Rochester is getting a downtown grocery store, the subway tunnels are still there, and Vision Zero Phase 2 is asking for your input

Rochester, New York

From the blog · Adam Stetzer

Seven pieces this week. The downtown grocery store news is real and worth reading carefully — the details matter. The subway tunnel piece is one of those Rochester stories that surprises people who've lived here for years. And Vision Zero Phase 2 is actively soliciting public input right now, which means this week is a good time to weigh in.

Erik Frisch Takes the Helm at Neighborhood and Business Development — What It Means for Rochester's Streets

Frisch's appointment signals Mayor Evans is prioritizing walkability, multimodal transportation, and equity-centered corridor investment — this isn't a routine hire.

Rochester Had a Subway — And the Tunnels Are Still Down There

Rochester's subway was born from the old Erie Canal bed — when the canal was rerouted in the early 1900s, the city repurposed the ready-made trench as a transit right-of-way, dramatically cutting construction costs.

Rochester Vision Zero Phase 2: The City Is Coming for Speeding — and Asking for Your Help First

Rochester recorded 9.66 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents over 2020-2024 — the highest rate of any mid-sized New York city, 45% above Buffalo, 43% above Syracuse, and 3x Yonkers

The Maplewood Neighborhood Rochester Doesn't Talk About Enough

Maplewood is Rochester's second-largest neighborhood at 3.4 square miles — home to 20,700 residents with a median age of 33, average mortgage $200 below the Rochester average, and a vacancy rate that dropped from 18% in 2013 to 9.8% in 2024

Downtown Rochester Is Getting a Grocery Store Again

Aker Club, a small-format neighborhood grocery from founder Zachary Harper, will open at 255 East Main Street in Sibley Square — the same space DGX vacated in March 2025

Hillary Olson Is Leaving RMSC. Here's What She Built — and Why It Matters to Rochester Families.

Hillary Olson led RMSC through COVID and returned attendance to pre-pandemic levels — she is leaving the organization stronger than she found it.

RIT Just Launched an AI Degree. Here Is Why That Matters for Rochester.

RIT's new BS in artificial intelligence launches fall 2026 — a four-year program with mandatory co-ops, specializations in agentic AI and robotics, and a first-year ethics course built into the core curriculum.

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