In 2024, Project for Public Spaces awarded a Community Placemaking Grant for work in Washington Square to support small-scale, temporary aesthetic and programming improvements.

Following a collaborative planning process, the selected amenities for Washington Square have now been approved by the City of Rochester! Installation will take place later this spring, with enhancements set to open to the public in June 2025.

This grant supports placemaking efforts in Washington Square as outlined in the Rochester 2034 Comprehensive Plan and is facilitated by Project for Public Spaces. Additionally, this project takes direction from and will build off of the Washington Square Community Association's 2018 charette: Washington Square Community Design Exploration: Phase I (Pre-Development) 2018.

RDDC is partnering with the Washington Square Community Association, the City of Rochester, and Project for Public Spaces on this project. Project for Public Spaces is an internationally renowned planning and design non-profit dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. This grant is made possible through funding by General Motors.

As part of this placemaking project, Washington Square will also host two new weekly events beginning this June and continuing through Summer 2025. For details, visit our events calendar and search “Washington Square".

For additional information visit: Washington Square | Projects — Project for Public Spaces (pps.org)