Every community in the city of Rochester has the older housing stock typical of Northeastern cities. Rochester’s supply is larger than most, despite the loss of some neighborhoods during urban renewal in the 1960s. Many areas of the city have preserved the details and charm these homes were built with. To find out more about city neighborhoods, go to www.rochestercityliving.com.

19th Ward
Across the river from the University of Rochester is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the city. It has more than 22,000 residents, an active neighborhood association and a strong sense of community. The 19th Ward is minutes from the airport and I-390 and home to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Genesee Valley Park.
Living space: Apartments in subdivided houses and Boston doubles. This is an affordable neighborhood in which to buy your first home.

Alexander Street
Alexander Street is one of the city’s longest-running nightspots. In the past couple of years, its energy has spread around the corner to East Avenue, making East & Alexander a prime destination for partygoers. A relatively quiet business district by day, the area comes alive at night. The crowds are mostly in their 20s and 30s.
Living space: Plentiful World War II-era apartment buildings on Alexander Street. Subdivided mansions on nearby East Avenue and Victorian houses on side streets.

Corn Hill
www.cornhill.org
Rochester’s oldest neighborhood is one of its most popular. There are lots of apartments in the 19th century houses—from mansions to workers’ cottages. The new Corn Hill Landing apartments, shops and cafes bring the neighborhood right up to the river—and the 21st century. The Corn Hill Arts Festival draws 200,000 people every July to see creations by some 500 artists. Corn Hill is right next to downtown and not far from the University of Rochester.
Living space: Apartments in houses with lots of mid-19th-century character. New riverfront apartments in Corn Hill Landing.

East End
www.rochesterseastend.com
The East End is driving a renaissance in 24/7 city living with its own stamp of jazzy/bluesy sophistication. The cultural heart of Rochester, it is centered at the Eastman School of Music and stretches through side streets north to Main Street. Recent condos, townhouses and restaurants, some carved out of car dealerships that once filled the area, have brought renewed energy to this downtown neighborhood. Besides the Eastman School, you’ll find the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Blackfriars Theatre, Little Theatre and the Rochester Contemporary art gallery in the neighborhood.
Living space: Ranges from inexpensive studios to penthouse condominiums from East to University avenues.

Monroe Avenue
www.monroeavenue.com
If Monroe Avenue were a painting, it would be a Jackson Pollock or an Andy Warhol. Stretching from the Inner Loop to Culver Road, Monroe has a funky, eclectic style with roots in hippie culture. Monroe Avenue serves as a main street for residents who live in the neighborhood. Urban energy is evident around the clock. Shops are open late on weekends, offering unusual clothing, shoes, poster art, jewelry, antiques and used books. Twentysomethings frequent the area’s sports bars and dance clubs—and then stop at its late-night eateries to refuel.
Living space: Plenty of apartments in houses on side streets, over retail shops on Monroe and in apartment buildings.

Neighborhood of the Arts
www.rochesternota.com
In the Neighborhood of the Arts, converted factories house apartments and studios for dancers and visual artists. Post-war apartment buildings, multifamily Victorians and cottages line the area’s side streets. In the middle of it all is Memorial Art Gallery, home of the Clothesline Arts Festival in September. Next door is School of the Arts; actor Taye Diggs and musician Tweet are alumni. ArtWalk, Rochester’s outdoor interactive art museum, features sidewalk imprints, artistic benches, tiled light poles, sculptures and bus shelters from MAG to George Eastman House. Village Gate Square, a converted factory, houses restaurants, shops and offices. Next door at Anderson Alley Artists, studios are open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. the second Saturday of the month. Writers & Books, a literary center, keeps a calendar jammed with readings and classes.
Living space: Quirky Victorian houses on side streets, apartment buildings, lofts in Village Gate and near the Public Market, and some second-floor units above retail on University.

Park Avenue
www.park-avenue.org
Between Culver Road and Alexander Street, Park Avenue is a tree-shaded, residential neighborhood. Restaurants, salons and shops are tucked among Victorian homes on the mile-long route. Bistros and cafes make up the majority of Park Avenue businesses; the biggest concentration is near Berkeley Street. Al fresco dining turns the sidewalks into patios during the summer. It’s a great place to people-watch. Besides restaurants, there are antique dealers and gift shops, plus convenience stores and a Laundromat that serve the students and professionals who live in nearby apartments. A wine shop offers happy hour tastings.
In this relaxed environment, you may forget you’re inside city limits. Take a stroll down side streets and head north a block to see the mansions of East Avenue, one of the country’s premier preservation districts. These were the grand homes of the leaders who shaped Rochester.
Living space: Post-World War I and World War II era apartment buildings, flats in large homes on numerous neighborhood streets.

South Wedge
www.swpc.org
The city’s most ethnically diverse neighborhood is located just south of downtown on the east side of the Genesee. The South Wedge is popular with college students and young professionals who like the urban village atmosphere. (Abolitionist Frederick Douglass lived here too.) South Avenue runs through the heart of the Wedge; new restaurants and bars are popping up all the time. The neighborhood is undergoing renewal, from the tip of the Wedge at Mt. Hope and South all the way down to the Ford Street Bridge. The South Wedge and surrounding areas have restaurants of all kinds—Indian, gourmet sandwiches, barbecue, vegetarian and more.
Living space: Some of the most affordable housing in the city, primarily in homes built around the turn of the last century.