Campaign Nine Highlights Healthy Urban Neighborhoods Developing unique, interconnected neighborhoods and a variety of housing choices in a “village-like” setting.

Anthony Square Anthony Square, on West Main and Troup Streets, represents a trailblazing urban community that replaced a troubled 1960s apartment complex with a mix of 23 new single family homes and 45 units of affordable rental apartments. The project is part of the City’s continuing strategy to address blight by focusing on small geographic areas, rather than taking a “scatter shot” approach to demolition. The project is the result of a collaborative process engaging seven government and not for profit agencies, as well as the three neighborhood organizations surrounding the site. The project was honored with the 2000 Housing and Urban Development Secretary’s and National Association of Home Builders awards for excellence in design.

Home Expo 2000

Home Expo 2000 in the Mayor’s Heights Neighborhood represents a new chapter in the City’s highly successful in-fill housing program. The single family houses were developed from designs that recreate the architecture of the adjoining neighborhood; and feature modern construction and features such as sculptured siding, large front porches and other architectural details that are consistent with historic city homes. The rental units reflect the character and scale of the historic commercial buildings across the street in the Susan B. Anthony National Historic Preservation District. Home Expo 2000 was honored with the 2000 Housing and Urban Development Secretary’s and National Association of Home Builders awards for excellence in design.

Recreation Improvements Providing adequate and positive-choice leisure time activities for youth is an important aspect of healthy urban neighborhoods. Significant improvements have been made to recreational facilities all over the city including new playground equipment, playing courts, water play areas, surfaces and landscaping. Two new recreational/community centers are also in the planning stages.

Zoning Ordinance Update

Over the past 18 months, dozens of community meetings and presentations about the updating of the ordinance resulted in over 250 recommendations from home and business-owners and other interested citizens. In response to the community-based input, concepts have been developed that include an urban village overlay zone, design preservation zones for the waterfront and city/neighborhood gateway streets, a City Center design district, a simplified review/approval process and continued community input to reviews of major projects.

During the 24 month Phase 1 Implementation of the Plan, the City of Rochester invested $36,545,100 on municipal operations and programs in support of the “Healthy Urban Neighborhoods” Campaign goals and policies. In addition, $1,812,583 in external funding was devoted to this campaign by community partners including the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, the Enterprise Foundation, United Way and others.