It is often said that cities succeed when people want to live and work there, and we largely want to live where our heritage and history are preserved.
Rochester’s eight Preservation Districts were created by City Council to protect our unique architectural heritage. The districts contain about 1500 properties, just a small share of the buildings and landscapes eligible for historic designation. An additional 4500 properties are called [Designated Buildings of Historic Value], and are also treated specially under the Zoning Code.
The Preservation Districts emerged from surveys conducted in the 1960s, 70s and 80s that were collected in the 1986 Historic Resources Survey, which was amended by the 2000 Historic Resources Survey. Disparities between the two were addressed in the 2001 Report on the 1986 Historic Resources Survey. Periodic survey work will identify more properties worthy of landmark designation.
The eight Preservation Districts are:
- East Avenue: East, University and Park Avenues and the streets between, from Alexander to Probert.
- Grove Place: a downtown neighborhood around the Eastman School dormitory.
- Brown’s Race: known as High Falls, this is the oldest neighborhood in the city, overlooking the waterfalls on the Genesee River in downtown.
- Corn Hill/Third Ward: the “stuffed shirt” neighborhood just outside downtown where merchants in the early days of the Erie Canal built their homes.
- Susan B. Anthony: also just outside downtown, this neighborhood would still be recognized by its namesake, who lived here most of her life.
- Mt. Hope/Highland Park: exhibiting the horticultural heritage of Rochester, this district south of downtown includes the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Highland Park and the nation’s first municipal Victorian cemetery.
- South Avenue/Gregory Street: the smallest district, this commercial hub south of downtown anchors the popular South Wedge neighborhood.
- Beach Avenue: sitting atop a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario, this row of homes and elegant gardens can be experienced via a beachside walkway.
In addition to the districts, there are 75 properties that were designated as individually important. While some are within the preservation districts, others stand alone. These include the Broad Street Aqueduct over the river, the Powers Building and City Hall downtown, and the carousel at Ontario Beach.
Whether in the districts or as individual landmarks, changes to any part of the exterior of these properties require review by the Preservation Board, as set forth in the City Code Section 120-194. Because of the significance found, changes to two interiors also require review, that of the former Hallman's Chevrolet Showroom (now Spot Coffee) and the Masonic Temple (the Auditorium Center). The Preservation Board must issue a Certificate of Appropriateness approving a change before a permit can be issued for any Preservation District property or landmark.