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 EAST RIVERFRONT TRANSFORMATION |
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| RBJ SNAP POLLS GAUGE PUBLIC OPINION
A Snap Poll conducted on Jan 28 & 29 asked Rochester Business Journal readers: "What types of development should be the highest priority for downtown Rochester?" The following were the top five responses:
Owner-occupied housing: 57%
Grocery store: 46%
Restaurants: 46%
Retail - specialty shops: 44%
Performing arts/cultural venues: 41%
Also of note: "Nearly nine in 10 poll respondents say downtown Rochester is important to the entire Rochester-Finger Lakes region, with 58 percent characterizing it as 'very important.'"
Click here to read the full report and reader comments
A Snap Poll conducted on Feb 18 & 19 asked RBJ readers: "Do you favor or oppose putting a casino in downtown Rochester?" A majority indicated that they oppose putting a casino in downtown Rochester. Of the 55 percent opposed, 37 percent say they strongly oppose. The poll elicited interesting and often entertaining comments like this one:
"If you can find me a once-struggling Rustbelt city with a thriving downtown that was saved by a casino I will give you a cookie. Good luck."
-Dan Palmer, historian
Click here to read the full report and reader comments |
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MARATHON MADNESS
Warm weather is almost here, and with it arrives marathon season. Downtown will host two marathons this spring, one new and one returning.
 The Color Run 5K makes its debut in Rochester on Saturday, May 4. The race will start and finish in High Falls and the course is almost entirely within the Inner Loop. The Color Run has been wildly successful all over the country. What is it, you ask? "The Color Run™, also known as the Happiest 5K on the Planet, is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality, and giving back to the community." Basically, runners start the race wearing white, and finish the race plastered in color. Visit the Rochester Color Run website for more information and to register -- that is, if you can answer 'yes' to the question: "Are you ready for the craziest, colorful, 5K of your life?"
Fleet Feet will again host thousands of runners for its popular Flower City Challenge Half Marathon on Sunday, April 28. The course begins and ends downtown, and passes through City neighborhoods lined with fans. Visit the Flower City Challenge website for a course map and more information. |
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DOWNTOWN LIVING
The remarkable growth of the downtown residential market continued last month with the opening of the Bridge Square Lofts in the Cascade District. The former Josh Lofton school building has been converted to a mixed-use complex that includes Passero Associates headquarters, commercial space, and 24 loft apartments with beautiful skyline views.
There have been a series of recent articles about the growing popularity of downtown living:
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SPOTLIGHT ON WASHINGTON SQUARE PK
"A Rochester neighborhood that was practically empty five years ago, is now booming." This is the opening line of a Channel 8 News Story about the Washington Square Park neighborhood.
 The recently formed Washington Square Park Neighborhood Association (WSPNA) is made up of residents and leaders of area's community institutions, like Geva, St. Mary's & the Central Library. Together, they are undertaking efforts to beautify the area and build community. Flower plantings, traffic boxes, banners, an "Adopt the Park" program, and a neighborhood newsletter are just some of the initiatives they are undertaking as a group. Members of WSPNA are also working with the Rochester Regional Community Design Center to create a design charette that will envision what their neighborhood will look like in the future.
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MCC CAMPUS RELOCATION
 At a November 27, 2012 RDDC Member Briefing, MCC President Anne Kress discussed the reasoning behind the College's planned move to the Kodak site on State Street. Click here to view the presentation.
As a vote by the Monroe County Legislature neared that would help pave the way for MCC's move, the community conversation became heated, with a flurry of news coverage:
The drama ended with a Feb 12 vote in the Monroe County Legislature. Read the full story here:
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 SAVE THE DATE FOR DOWNTOWN RISING!
On Tuesday, June 4, 11:30am - 1:30pm at the Radisson Hotel Riverside Rochester, RDDC will continue its 2013 Economic Growth Series with Downtown Rising, an annual showcase of downtown development projects and progress. The lineup of presentations at this year's event will include:
- Sibley complex redevelopment
- Luxury housing development on the east riverfront
- RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship
- Roc City Skatepark
- Roc City 2.0
Keep an eye out in your inbox for an invitation, including the final lineup of event speakers! Or if you just can't wait, you can make a reservation, purchase a table, and inquire about sponsorship opportunities by contacting Karen Hite at 546-6920 or rddc@rddc.org. |
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DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY
On February 28, Police Chief Jim Sheppard and Mayor Tom Richards held an open public meeting to talk about downtown safety and other issues. The meeting was attended by about 75 people and involved very insightful questions and answers on topics that included the public perception of downtown, bar districts, student presence downtown, safety & crime trends and resident quality of life.
In other downtown safety news, on March 19, City Council approved a measure (by a 6-3 vote) authorizing a $1 million renovation and 10-year lease for a downtown police substation in the Sibley Building. The new downtown office will have 40 officers and staffers that are dedicated to downtown.
The DSSI Red Shirts have an excellent working relationship with the Rochester Police Department by providing a friendly safety presence and complimentary services like "Walk You to Your Car". Together, the RPD and Red Shirts ensure downtown remains a safe place to live, work and play! |
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SURVEY CONFIRMS
SERVICE VALUE
 DSSI exists to help keep downtown safe and friendly. Every year, DSSI surveys groups of downtown stakeholders (including property owners & managers, street level businesses, students, residents & employees) to gain feedback on how the program is doing and ideas for how it can be improved. The 2013 survey results showed a continued appreciation for the value of DSSI services that are provided by the Red Shirts safety team and the Downtown Information Center, and that DSSI staff have met or exceeded service expectations.
Click here to view DSSI's March newsletter, including a full report of the survey results |
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POPULAR URBAN NIGHTS SERIES CONTINUES
JOIN US FOR A CASINO NIGHT AT THE RADISS0N!  Thursday, April 25 5:30-7:30 PM 120 East Main Street Riverside Ballroom $12 members/$15 non-members. Ticket includes appetizers. Cash Bar. Each person will be given $500 in chips to test your luck and gambling skills at the roulette and black jack tables. At the end of the evening, the person with the most chips wins an overnight stay at the Radisson! Click here to view the invitation and make your reservation today by credit card or PayPal.
NEXT UP: East Avenue Inn & Suites
Tuesday, May 21
384 East Avenue
5:30-7:30 PM
It's not too late to sponsor our 2013 Urban Nights series! A $500 sponsorship for the entire series (6-8 events) includes your company logo and website link on electronic invitations sent directly to our e-mail list of over 3,000 downtown stakeholders.
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RBJ PROFILE ON RDDC STAFF MEMBER
 The Rochester Business Journal recently featured the newest RDDC staff member, Mary Staropoli in a "What I do" column.
Mary discussed her role in promoting downtown through marketing & communications, as well as tracking the downtown housing market and supporting the burgeoning residential sector.
"Rochester is a wonderful place to be, and it's getting better by the day with the thrilling transformation that's taking place downtown. I just love having a front-row seat!" Click here to read the full profile. |
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Rochester Downtown Development Corporation
100 Chestnut St., Suite 1910, Rochester, NY 14604
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Downtown Special Services, Inc. Administrative Office 100 Chestnut St., Suite 1910, Rochester, NY 14604 (585) 263-6950 | hzm@rddc.org | | |
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About @round downtown
@round downtown is an e-newsletter resource jointly sponsored by Rochester Downtown Development Corporation (RDDC) and Downtown Special Services Inc. (DSSI). In this bi-monthly publication you will find news and information about everything downtown, including:
- Development projects and trends that are changing the face of downtown
- Useful links to downtown news and resources on our website and social media
- Safety and security from our Red Shirts Safety Team
- Events and amenities from our Downtown Information Center
- RDDC business and social events
Invite your friends and colleagues to join this email list by clicking here:
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The Academy Building is next in line with a planned opening in May. The historic building is being repurposed as a mixed-use development that will have retail & commercial space on the first floor and residential units on the upper floors. 
