| Dominated by the dramatic clock tower of the former St. Joseph's Church, this neighborhood represents an opportunity in the making. When the church burned in the '70s, its walls and tower were preserved and its grounds turned into a grassy park. The east end of the neighborhood is anchored by Harro East, an office building with a state-of-the-art fitness facility and ballroom theater with capacity of 200-400 that is used for a variety of events, including concerts and weddings.
To search for commercial office space, residential rental units, and a wide variety of service and amenities and entertainment options in the neighborhood, check out the
St. Joseph's Park entry in the Interactive Map.
History
Historic locations in the neighborhood include the beautifully carved stone
Art Deco fire station and barns at the corner of Andrews and Chestnut
Streets. Don't miss the mournful firemen carved at the eastern entrance to
the station, their melancholy features enhanced by a patina of soot. The
nearby Harro East building houses a health club and theater which were once
part of the original Jewish Community Center.
Future
The St. Joseph's Park area has great potential for development: a major new ramp garage, a location that links St. Paul Quarter to the Grove Place neighborhood, proximity to existing market-rate and upscale housing, and an attractive central park. These all represent powerful incentives for developers to consider residential and mixed-use development.
Festivals
Any depiction of life in downtown Rochester would be incomplete without a reference (in this case a hyperlink) to the innumerable festivals enjoyed by our residents. They include: the Rochester International Jazz Festival; the Corn Hill Festival (arts, crafts, and foods spread throughout this historic, riverside neighborhood); the Rochester/High Falls International Film Festival (held annually at the George Eastman House's Dryden Theatre and the downtown Little Theatre); the Image Out/ Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (hosted annually at the Little Theatre); the Clothesline Festival (artists from the region and beyond on the grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery); the Park Avenue Merchants Festival (another local favorite that covers Park Avenue from Culver to Alexander); the Lilac Festival (world famous for its hills and dales of lilac bushes, this Festival also boasts top-shelf music and shopping); the Rochester Music Festival (a reflection of the changing music scene, the Music Festival is ever-evolving); and the Cold Rush Winter Celebration. (The Cold Rush highlights the wide range of activities available across four seasons in our region). Want to get an even closer look at what's driving the excitement about downtown living? Join this year's Inside Downtown Tour! |
