Downtown Energy
Downtown Rochester bustles with energy and excitement — making it a great place to work, live and visit. Our skyline extends more than 400 feet into the air, creating a true metropolitan ambiance for more than 50,000 workers and almost 4,000 residents.
It is the seat of the City and Monroe County governments and home to some of the area’s most important institutions, including the U.S. district courts and branch offices of federal agencies, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), the Rochester Red Wings Triple-A baseball team and the world headquarters of the Eastman Kodak Co.
A great place to work
Located at the heart of a nine-county region of more than 1 million people, the central business district offers employees short commute times, inexpensive parking and world-class office space. Food choices range from street-corner hotdog carts to gourmet restaurants. Lunchtime diversions include concerts by members of the RPO, lectures and brown bag-book discussions at the Central Library and a host of visual-arts exhibits such as those in the gallery at One Bausch and Lomb Place.
But perhaps downtown’s most important asset for employers is the intangible sense of freedom and vibrancy it brings to the workplace. Employees are not trapped by their vehicles. They can push away from their desk, take a brisk walk down the street or along the Genesee River, and return to work with new energy and focus.
A great place to live
A growing number of people are also calling downtown home. Rochester’s rich history has bestowed our cityscape with a vast inventory of buildings with unique architecture and old-world charm that have been converted into loft apartments and condominiums. Common features include hardwood floors, exposed-brick walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views.
These buildings are also the model for new construction projects that have seized on the advantage of the location by offering residents walking-distance proximity to cultural amenities and office buildings. The historic Grove Place and Corn Hill neighborhoods provide more traditional residential options within a cosmopolitan setting, offering detached houses and townhouses with full yards.
A great place to visit
Downtown is also a favorite destination for visitors from within the region and beyond the borders of America. Our Center City hosts a variety of special events that attract crowds as large as 150,000 people. These include the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and dozens of trade shows and concerts at such venues as the Riverside Convention Center, the Eastman Theatre and the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. It is also the region’s largest and most diverse entertainment district for residents and their guests.
Options include live dramatic performances on such stages as the Geva Theatre and the Downstairs Cabaret, professional sporting events and free concerts in the parks and by the river. Sites to see include the historic High Falls of the Genesee River and the Hochstein School of Music and Dance, located in a converted church where the funeral services for Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass were held.