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.

14621
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/14621/index.htm
Named for the district’s ZIP code, 14621 is a mosaic of languages and cultures from around the world. Some streets are broad, with gracious homes and large yards. On others are tiny but tidy workers’ cottages. Most homes were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and have the charming details of that era. Parts of the neighborhood have their challenges. But an exceptionally strong neighborhood association brings concerned citizens together to work on solutions. The 297-acre Seneca Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, lies in 14621.

19th Ward
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/19thward/19thward.html
Across the river from the University of Rochester is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the city. The 19th Ward has more than 22,000 residents, an active neighborhood association and a strong sense of community. It is minutes from the airport, the University of Rochester and I-390 and home to Frederick Law Olmsted’s Genesee Valley Park. This is an affordable neighborhood with homes that retain period charm.

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 sedate business district by day, the area comes alive at night, drawing professionals from across the age spectrum. Residences include grand homes—both single-family and subdivided—on nearby East Avenue, and Victorian houses on side streets. World War II-era apartment buildings line Alexander Street, including the newly renovated Medical Arts Building in the art deco style.

Browncroft
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/browncroft/browncroft.html
A 1920s subdivision of Tudors and other well-appointed homes, Browncroft occupies former nursery land off Winton Road and Browncroft Boulevard. It lies within the North Winton Village neighborhood.

Charlotte
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/charlotte
The waterfront community of Charlotte seems more like a village than a city neighborhood. That’s because it is 15 miles from downtown, wedged between Greece and Irondequoit on Lake Ontario. Charlotte was established as a port in 1805. One hundred years later, it was a popular summer resort. Grand summer homes and small cottages went up in those years. Charlotte also has plentiful housing built after World War II. In recent years the city has poured millions into a facelift of the harbor district. The popular Ontario Beach Park has a sandy beach, picnic areas, promenade and historic carousel.

Cobbs Hill
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/cobbs/cobbs.html
The center of this neighborhood is Cobbs Hill Park, between Culver Road and Highland Avenue. Runners use the path encircling the park’s reservoir; there are tennis courts and ball fields too. Residents of Cobbs Hill are close to the commercial districts of both Monroe and Park avenues, as well as the suburb of Brighton. Homes in the area are typical of larger early 20th century dwellings.

Corn Hill
www.cornhill.org
Rochester’s oldest residential neighborhood is one of its most popular. Corn Hill is right next to downtown and not far from the University of Rochester. The Corn Hill Arts Festival draws 200,000 people every July to see creations by some 500 artists. Homes from mansions to workers’ cottages share mid-19th century character, and the 1980s saw the addition of nice town houses. The new Corn Hill Landing apartments, shops and cafes bring the neighborhood right up to the river—and the 21st century.

Culver-Winton-Main
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/cwmain/cwmain.html
Farms and nurseries covered this area before a building boom from 1910 to the 1930s, when trolley lines were extended out from the city center. You can still see some old farmhouses (as well as the only cobblestone house in the city), but most of the homes are colonials, American Foursquares and bungalows. The neighborhood’s prize possession, and a well-kept secret, is the 80-acre wilderness preserve of Tryon Park. It has trails on steep, wooded terrain loved by birders, hikers and mountain bikers.

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 on East Avenue 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. Living spaces range from inexpensive studios to penthouse condominiums from East to University avenues. Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman School of Music, Blackfriars Theatre, Little Theatre and the Rochester Contemporary art gallery call the East End home.

Ellwanger & Barry
www.ellwangerbarry.org
Ellwanger & Barry lies on rolling former nursery land just north of Highland Park, site of the annual Lilac Festival. The neighborhood’s signature home style is the American Foursquare. Most homes here were built between 1900 and 1930, though some are older. Residents are close to the shops and restaurants of both the South Wedge and South Clinton Avenue.

Maplewood
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/maplewood/maplewood.html
The grand homes of Maplewood, off Lake Avenue north of downtown, were built for early executives with Eastman Kodak Co. They are within walking distance of a 5,000-bloom rose garden in Maplewood Park, a part of the original plans for Seneca Park laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted. Most of the neighborhood’s houses sprang up between 1890 and 1920 and represent a broad range of architectural styles and economic levels.

Monroe Avenue
www.monroeavenue.com
If Monroe Avenue were a painting, it would be a Jackson Pollack 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 “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. Neighborhood streets have single- and multifamily dwellings built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Neighborhood of the Arts
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/arts
Converted factories here 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 the Memorial Art Gallery, home of the Clothesline Arts Festival in September. Next door, actor Taye Diggs attended School of the Arts. ArtWalk features sidewalk imprints, artistic benches, tiled light poles, sculptures and bus shelters on University from MAG to George Eastman House. Village Gate Square is a converted factory housing restaurants, shops and offices. Next door at Anderson Alley Artists, studios are open to the public the second Saturday of the month. Writers & Books, a literary center, keeps a calendar jammed with readings and classes.

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 two biggest concentrations are near Berkeley and Goodman streets. Al fresco dining turns the sidewalks into patios during the summer. There are antique dealers, gift shops, wine shops, convenience stores and other village amenities. In this relaxed environment, you may forget you’re in the city. Take a short stroll to see the mansions of East Avenue, one of the country’s premier preservation districts. These were the grand homes of the leaders who built Rochester.

South Wedge
www.swpc.org
One of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the city 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.) It has some of the more affordable housing in the city, primarily in homes built around the turn of the last century. South Avenue runs through the heart of the Wedge; new restaurants 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 serving a wide range of cuisines, from southern barbecue to Indian.

Swillburg
www.rochestercityliving.com/neighborhoods/swillburg
The fact that Swillburg still stands today is testament to determined residents who put a stop to highway plans that would have split the neighborhood in two. Homes are modest and affordable. Close to downtown and highways, Swillburg is tucked conveniently between the commercial areas of South Clinton and Monroe avenues.