Renaissance Square

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

It still amazes me that Rochester doesn't capitalize on high falls. We have TWO waterfalls in the MIDDLE of the city. Who else has that? And there is basically nothing going on there! That SHOULD be a HUGE asset to the city that would create some sort of attraction to the downtown area.

+1 I have said that before. The cobble path, pedestian bridge and older buildings give it a unique look. This should be a destination area with plenty of shops.

They could do what Niagara Falls did and light it up, add flowers along the hills etc etc.

[skbs]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

It still amazes me that Rochester doesn't capitalize on high falls. We have TWO waterfalls in the MIDDLE of the city. Who else has that? And there is basically nothing going on there! That SHOULD be a HUGE asset to the city that would create some sort of attraction to the downtown area.

I haven't been in there since it was Centers/Jillians to be honest... I have lost track of what has gone on down there since it has been 50 different things since then. There are so many possibilities for that area.... and I really think if they linked East End with a shuttle or Trolly of sorts they could get all of those clubbing bar hoppers from Alexander down there. It isn't like Rochester is a hopping Metro area where taxi's are on every corner... kids can't just walk down there either... The city needs to help link these areas....make it easier on people who can't just drive... make it easier for the City to build business...

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by skbs

I haven't been in there since it was Centers/Jillians to be honest... I have lost track of what has gone on down there since it has been 50 different things since then. There are so many possibilities for that area.... and I really think if they linked East End with a shuttle or Trolly of sorts they could get all of those clubbing bar hoppers from Alexander down there. It isn't like Rochester is a hopping Metro area where taxi's are on every corner... kids can't just walk down there either... The city needs to help link these areas....make it easier on people who can't just drive... make it easier for the City to build business...

As a "small" help there is a parking garage for the stadium, its free parking if your there less than 60 mins.

[skbs]

Originally Posted by cheese9988

As a "small" help there is a parking garage for the stadium, its free parking if your there less than 60 mins.

Just found out there is a coffee shop there... SPIN.... But I didn't even know that. I think that area isn't advertised enough. Jimmy Mac's is great and I think they could be getting more traffic as well... Triphammer's.... What else is up there? I think the city should put their money there and focus on THAT area..... you have the ball field across the street and amazing architecture... waterway/waterfall.... that amazing bridge.... SHOPS a mall? SOMETHING down by the water.... really stop trying to focus on a bus depot which we don't need and auditorium space- again- we don't need.... and be CREATIVE!!!!!.... High Falls is a great area..... take advantage of it!!!!

[DJ-Uno]

Umm, didn't we already try to push High Falls a few years back? All they pushed was the bars though (although a radio station and an ad agency isn't much of a draw)...

I'll be honest, I went to the "Brew Fest" (or whatever it was called) and wasn't that impressed. It still seemed undeveloped and without close and easy parking, you just aren't going to draw people in. I don't know if Kodak owns those parking lots (the ones near HF, not near the stadium) or what, but they were always closed when I went down there (and I didn't feel like paying to park in the parking garage - for crying out loud, if you're trying to draw me into an area, charging me for just showing up isn't going to help).

I think that area needs to ditch the bars (we already have East and Alexander for that) and focus on something different (has any bar lasted there anyway?). SPIN is a start, but something more "family friendly" (GAH! I know - and I wrote it). 90% of bar hoppers don't care about the waterfalls and most families with kids probably want to avoid the bars. It ends up working at cross purposes, the bar crowd has other places to go and the families avoid the bars. Net result: well, what we have now...

There was a small little restaurant there that I tried to support for a little while (when they 'underwrote' WBER and my delivery route went by there), but it wasn't much of a draw by itself. I don't think they got any help from the city, certainly not anywhere near the amount the bars across the parking lot got.

Aside: I guess we all agree that Ren Sqare is a boondoggle since this thread got sidetracked...

[skbs]

Originally Posted by DJ-Uno

Umm, didn't we already try to push High Falls a few years back? All they pushed was the bars though (although a radio station and an ad agency isn't much of a draw)...

I'll be honest, I went to the "Brew Fest" (or whatever it was called) and wasn't that impressed. It still seemed undeveloped and without close and easy parking, you just aren't going to draw people in. I don't know if Kodak owns those parking lots (the ones near HF, not near the stadium) or what, but they were always closed when I went down there (and I didn't feel like paying to park in the parking garage - for crying out loud, if you're trying to draw me into an area, charging me for just showing up isn't going to help).

I think that area needs to ditch the bars (we already have East and Alexander for that) and focus on something different (has any bar lasted there anyway?). SPIN is a start, but something more "family friendly" (GAH! I know - and I wrote it). 90% of bar hoppers don't care about the waterfalls and most families with kids probably want to avoid the bars. It ends up working at cross purposes, the bar crowd has other places to go and the families avoid the bars. Net result: well, what we have now...

There was a small little restaurant there that I tried to support for a little while (when they 'underwrote' WBER and my delivery route went by there), but it wasn't much of a draw by itself. I don't think they got any help from the city, certainly not anywhere near the amount the bars across the parking lot got.

Aside: I guess we all agree that Ren Sqare is a boondoggle since this thread got sidetracked...

I for one would love to make downtown much more family friendly. I don't think we need another East End either/Clubs and bars. I would love to find a way to turn that area into a shopping/dining center/maybe small art studios.... It could be a really cool place....with ouside dining in summer... cute little shops- something along SCHOEN PLACE.... but that space is so large you could even add LOFTS to that area.... it could be a great use of space.....

[just_sayin']

lol..well I think downtown is just a LITTLE too built up to have the same family friendly vibe as Schoen Place in Pittsford; but the other stuff you mentioned sounds great!

[juppiter]

I'm just completely against the idea (though it's not as bad as the Irondequoit Mall plan...) Rochester needs to stop with the quick fix ideas. They never work and never will.

You want to make a big change? Tear down the Inner Loop and watch downtown thrive.

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by juppiter

I'm just completely against the idea (though it's not as bad as the Irondequoit Mall plan...) Rochester needs to stop with the quick fix ideas. They never work and never will.

You want to make a big change? Tear down the Inner Loop and watch downtown thrive.

At least the Irondequoit mall is privately funded. And the guy doing it did the Gallaria Mall in Buffalo and the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, and they are both HUGE malls.

I could feel comfortable if someone could list the sales stats on Geva and the Eastman theater. If they are making profit and doing well, then Ren Square could at least pay for itself in the long run. I hear Geva sells out from time to time, but I never hear how it does finacially.

[cheese9988]

Originally Posted by skbs

Just found out there is a coffee shop there... SPIN.... But I didn't even know that. I think that area isn't advertised enough. Jimmy Mac's is great and I think they could be getting more traffic as well... Triphammer's.... What else is up there? I think the city should put their money there and focus on THAT area..... you have the ball field across the street and amazing architecture... waterway/waterfall.... that amazing bridge.... SHOPS a mall? SOMETHING down by the water.... really stop trying to focus on a bus depot which we don't need and auditorium space- again- we don't need.... and be CREATIVE!!!!!.... High Falls is a great area..... take advantage of it!!!!

I went to Spin, but the one on Park ave the other day. Kinda like a small Starbucks, doesnt seem as expensive.