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Rochester NY Spotlight


Give Your Car a Break, Rochester
mass transportation

Give Your Car a Break, Rochester

Posted May 14, 2013 by Renee

I was happy to read an article in the NY Times last night that reported people are driving less. And that young people are leading the charge. (For all you young whipper-snappers out there who are tired of those old timers saying "What is *with* the kids these days?": keep this one handy in your back pocket. It's a darn good contribution to a society that often can't and won't get out of its cars.) [...]

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Retail for Proposed Development on Park Ave?
759 park avenue

Retail for Proposed Development on Park Ave?

Posted May 13, 2013 by Renee

Earlier this year, we told you about a proposal for a new apartment building at 759 Park Avenue. It is currently a parcel of land near the intersection of Park & Culver Road that is occupied by a parking lot. It is nestled between the Talmudic Institute at 759 Park and Somerton Plaza at 745 Park. The original plan was for 48 units. And after the developers held their first meeting with neighbors to discuss the design, the big issues most had with the initial proposal was that it was too big (too dense/too many apartments), would create more parking issues and would disrupt traffic patterns (see our post from February for more details.) The positive feedback was that it would contribute to a more walkable neighborhood, bring more people to the local businesses there and that the developers did a good job on the initial design concept to pay attention to other materials used in the neighborhood. [...]

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Rochester Roots: Ambitious and Relevant
rochester roots

Rochester Roots: Ambitious and Relevant

Posted May 09, 2013 by Pete Tonery

Rochester Roots is a NFP organization dedicated to the advancement of several of Rocville’s favorite interests and ambitions: organic and sustainable food production, developing entrepreneurial skills, advancing sustainable food knowledge, making a positive impact on city schools and improving the attractiveness of city living. [...]

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Who Moved My City -- Progress and Preservation
rochester historic preservation

Who Moved My City -- Progress and Preservation

Posted May 09, 2013 by Renee

The topic of preservation and progress has been a frequent discussion point around here lately. And it's not just the two of us sitting around the dinner table; it's been popping up when we are out with friends (those that live in the city and suburbs), when we see family and when we run into neighbors. Our neighbors have been talking about the proposed development behind the Eastman House at 933 University and in the Park Avenue neighborhood at Brunswick and Park. Our friends in Pittsford are talking about the apartment complex in the Village that has evoked some strong opinions about development. And we have many friends who are facing small changes in their own neighborhoods that make them wonder what is worth fighting for and what isn't. And if they have to take a side. [...]

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Bring Back The Piggery in Rochester!  Part 1: Rationale
pigs

Bring Back The Piggery in Rochester! Part 1: Rationale

Posted May 02, 2013 by Pete Tonery

Old fashioned municipal piggeries will help our food waste problem. Ok, don’t judge me! Here me out. While this may seem a little wacky at first blush, it has sound historical roots… I would like to see municipalities bring back old fashioned piggeries as a modern method of processing food waste. The use of pigs to consume garbage has an ancient history. Piggeries were used throughout America up though WWII. [...]

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Yeah For Triple-A!

Yeah For Triple-A!

I’m a big fan of the Red Wings. A big fan of Triple-A baseball in general. I’m not sure if Rochester had a major league team I’d feel the same toward it. The majors are too professional, too much money involved, too harsh, too black and white. Win or else! Triple A is totally different. We don’t always want to admit it, but a farm club exists only and entirely as a training tool for the parent club.
by Pete Tonery
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RIT Photojournalists Donate Skills for Book on Foreign Charities

RIT Photojournalists Donate Skills for Book on Foreign Charities

Stories like this are worth sharing. Pass it on… The Opus Foundation is an organization that seeks out worthy charities worldwide and annually awards $1 million to the top faith-based, humanitarian project. They also give two $100,000 runner-up prizes. Each year the foundation partners with a different university to identify charitable projects as candidates and determine finalists.
by Pete Tonery
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Organic Foods Are Better! (For Fruit Flies Anyway)

Organic Foods Are Better! (For Fruit Flies Anyway)

There has been considerable controversy around the health and nutritional benefits of eating organic food versus conventionally raised products. Recent studies have found no significant nutritional differences between the two, but the health benefits of not ingesting chemicals and pesticides may be more difficult to prove in the short-term. And many people agree that organic foods just taste better. Now a middle schooler shows that fruit flies think so too! Not only that, but they fared better than the flies who fed on conventionally raised food.
by Pete Tonery
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Local Artists  Seek To Revive Historic Church

Local Artists Seek To Revive Historic Church

A Rochester theater company, the Bread and Water Theatre group, is hoping to buy and revitalize an historic church in the Corn Hill neighborhood. The church, now owned by the Greater Bethlehem Temple, was originally built by the African Methodist Episcopalian Zion Church in 1831. Located on Favor St., the church was a stop on Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad. Frederick Douglass also used the building to print his anti-slavery papers, the North Star.
by Pete Tonery
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How Much Yard Do You Need to Grow Your Own Food?

How Much Yard Do You Need to Grow Your Own Food?

Our late arriving spring is just beginning to unleash that gardening urge many of us have. A while back I wrote a series on my family’s experience growing our own food. I tried to offer calculations on how much land was needed but there were so many variables that it didn’t seem wise to give inaccurate information. A few days ago, my son sent me a website that tries to put in graphic form exactly how much land is needed to be food self sufficient. It also shows what’s needed to be electrically independent using solar cells.
by Pete Tonery
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Project Scion Puts Down Roots

Project Scion Puts Down Roots

Rochester’s brilliant and original Project Scion opened the doors on its new studio/art gallery in Anderson’s Alley during the city’s First Friday happening on April 5th. As part of the event, the group revealed its design plan for the next great neighborhood park construction project located on an abandoned lot, donated to the project by the City of Rochester, on Dewey Ave near Ravine Blvd.
by Pete Tonery
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A Primer on Zoning. Part 9: Being Alert

A Primer on Zoning. Part 9: Being Alert

[Pete's ninth in the series to help clarify zoning laws, as well as rights neighborhoods have during proposed zoning changes or variances.]
Taking a few steps to be aware will give you peace of mind. When you purchase a home, part of the due diligence your attorney should do is to examine the zoning map, understand the codes for your district, and alert you to any potential problems, such as commercial development, nearby. After that you are on your own.
by Pete Tonery
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A Primer on Zoning. Part 8: A Commercial Application before the Planning Board

A Primer on Zoning. Part 8: A Commercial Application before the Planning Board

[Pete's eighth in the series to help clarify zoning laws, as well as rights neighborhoods have during proposed zoning changes or variances.]
There is one other occasion where folks may want to attend Planning Board meetings and the public hearing for a project; that is for nearby commercial applications. The same rules apply for commercial as residential development. If a variance is required, the applicant must apply and receive it in order to move forward. Concerned neighbors should become involved during that stage.
by Pete Tonery
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Project Scion to Unveil 2013 Design for Edgerton Neighborhood Tonight!

Project Scion to Unveil 2013 Design for Edgerton Neighborhood Tonight!

Last month, we told you about Project Scion's plans for a new neighborhood community park in the Edgerton Neighborhood. Project Scion's inaugural project last year -- "The Orchard" in the JOSANA Neighborhood -- was a huge success. And the organization is sticking to its goal to turn one unused empty lot into community green space in a city neighborhood each year. Tonight, it will unveil the design (and name) of the 2013 project in the Edgerton Neighborhood at an open house in the Project Scion Studio in Anderson Alley. Everyone is invited to attend this family friendly event!
by Renee
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