| Downtown Rochester | |
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Location of downtown Rochester. Red areas are always defined as downtown; orange areas are sometimes defined as downtown.
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | New York |
| City | Rochester |
| Population | 4,430 (2010) |
| ZIP Codes | 14604, 14603, 14614 |
| Area code | 585 |
| Website: http://www.rochesterdowntown.com/ | |
Downtown Rochester is the economic center of Rochester, New York, and the largest in Upstate New York[1], employing over 50,000 people, and housing close to 5,000. Several international companies are headquartered in downtown Rochester, some of these include Eastman Kodak and Bausch and Lomb.
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Rochesterville, as it was once called, was founded in present day downtown Rochester by Col. Nathaniel Rochester, Maj. Charles Carroll, and Col. William Fitzhugh, all of Hagerstown, Maryland. After the Erie Canal was opened (which flowed through downtown Rochester until the early 20th century,) the area boomed as a result of the cities flour industry. By 1834, some 20 flour mills were producing 500,000 barrels annually, the population reached 13,500 and the city area expanded to 4,000 acres (16 km2). Rochester was then re-chartered as a city, and Jonathan Child, son-in-law of Col. Rochester, was elected its first mayor.
Following the Civil War, many post-war industrial companies were founded in Rochester including Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, Western Union and Gleason Works. The city hall opened downtown in 1875.
At the turn of the century, Rochester was a thriving city. Street cars operated throughout the area and a subway was opened in 1927 on the old Erie Canal bed that ran through downtown. The subway operated for 29 years until it closed in 1956. After the subway was shut down, a series of bus routes were opened and a new auxiliary Interstate Highway was opened that would become I-490. [2]
In 1962 Midtown Plaza was constructed in downtown Rochester. Midtown was a major urban shopping mall and the first urban indoor shopping mall in the United States. Midtown Plaza brought many people downtown but it would soon become a victim of suburbanization. In the 1980s, suburban shopping malls such as Eastview Mall in Victor and The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta opened up. McCurdy's and Forman's, closed in 1994. Their closing was quickly followed by the closing of the Midtown branch of Wegmans Food Markets. Before long the mall's only tenants were Peebles department store, Radio Shack, Payless Shoes, some downscale clothing stores, a dollar store, two jewelry stores, a gift shop and a US post office. The mall finally closed in 2007.
Downtown Rochester is currently entering a renaissance. For the first time in over 60 years, businesses are moving back into center city instead of fleeing it. Some of these businesses include ESL in 2010, Nothnagel in 2011 and PAETEC in 2013.
Downtown Rochester is showcased by several skyscrapers including the 450 ft (140 m) Xerox Tower, creating an urban setting. In the early 2000s the city of Rochester built new condos and other residential buildings to center city with huge success. Older buildings are being converted into lofts. The current vacancy rate downtown is less than the 5% average in most downtowns.
The downtown area is also home to several shops, bars, restaurants, parks and a few designated parking areas. Manhattan Square park, located downtown, changes seasonally. During the winter months, the park attracts ice skaters to its kidney shaped rink while in the summer the rink becomes a pool equipped with three fountains. Live music is also played at the park during the summer.
Some tourist attractions downtown include the world famous Strong National Museum of Play and the High Falls entertainment district located just north of the Inner Loop expressway. There is also a boat tour on the Genesee River. The Mary Jemison Boat Tour cruises the Genesee River overlooking the Rochester skyline giving a tour and history of the area.[3]
It was announced on October 16, 2007 that Midtown Plaza will be knocked down to make way for the new PAETEC headquarters via eminent domain. The new headquarters is expected to be about 4 stories high and will have a LEED-certified rooftop garden. The headquarters will be finished in Q4 2012. Demolition of the old Midtown Tower began on August 1, 2010.[4]
There is also a high demand for housing in Downtown Rochester.