reach of the hustle and bustle of campus, the Medical Center, and the diners and businesses of Mt. Hope.  Equally available are the green spaces of Genesee Valley Park and the Erie Canal path.

Transportation to and from Campus:  Located just beyond the Hospital from which the neighborhood takes its name, the Strong area is a 10-15 minute walk from the River Campus and a 5 minute bike ride.  When the weather isn’t cooperating, the 70 Blue line buses running between Whipple Park/Southside and Rush Rhees can be hailed at stops on Kendrick and Lattimore Roads.

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The South Wedge

Profile from www.rochestercityliving.com: Historically, the South Wedge has been a working class area and remains so today. It is one of Rochester's long standing neighborhoods, home to two preservation districts and some of the oldest houses in the city. Even today, many residents of the Wedge can trace their families' arrival in the neighborhood to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In a Landmark Society survey of a portion of the neighborhood, over 200 homes were noted to have historical significance. On most South Wedge neighborhood streets, you will find an eclectic mixture of housing styles and a diversity of people, young and old and of several racial backgrounds. Most of the neighborhood's buildings and homes are either mid-19th century vernacular or one of the many Victorian era variations. In the recent years, several new buildings have been erected that are architecturally compatible with the pre-existing structures. Adjacent to South Wedge is one of the Rochester's finest elementary schools as well as Highland Park, Highland Hospital and the Genesee River .

This neighborhood has maintained much of its skilled craftworker-artisan background, resisting the pull of gentrification. South Avenue and Clinton Ave, with its urban mixture of small, independently owned shops, quality restaurants, and neighborhood services, have remained the neighborhood's central business districts for many years. While a few wholesale and manufacturing enterprises are located here, most of the shops are retail, offering everything from basic needs to luxury items and services.

The South Wedge Planning Committee is the neighborhood organization for the geographical region of urban Rochester bordered by the Inner Loop (north), the Genesee river (west), South Clinton Avenue to Gregory Street (east), Gregory Street to South, and South Avenue from Gregory to Highland Park.

Types of Housing available: As the profile below attests, the South Wedge is an eclectic neighborhood with an equally eclectic housing stock – both houses and small apartments are available.

Neighborhood Highlights:  The South Ave/Gregory intersection has undergone a recent renaissance – both beautifully designed and executed.  Around that hub are such area hotspots as Beale St., Open-Face Eatery, Lux Lounge, the German House, and Daily Perks Coffee House.  Need supplies for your next baking project?  Go ask your neighbors at the new Green Grocer on the corner of Gregory and South – they’re UR alumni.

Transportation to and from campus: The heart and soul of the South Wedge is South Ave., a 10-minute bike ride from the River Campus.  Currently, the 72 Red Line crosses South Ave. at Gregory after 6pm before it travels through the Park-Monroe-Meigs neighborhood

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Park-Meigs

Profile from www.rochestercityliving.com: When new urban planners who are disillusioned by the sterility of suburban sprawl fantasize about the ideal neighborhood of the future, they often paint a picture of a place that functions exactly like the Park-Meigs Neighborhood of today. Restaurants, specialty shops and small business of every description dot the Avenue. Down every side street, handsome dwellings in all shapes and sizes lie a short stroll from the retail areas. Park-Meigs features pocket parks, graceful flower-filled mediums, and meandering tree lined streets that sooth the eye and spirit.

The result: a charming old-world ambience that looks and feels as much like Europe as any place this side of the Atlantic.
“We like to think of Park Avenue as the Soho or Greenwich Village of Rochester," says Brian Starsky, long-time president of the Park Avenue Merchants Association, which represents about 80 businesses.

And it fits the bill. Sidewalk cafes, delis, bakeries, coffee shops, boutiques and services cluster along a few blocks all within a pleasant walking distance of each other. The upscale shopper will love the mod furniture, fine art, French antiques, designer jewelry and hand-dipped chocolates. Fulltime residents enjoy having the necessities of life close at hand. There's a bank, a pharmacy, mail service, a photo shop, day care and an insurance agency - to name a few establishments.

Also nearby is the blossoming Neighborhood of the Arts – just across East Ave.  Once vacant warehouses and neglected buildings have been revived with a commitment by the community along University Avenue to cultural and artistic vibrancy.  Check out the ARTWalk, a wide sidewalk decorated by area artists that connects studios, galleries, shops, and cafés.  Right in the heart of the neighborhood is the Memorial Art Gallery – part of UR and free to UR students!

Types of Housing available: Like the NYC or even European neighborhood to which it is often compared, the Park-Meigs neighborhood offers primarily studio, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments.

Neighborhood Highlights: With so much within walking distance (even the Alexander St/East End social scene for the stout of heart), Park Ave. always has something to offer.  Many of the boutiques, cafés, and restaurants in the area offer attractive RED discounts.

Transportation to and from campus: The University provides the 72 Red line for free.  The 72 Red line also makes evening runs down Monroe and Park starting at 6pm.  During the day, the 72 Red direct line to and from Eastman, which passes Park at its Alexander terminus, continues to provide even faster access all day.

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Other Neighborhoods

While we’ve profiled four of the most popular and accessible neighborhoods around UR, you can find detailed profiles of all 21 Rochester city neighborhoods at http://www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods, including Corn Hill, Plymouth-Exchange, and the Neighborhood of the Arts.  Whatever you daydream about when you think of moving off campus, Rochester is ready to welcome you into more than a neighborhood of make-believe – a neighborhood you can call your home.

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