Downtown

Overview

Downtown Rochester is quite the place. It was once a thriving area of commerce, shopping and political activism. While still being home to many business and industries, it tends to be lively by day and abandoned by night.

Regardless, chances are good that you may wind up with an internship downtown at some point during your college career, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself. And even if you don’t work downtown, you should make the trek down here at least once — if for nothing else, at least to check out Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

Eat & Drink

The downtown area isn’t overflowing with dining options, but trust us, there are a few that are definitely worth checking out.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
An essential part of Rochester, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a genuine honky tonk rib joint, just like its website says. We know what you’re thinking — a genuine honky tonk rib joint in the middle of Rochester? But trust us (and the rest of the masses raving about this place!). From pulled pork to strip steak, catfish to every kind of chicken under the sun, this food is serious stuff! To sweeten (or rather spice up) the deal, Dino also has a crazy beer and wine list as well as lots of live blues music.
99 Court St.
325-7090

O’Bagelo’s
What’s O’Bagelo’s most known for? “Sarcasm … wit … Oh, you mean food? Well, then we’re known for our turkey sandwiches and chicken salad,” says owner John Vito. This State Street bagel shop clearly offers way more than just bagels. You can also fill up on bagel sandwiches, pizzas, soup and cookies (apparently everyone loves the cookies!). O’Bagelo’s is a proud local business, something the owner makes very clear. “I’m trying to teach young people that chain restaurants … they’re not good,” he says. So, if you’re looking for a great bagel, with a side of sarcasm, keep O’Bagelo’s in mind.
165 State St.
232-9070

Tijuana Tokyo’s
Specializing in Mexican-style food, Tijuana Tokyo’s has, perhaps, the coolest name out of all the local restaurants. Taken from a bar in an episode of Magnum P.I., the name itself has certainly helped the State Street business attract customers. The menu features oversized portions of quesadillas, burritos, wraps and more. Plus, they feature an online ordering option — perfect for all of us who live online! Oh and did we mention that owner Lucas Cotton is a full-time student at MCC?
89 State St.
454-7707

Simply Crepes
Located inside the Central Library, Simply Crepes is a sinfully delicious place to visit. The menu is overflowing the crepes, which are like pancakes only much fancier. Try Crepe Epinards or Raspberry Gulee for breakfast or a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Crepe for dessert. One look at this menu and you’ll have the same question we had — how does anyone study at the library with such great food in front of them?
114 South Ave. (inside the Central Library)
428-8300

J&K Café
This self-described New York-style deli is owned and operated by husband and wife John and Kelly Bianchi. Their soups, salads, subs and paninis sound quite appetizing, but according to John, they’re best known for their J&K Own Toasted Burritos, which come in pizza, buffalo chicken or cheeseburger style, among others. And the food is cheap, too! The most expensive menu item is $6.50. We definitely like the sounds of that!
183 E. Main St.
325-9130

Shop & Spend

The downtown area is really overpowered by office buildings and corporations. There are lots of little gift shops to browse in, but not much in the way of hardcore shopping.

Midtown Plaza
A monument to days of former glory, Midtown Plaza represents a different era in Rochester’s history. The center opened in 1962 and was hailed as the nation’s first urban enclosed shopping mall, a departure from the trend of suburban malls. It was once a bustling hub, filled with local department stores like McCurdy’s and B. Forman, and it even had a Wegmans. But, as more and more people began moving to the ’burbs, Midtown began to decline.

No where near as popular today, Midtown still has some shopping options, mainly food joints. The food court is a great option for the fleet of downtown workers. If you’re looking to pick up a pair (or two) of shoes, DIVA might be an interesting stop. For some quick shopping, Rite-Aid or A Dollar might be helpful.

So clearly, Midtown is more of a historical venue at this point. On the second floor, a painting of the plaza in its glory days offers a peek into what it used to be. And you can still catch the Clock of Nations, which features 12 different scenes and was one of the original features of the mall, as well as the monorail at Christmas time. Destination might be the wrong word for Midtown Plaza, but if you’re already downtown if might be worth a quick stop. Who knows, right?

Do & See

There’s so much stuff to check out downtown that it was really hard to narrow it down to just a few!

Geva Theatre
Geva Theatre is the place to go if you want to see Broadway productions recreated right here in Rochester. Hits such as Our Town, The Underpants and Urinetown have graced the Geva stage lately. Mark Cuddy, artistic director at Geva, says that as part of their mission, they strive to make theater available to everyone. As part of that commitment, Geva offers student pricing and same-day college discounts. Here’s how it works: On the day of the show, call ahead and see how many tickets are left. If there are still some available, show up about 15 minutes before showtime and ask for a student-priced ticket. Then, viola — a Broadway-class show for a fraction of the cost. (Just make sure you have your student ID handy; we’re sure lots of people try to pretend they’re still in college).
75 Woodbury Blvd.
232-4382

Strong — National Museum of Play
This is the only museum in the country devoted entirely to the study of play — for both children and adults. Calling it a museum doesn’t even do this place justice. Reading Adventureland, the most popular feature of the museum, features various storybook lands — a yellow brick road runs through the center, and there’s a wizard’s lair, pirate ship and even a giant’s house to explore (but only if you climb the beanstalk first!). Other areas include the Dancing Wings butterfly garden, Super Kids Market (a life-like mini Wegmans), Sesame Street and more. Upstairs is the National Toy Hall of Fame, which features popular toys from our childhood — remember Mr. Potato Head, G.I. Joe and Barbie? Whether you bring your little brother or just head over with a group of friends, this is definitely a great place to be a kid again.
1 Manhattan Square
263-2700

Central Library
Before the invention of the Internet, there were these buildings that housed scores of information, otherwise known as libraries. Believe it or not, they’re still around, and Rochester’s Central Library is pretty impressive. Located in the heart of downtown, the library comprises two buildings — the older Rundel Memorial Library Building and the newer Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building across the street (the two are connected through a tunnel running under South Avenue)

This library is nothing like those libraries you probably frequented as a kid though. There’s WiFi access throughout much of the library and the SUNY Student Resource Center also offers some unique features. This partnership between Empire State College and MCC has created a technology center for downtown students to take advantage of. And how many libraries do you know with a Simply Crepes in the middle? But don’t fret, there’s still actual books too — a whole four floors worth on the Bausch and Lomb side. You’ll need a library card in order to bring books back to your dorm, but don’t worry, the cards are free.
115 South Ave.
428-7300

Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
Hockey, lacrosse, basketball, the circus, concerts, monster truck rallies, college graduations — you name it and it has probably happened at Blue Cross Arena. Opened in 1955 as the War Memorial, the arena was remodeled in the late 1990s and also got a new name.

Three of Rochester’s sports teams — the Amerks, Knighthawks and RazorSharks — call Blue Cross home. Section V high school basketball also stages its playoffs at the arena, giving you the chance to catch some of the area’s most talented stars. But, if sports aren’t your thing, take advantage of the concerts, festivals and other large events that are held at Blue Cross.

On a more serious side, the eternal flame of the arena’s Veterans Memorial serves as a reminder to those who have lost their lives fighting for America. The monument is tucked away in the back of the arena, so you may miss it if you don’t know it’s there. If you enter Blue Cross Arena from the Broad Street side, go straight back and to the left.
1 War Memorial Square
758-5330

The Susan B. Anthony House
A memorial to the infamous women’s rights activist, the Susan B. Anthony House is a popular Rochester landmark. Anthony lived the better part of her adult life here and is now buried in Mount Hope Cemetery. Her house on Madison Avenue features two main exhibits. The permanent exhibit features the early life of Anthony and her fight for suffrage. The other, designed by students from RIT, examines women’s rights in today’s world.
17 Madison St.
235-6124

Live & Rent

With industry and commerce serving as the main focuses of the Downtown area, there aren’t many choices when it comes to living. Most employees of the local businesses tend to favor extremely nearby neighborhoods like Corn Hill, East End and the St. Paul Quarter.

History

Rochester has a very rich political, religious and industrial history, especially in its downtown neighborhoods.

Madison Street served as home to one of the nation’s most famous suffragists — Susan B. Anthony. She spent much of her adult life fighting for woman’s rights from right here. In 1872 she cast an illegal ballot in the presidential election, which landed her in jail and cost her $100 in fines. Women finally got the right to vote but Anthony was not around to see it — she died 12 years prior to the passing of the 19th Amendment.

Two other famous downtowners were Amy and Isaac Post, a Quaker couple who were very active in the women’s rights and abolitionist movements. From their home on Sophia Street (which is now North Plymouth Avenue), the couple ran a stop on the Underground Railroad in addition to hosting a number of anti-slavery lecturers, including William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass (another famous Rochesterian). Due to their refusal to give up their anti-slavery work, Amy and Isaac both left the Quaker society.

Amy was a close friend of Anthony’s and became highly involved in the women’s suffrage movement. She was actually registered to vote alongside Anthony in the 1872 election but was turned away at the polls. Meanwhile, her husband became a key figure in the Spiritualist Movement, supporting the Fox sisters, who claimed they could communicate with the deceased. He even published his own book —Voices From the Spirit World, Being Communications From Many Spirits — in 1852.

Famous residents aren’t all that downtown is known for though. We’ve also had a wealth of famous industry! Xerox, Bausch & Lomb and even Gannett were all founded right here. Xerox is now headquartered in Stamford, Conn., but continues to have its largest employee base in the Rochester area. Similarly, Gannett Corp. moved its headquarters to Virginia in 1986, though the original downtown building continues to house the Democrat and Chronicle. Bausch & Lomb, however, hasn’t given up on us yet. Founded in 1853, they continue to maintain their headquarters right here in downtown.

Additionally, Zweigle’s, a regionally famous company, is an integral part of the downtown mix. Known for their hots — both red and white — Zweigle’s is a highly sought after local delicacy, with its offices located on North Plymouth Avenue.

Phew, that’s a lot of history. But we’re not done yet!

Can you believe that Rochester once had a running subway? Long abandoned now, the subway system once connected the different parts of downtown. But as the population shifted outward, the subway system was less used and was eventually shut down in 1956. From below the Broad Street Bridge, you can still see parts of the subway system though.

Another key feature of the downtown district is its unique architecture. The Times Square building, located on the corner of Exchange Boulevard and Broad Street, features the “Wings of Progress” soaring high above the skyline. Just a few buildings away sits the infamous Mercury statue. Legend has it that the wife of William Kimbal, who owned Kimbal Tobacco Factory (which once stood where Blue Cross Arena now does), hated the smokestacks and thus ordered the infamous Mercury statue. When the factory was removed, Mercury was moved across the street and now stands atop the West Group building.

Believe it or not, Rochester also once was home to a rotating restaurant. That’s right, high above the city streets, residents and tourists alike could dine at Changing Scene, a restaurant housed in the flying-saucer type looking area of the First Federal Building. Sadly, Changing Scene is gone now and the top of the First Federal Building no longer rotates, but you can stare it fondly and imagine the good ole days.