Northeast Neighborhoods - Group 14621

Northeast Quadrant - Group 14621

14621aerial2 An aerial view of the Group 14621 Neighborhood reveals a patchwork of city streets along with the deep natural gash of the Genesee River gorge. The view takes in the orange stone tower of St. Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic Church on Hudson Avenue and the purposeful design of Seneca Park. On the ground, a rich diversity of people fill an area that borders the Genesee River to the west, North Goodman Street to the east, Clifford Avenue to the south and north to East Ridge Road.

The rich heritage of Rochester's 19th century immigrants is still present in Group 14621, particularly along a stretch of Hudson Avenue known affectionately as Polish Town. Here, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church draws hundreds each year to its annual Polish Arts festival. This Romanesque Revival Church, dedicated in 1909, received the Landmark Society's Special Achievement Award in 2004 for restoration on the interior and 120 foot bell tower. Other historic landmarks remain in the area. On St. Paul Street, the Rochester School for The Deaf, founded in 1876, maintains a scenic campus. Old Carthage, the city's earliest settlement and river port in the 1880's, was located a few blocks north. 

Group 14621 Community Association, named for the area's zip code, has been a consistent champion of the neighborhood since 1974. Founded by residents concerned with public safety and zoning issues, the association works on multiple fronts: creating youth training programs, securing grants for home repairs to low-income homes, planting community gardens, and acquiring and selling vacant and foreclosed properties to first time home buyers. Other local businesses also received their start in Group 14621 including R.C. Shaheen Paint and Salvatore's Pizzeria. Residents also enjoy two (2) popular R-Centers, one on Carter Street and the other on Avenue D, for recreation and positive engagement opportunities for all ages.  

Group 14621 has passionately led community visioning and rehabilitation efforts throughout the years.  Residents and leaders of the community worked hard with Ibero-American Action League and the Healthi Kids Coalition on Project HOPE, culminating in a community-built playground, walking and biking trails, and community garden to the corner of Conkey and Clifford Avenues. Project HOPE successfully challenged the community to transform their notions of health and play in an area that was not previously considered a safe space.   

Other projects include the 2011 "La Avenida" streetscape beautification on North Clinton Avenue and a plan to rehabilitate vacant houses using green initiatives for new homebuyers, known as the Remington Super Urban Proposal. In 2013 the Joseph Avenue Business Association (JABA) drew members of the community in to create a comprehensive plan addressing issues from streetscaping and litter to pedestrian safety and illegal drug activity. Portland Avenue residents also engaged in a 2009 visioning walk and community design workshop that resulted in a thorough conceptual plan and positive steps for the community to take. Currently, the Northeast Neighborhood Service Center runs a new Urban Agricultural and Educational Training Center at 500 Norton Street to provide residents with future options to connect with nature and the community. Find out more about the garden and stay up-to-date with events.

 
stanislausC580Today a giant brick fish is embedded in the concrete intersection at St. Paul and Norton Streets, and signage nearby pays homage to Seth Green, the father of fish aquaculture who established the first U.S. fish hatchery in Caledonia, N.Y in 1874. The Seth Green Trail weaves a path for hikers and fisherman from an access road to the 110 foot Lower Falls below.

IBERO, www.iaal.org is a dual-language human services agency in Rochester that provides English and Spanish programs and services to individuals and families of all backgrounds. Our original mission of leading people to self-sufficiency has expanded to strengthening the entire family unit by working with each individual. At our Early Childhood Center, we help children from six months to the age of five develop their motor and literacy skills in preparation for school, learn about health and wellness and socialization. Our Youth Services Division offers academic and social support to high school students, and in all of our programs, we also work with parents to help them identify goals for themselves and their families. Our other divisions: Family Services, and Developmental Disabilities.

In addition to these programs, we now offer a fee-for-services program to assist businesses and organizations in their navigation of the Latino market. This includes: translations, interpreting, focus groups, PR/Marketing strategies, cultural competency training and more.

IBERO’S 5 IN 5: Within five months, Ibero received five awards for its work in the community. Three of these awards were a certificate of excellence in each of the following categories: Moving Families toward Self-Sufficiency, Facilitating Parent Volunteerism, and Identifying and Enrolling Families in GED Programs.  

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The Seneca Park Zoo gives the northern border of this large and eclectic neighborhood a useful point of reference for the city's boundary with the Town of Irondequoit, where St. Paul Street becomes St. Paul Boulevard. The 297 acre park, designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, includes picnic grounds and pathways overlooking the Genesee River gorge, and is one of the oldest zoos in the country. The zoo opened in 1893 with an aviary and deer collection. Today, some 500,000 visitors travel to the Seneca Park Zoo each year to view such exhibits as the Polar Bear Grotto, the Rocky Coasts and the Animal Health and Education Complex.

Additional Information

For more information or to get involved with this neighborhood please contact your Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) to inquire about block clubs, community events, and resources.

500 Norton Street
Rochester, NY 14621
(585) 428-7660
Email:  John.McMahon@CityofRochester.Gov