Directory/Parks & Nature
Chen Garden is a Chinese restaurant located on Monroe Avenue in Brighton, serving the community with traditional Chinese cuisine. Open seven days a week with extended hours on weekends, it's been a neighborhood dining option for locals looking for Chinese food on the east side.
Photo: Aug 2008, BradMandell Photo: Aug 2008, BradMandell Photo: Aug 2008, BradMandell Grossmans Garden & Home aka Grossman's Country Nursery is a garden center located on 250 in Penfield. They have a very large selection of trees and shrubs and also a large selection of annuals, perennials, garden art and furniture. Most of the annual and perennial plant material is grown on property from seed and plugs. They have an organic selection of product products. Grossmans was awarded the 2007 and 2008 Northeast Regional Winner of Today's Garden Center Revolutionary 100. Open all year around - Hours change seasonally. They used to host the Penfield Farmers' Market. Probably one of the highest priced in Rochester! —
The Greentopia Festival, presented by Monroe Community College, was Rochester and the Finger Lakes' celebration of the green movement. The interactive festival was designed to exhibit what the region is doing to help the environment and explore healthier ways of living as individuals and as a community. Businesses and organizations showcased their products and programs designed to promote sustainability. Everything at the festival that could be recycled was recycled, including plastic utensils, napkins, and food scraps. Incentives were provided to attendees arriving in green modes of transportation. Greentopia was first held as a two-day festival in the High Falls District in 2011. For their second year they have expanded considerably to include a film festival, art exhibits, and a conference on innovation. The last festival appears to have been held in 2015. Greentopia the organization now does other events. From the Website Greentopia 2012 is a week-long celebration of inspiration through art, music, organic and locally grown food and beverages, ideas and activism. The expanded event will contain four programmatic aspects, which include Greentopia | INNOVATION, Greentopia | FILM, Greentopia | MUSIC and Greentopia | ECOFEST. In its first year the event drew between 18-20,000 people to the historic High Falls district. Through how-to workshops and cutting-edge films, visitors learned about big green ideas and how to apply them creatively in everyday life. There are special family activities, a community recycled art installation, mouthwatering organic and local food and beverages, and all kinds of live music. Past Eco-Fest Exhibitors and Vendors (Select) Art installation made out of Styrofoam packaging. Food court Abundance Cooperative Market African Presents Arista Power Batavia Turf Bona Fide Coffee Carlson Metro Center YMCA EvenOdd Creative Foodlink Harley School Harris Seeds Hip Green Pet Kingdom Ventures Landmark Society Lollypop Farm Lori's Natural Foods Midtown Athletic Club Monroe Community College Monroe County Mud Creek Farm Muesli Fusion NeighborWorks Rochester One World Goods R Community Bikes Rochester Folk Art Guild Rochester Gas & Electric Rochester Greenovation Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Museum and Science Center Rochester Regional Community Design Center Rolling Thunder Seneca Park Zoo Snow Daze WXXI Wegmans All participants were screened for their commitment to sustainable business practices.
Piehler is a new and pre-owned car dealership on Panorama Trail in Penfield selling Jaguar, Range Rover, and Land Rover vehicles. The company has been operating since 1952 and has been a frequent recipient of the D&C Choice Awards for Auto Services. Piehler was a major Pontiac dealer until the brand was discontinued. They have also previously sold Buick, GMC, Subaru and Kia vehicles. Piehler dealerships were previously located on Lake Avenue in Rochester and later on Ridge Road in Webster.
The George J. Michelsen Building is an old factory in Group 14621 that once housed one of Rochester's longest-running family businesses. Founded in the 1860s, the Michelsens manufactured furniture. The move to Avenue D, chosen for its proximity to the railroad, was part of a decentralization effort. The Michelsen company survived until 1958, when it was purchased by Mangurian's. The Michelsen Building was revived in the 2010s by the Urban League of Rochester Economic Development Corp. and Edgemere Development as workforce apartments for households earning below 60% of the median area income. The project was completed in August 2015. There are 24 one- and two-bedroom units, along with tenant storage, onsite laundry, a computer lab, onsite parking, and building security. The El Camino Trail runs adjacent to the property. The four-story building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as one of only two remaining examples of early 20th-century industrial structures in the Group 14621 neighborhood, the other being the 1912 Hickey-Freeman building two blocks east on Avenue D. See also: Rochester Plumbing Supply Building Links Historical factories will be put to new use - Democrat and Chronicle (2014-04-19)
Brown Square Park is a Rochester park in the Brown Square neighborhood. The park was designed by the firm of the famous Frederick Law Olmsted. The park is great for a lunchtime picnic or a short stroll. It has a playground, a baseball diamond and a basketball court. Brown Square Park has been the site of various city festivals over the years. Notes and References
Website Logo New York International Raceway Park (NYIRP) is a 1/4 mile drag strip in Leicester, NY, 1 hour SW of Rochester west of Geneseo and formerly known as Empire Dragway, Dragway 36, and Motorcity Raceway. Directions: I-390 south to Exit 8 (Geneseo); turn right onto Rte. 20A West, Follow 20 A West to right turn onto Route 63 North to left turn on Route 36 South for approximately 3 miles to right on New Road at NYIRP sign. Notes and References See Auto Racing for further information and links to racing websites.
Sailboats Sculpture - BradMandell Dentzel Carousel - BradMandell Dentzel Carousel - BradMandell Barefoot on the Beach - BradMandell "Whether taking a romantic stroll along its picturesque pier, riding the 1905 Dentzel menagerie carousel, swimming, or boating, Ontario Beach Park provides all that's necessary for a perfect summer day at the beach. Ontario Beach Park attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually. In the summer months, the park offers seven shelters that are available for rental, as well as a variety of free concerts and movies. The Roger Robach Community Center (the former beach house) has also been renovated and is available for rental as a banquet hall." See all the detailed Ontario park info on Monroe County website including information on the playground, restrooms, beach volleyball, fishing, and swimming. The Park is immediately adjacent to the Port of Rochester and a local recreation and dining business area to create an extended recreational venue with many places to eat and drink within walking distance from the park. These include Abbott's Frozen Custard, Mr. Dominic's, Jose Joe's, as well as many others. The beach area is also referred to as Charlotte Beach by many locals. Ontario Beach Park, History, photos, and description on the commercial website nyfalls.com General Information - city website (see Monroe Link in text above) Wegmans Concerts by the Shore - Free concerts held during the summer months Ontario Beach and Charlotte Photo Album Recent History Note: When the, now defunct, Fast Ferry returned from Toronto, it created a massive wake as it entered the Genesee river. For about 5 to 10 minutes, the beach shores at this park used to erupt with ocean sized waves (2 to 3 foot) which were actually well formed and fun to body surf. When the ferry left the wake was not traveling in the same direction and did not create the same effect. History Ontario Beach Park became a city park in 1930.2 Awards Ontario Beach Park was voted "Best Beach" in City Newspaper's 'Best of Rochester' awards in 2009.3 1Website verified - March 27, 20102http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/timeline/late20th.html#19303Best of 2009 Sports & Recreation
PAETEC Park is the stadium for the Rochester Rhinos soccer club, who compete in the USL 1st Division. The Rochester Rattlers outdoor lacrosse team, a founding member of the MLL, also plays its home games at PAETEC. PAETEC Park is a new stadium which opened on June 3, 2006. The stadium, located only a few blocks from the Rhinos' old home at Frontier Field, was built to serve the local teams and fans of sports played on a rectangular surface. Ample public financing from New York State made the construction of PAETEC Park very controversial, especially in light of the private ownership of the park. However, the former brownfield site in a struggling part of the city is now on the tax rolls and expects to host over 60 events per year. In addition to soccer and lacrosse matches, the stadium is scheduled to host football games, drum and bugle competitions, charity walks, concerts and Section V high school competition. Moreover, the Rhinos management is confident that PAETEC Park makes it much easier to host international soccer friendlies and Men's and Women's National Team matches. Home teams: Rhinos and Rattlers
The Lakeside Winter Celebration is an individual event that is part of the ColdRush campaign sponsored by Visit Rochester. The event generally takes place during the month of February at Ontario Beach Park. The event includes outdoor activities such as horse-drawn wagon rides, snow-sculpting, dog sledding, and other winter activities. And to warm up there is usually wine and chili inside the old ferry terminal at the Port of Rochester. The annual Polar Bear Plunge is typically held nearby on the same day.
Summer evening view of the downtown skyline from the Genesee Gateway Park. The Genesee Gateway Park is a riverside park that marks the entrance to the Genesee River Trail. It is located in the South Wedge, next door to the Hamilton apartment building. Following the trail south will take you to the Ford Street Bridge and eventually the University of Rochester River Campus. Amenities include benches, picnic tables, a playground, fitness equipment, and a basketball court, as well as some good spots for fishing. A car-top boat launch, equipped to handle kayaks and canoes, is also available. Erie Harbor Enhancement Project (2012) Following the completion of The Hamilton Apartments and Erie Harbor, the City of Rochester, in partnership with Conifer Realty and private equity investor M&T Bank, announced additional improvements to the Genesee Gateway Park in 2012. The Erie Harbor Enhancement Project promises enhanced pedestrian access linking the park and neighborhood and a 12-acre riverfront promenade extending from the Ford Street Bridge to 151 Mt. Hope Avenue. There are also plans for a public art installation. Funding is being provided by city bonds, city cash, and a waterfront revitalization grant from the New York Department of State.1
Exterior view A busy night just before Xmas, 12-2011 Abilene is a bar in the St. Joseph's Park Neighborhood that opened in March 2008. Selection includes 60 bottled beers, wines (including some grown organically) hard liquor, gluten-free options, and absinthe. There's also a jukebox and pool table, and occasional live music. The Rochester Guitar Club meets here on the third Monday of the month. Drinking Liberally meets on Thursday nights. Annually, Abilene is a venue for the Rochester International Jazz Festival. Awards Abilene's "Porkslap" was awarded "Best $2 Can of Beer" in City Newspaper's 'Best Of Rochester' Critics' Choice Awards in 2008.1
An out-of-service power plant located down the river from High Falls, Beebe Station was used to produce power as early as the early 1900's, and was shut down by RG&E in 1999. Two of the plant's three smokestacks were torn down in 2007. The remaining smoke stack has the words "High Falls" painted on it.1 This plant often comes up in discussions of potential structures to explore. Little is known about access to the site. However, it is worth noting that tar residue at the plant may pose a health risk to would be explorers. There is also a fair deal of asbestos throughout the structure. Anyone entering the older sections of this complex should bring at least an N100 respirator. It appears that part of the complex is still in use by RG&E to house some auxilliary functions like equipment certification so it's unlikely the property will be totally empty. The inside is still powered, but has many old appliances, motors, paperwork, etc. See Rochester Environmental Issues for discussions.
Increase Size! Located 25 miles south of Rochester in Livingston County, Hemlock is one of several Finger Lakes that make up the Finger Lakes region. Importantly Hemlock is one of two Finger Lakes whose shorelines are completely undeveloped, and at a half-mile wide and seven miles long it's absolutely beautiful that way. It wasn't always like this, there were once cabins and hotels dotted along the shoreline but around the turn of the century the City of Rochester bought the entire area and removed all artificial structures in order to make the Lake into the primary source of water for the City. In the 2000's management of the lake area was transferred to New York State and was incorporated into the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest. Today there is still no local development allowed and water access is greatly limited to hiking trails only. Boating is allowed, but only by permit and engine horsepower is limited to 10hp and boat length a maximum of 16’. Add to this that there are only two gravel boat launches and you have a beautiful untouched, unspoiled landscape. Stats Elevation: 905 feet Area: 1,800 acres Length: 7 miles Width: 0.5 miles Depth: 91 feet Fishing Stocked with lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon. Past stocks: rainbow trout, brown trout, smelt, walleye, and lake whitefish. More info online NYSDEC web page Hemlock-Canadice State Forest Hemlock Lake, photos and description on the commercial website nyfalls.com Google sat map MSN sat photo Stats info from DEC website and other online sources See also Lake Ontario as a another source of water for the Greater Rochester Area.
Cobble Creek Farm is a seasonal garden center located on West Ridge Road in Spencerport. "A corn maze, fall hay ride, fresh homegrown produce and pumpkins, various farm animals to pet and a large seasonal garden center." Fall Family Fun on Rochester KidsOutandAbout
Owasco Lake is the sixth largest and third easternmost of the Finger Lakes located about 65 miles east-southeast of Rochester via I-90 and Routes 5 and 20. The City of Auburn is at its northernmost end and the Village of Moravia lies in the south. Both take their drinking water from the lake. Excerpt from "Persons, Places and Things In the Finger Lakes Region" by Emerson Klees1 The name "Owasco" is derived from the Indian word "Wasco" which means "outlet" or "floating bridge." A second derivation of the name is from the Indian word "Osco" that means "crossing place." Owasco Lake, smallest of the six major Finger Lakes, is 11.1 miles l.ong, 1.3 miles wide at its widest point, and has an average width of .9 mile. It is 177 feet deep at its deepest point, has a volume of 212 billion gallons, an has a watershed of 208 squae. miles. The lake is 710 feet above sea level. Owasco is a good trout fishing lake. The earliest inhabitants of the region were the mound builders, or Alleghans, who preceded the Iroquois Confederacy. The Alleghans built their large fortress of Osco on the present site of Fort Hill cemetery in the City of Auburn. They built an earthen altar for the worship of the sun within the walls of the fortress and mounds for the burial of their dead outside the walls. The Alleghans were driven from the region during the thirteenth century by the Cayugas. Wasco was located at the junction of two Iroquois Indian trails, just as Auburn is located at the junction of Routes 5 and 20 today. The Erie Canal, about ten miles north of Auburn, was completed in 1825. A canal was planned to link Auburn with the Erie Canal, and a dam was built across the outlet in 1835 as a first step in the construction of a canal. The canal was never built; however, the Syracuse and Auburn Railroad was built in 1838, and Auburn was linked by railroad to Rochester in 1841. In 1869, rail was laid from Fair Haven on Lake Ontario to Sayre, Pennsylvania, along the west shore of Owasco Lake. The line eventually became part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Notes and References Wikipedia Article Owasco Lake, photos and description on the commercial website NYFalls.com (Rochester based) http://www.fingerlakes.com/owasco.htm Owasco] on FingerLakes.com Fishing Lake Owasco on GORP.Away.com Owasco with the System on OurLake.org 1Amazon.com Listing
Barnes & Noble @ RIT is a partnership between Barnes & Noble and the Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition to being a two-story bookstore, it features a textbook store for RIT students, meeting space upstairs, and a Starbucks cafe. It is located in the new Park Point at RIT development on the corner of Jefferson Road and John Street in Henrietta. They accept RIT's Tiger Bucks as payment.
Braddock Bay Raptor Research (BBRR) is located, not surprisingly, at Braddock Bay State Park, on the south shore of Lake Ontario. The Research Center focuses on migratory raptors (in this case, hawks and owls). The bay itself is a natural waypoint on their migratory path, putting BBRR in an ideal position to track statistics. During peak times of the migratory seasons (roughly April and August), volunteers have seen over 100 hawks a day. BBRR's current research focuses on sex differences in migration, testing the theory that males migrate earlier than females (blood samples taken from banded birds are used to determine the sex). BBRR is also home to, at last count, 7 injured raptors. The birds, who are recovered from their injuries but unable to hunt, are cared for by BBRR volunteers. Volunteers are also available to do educational programs for a small fee, bringing live birds, books, and information to share with groups of all ages. Their annual Bird of Prey week is (?? must look up when it is when not at work~). In addition to all of this, BBRR hosts weekly "Hawk Walks" and "Owl Prowls," leaving Braddock Bay Park at 9am and 8am respectively each weekend (see website for details). Both are quiet walks through the various woods around the park in hopes of spotting a resting raptor. External Links BBRR Banding Station, location on Google Maps (note the pattern the traps make). Owl Species found in NY, photos and descriptions on the commercial website NYFalls.com (Rochester based)
The Fish Hatchery, 9-2008 Trout at the Hatchery, 9-2008 Powder Mills Park is a park in Pittsford, the highlights of which include a winding fishing stream stocked with trout, a fish hatchery, multiple hills for sledding, a small beginners' ski slope, several picnic areas with pavilions, and countless trails (xc ski and hiking) crisscrossing its interior. Biking is prohibited on the trails of this park. The park has many miles of trails which have recently been mapped (see http://www.powdermillspark.com for current maps). Note: The county map shows only a few of the actual trails! The trails were originally set up (probably back in the late 60's) with cross-country skiing in mind and are excellent in an ungroomed back-country way. Colored trail blazes are in place to guide you along various paths. Deer, birds, fox, coyote, rabbits are the wildlife most often seen. Irondequoit Creek goes through the middle of the park The small downhill ski slope has snowmaking and a rope tow to get you up the hill. Lessons and rentals are available at low cost. No xc ski rentals are available here. One very nice item is that the Powderhorn Lodge is open much of the winter (whenever the ski slope is open), so if you are crosscountry skiing, sledding, or snowshoeing, this is a nice place (with a fireplace and hot chocolate!) to warm up. Enter the park from Route 96 South of Bushnell's Basin near Interstate 490. The Park office is at 154 Park Road, Pittsford, NY 14534 Related Links * Monroe County Parks Department Powder Mills Park Page * Monroe County Parks Department Map * Hiking the Daffodil Trail * The Mushroom House is here. See Also Hiking Parks
Midtown Tower was a former office building and Hotel in the Midtown Plaza complex. It is now being redeveloped. Original Plan - Defunct Christa Development was originally planning on starting a rehabilitation project in 2010. The $62.2 million development calls for commercial development on the first three floors, 186 market-rate apartments on floors 4-13 and 24 owner-occupied condominiums on the upper floors. Some condos will offer garden terraces. Anticipated completion of mid-2012. Current Plans Future rendering of Midtown Tower After the deal with Christa fell through, Buckingham Properties joined forces with Morgan Management to transform the property into a mixed-use development offering apartments, retail, and possibly a movie theater. According to Amy Polochock of Buckingham Properties: The Tower at Midtown offers five floors of modern commercial office space in the heart of downtown Rochester. Underground parking with direct access into the building makes The Tower a dream location for downtown employees. Upper floors of the mixed-use building are home to 182 trendy apartments featuring polished concrete floors, open floor plans, and roof decks with stunning city views. The Tower Apartments will be pet-friendly, with plans for a dog park and wash station. Floor plans feature plentiful common areas for social gatherings. The redevelopment project is a 50/50 joint venture of Buckingham Properties and Morgan Management. Construction of the 357,000 square foot structure is projected to begin in 2013 with completion expected in 2014. Additional information on the latest plans can be found here: http://www.thetoweratmidtown.com. Photographs taken inside the skeleton of the tower in February 2014
Edmund Lyon Park is a park located in central East Rochester. It features a baseball field, basketball court, and a playground. The park was named for Edmund Lyon, an inventor, teacher and philanthropist. The park features a World War I monument, which was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1930.1 See Also: Wikimapia
Location: Main office Catholic Charities Community Services 1099 Jay Street, Building J Rochester, NY 14611 P: (585) 339-9800 F: (585) 339-9377 Regional Office One Keuka Business Park Penn Yan, NY 14527-8995 P: (315) 536-2370 F: (315) 536-2451 Website: https://www.cccsrochester.org Catholic Charities Community Services (CCCS), in conjunction with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester and those we serve, is deeply committed to enhancing and strengthening the independence, inclusion, and individuality of persons with disabilities and those who are living with significant health challenges. We provide services that support, coordinate, advocate, and educate in order to foster individual and community empowerment. We strive to build a just and compassionate society for all individuals to live with dignity as people of God. All services are provided to all people without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, ability, gender or ability to pay. For a full list and description of our various services, please visit our website. Big Events The 22nd Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament is July 23, 2018 at the Country Club of Rochester. Our 8th Annual Breakfast with Friends will be held on March 29th, 2019 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. To learn more, please visit our website.
Clover Street is a long suburban road that, traveling north to south, passes through Brighton, Pittsford, West Henrietta, and Honeoye Falls. It is notable for forming the border between Pittsford and Brighton, especially at East and Monroe Avenues. In Pittsford and Honeoye Falls it is also Route 65. Clover boasts many beautiful older homes, including the unique Alcoa House. It makes for a scenic drive/bike ride any time of the year. Traveling south, important intersections are: Blossom Road Interstate 490 (Note that Clover is briefly disrupted by railroad tracks north of 490 but shortly resumes.) East Avenue Highland Avenue Penfield Road Elmwood Avenue Monroe Avenue French Road West Jefferson Road Calkins Road Interstate 90 The Lehigh Valley Trail also intersects with Clover. Though never actually within city limits, Clover Street is broadly defined as "Clover Street, Rochester," with many locations having a Rochester address due to Monroe County's peculiar zip code system.
Embeddable Google Satellite Image The Mushroom House (the owners prefer the name "Pod House") is a private home at 142 Park Road in Perinton near Powder Mills Park south of Bushnell's Basin. A complete description appeared in the Town of Perinton Designated Landmarks and Districts May 9, 1989 Application (PDF 1.27MB). "Handing Robert and Marguerite Antell a stem of Queen Anne’s Lace, and holding one himself, and having the three flowers touch, architect James Johnson said, “ There is your house.” This was the genesis of what became popularly known as the “Mushroom House,” Originally built for Robert and Marguerite Antell on property they purchased in 1969 and sold it in 1996. The new owners did extensive redecoration. In 1999 it returned to the Antell family when "it was purchased by Steven and Christine Whitman. Steven is the son of Marguerite Antell’s cousin." See also: Mushroom House on Wikipedia Mushroom House from book "Weird New York" on Google Books, has photos and information. Cool Houses Featured on "Offbeat America" Episode HOBA-204 Rochester Archipedia Flickr Photo all rights reserved WayMarking.com Listing GoogleEarhHacks Wikimapia Photos