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Okay - So this is some awesome input and ideas here... I am hearing broad agreement for the first time I can remember on this forum. Which is:
The High Falls District is unique and many cities would die for such a thing.
Cool. I agree. Glad you all do too. And I also agree that it is not currently working as is... People have pointed out many good reasons for why above. I especially like the point about family-friendliness. An awesome point! Especially with a ball-park within walking distance.
Now - And this is the tricky part - my challenge is this:
Without pointing any fingers or disparaging any decisions from the past (and I know some of you will find this exercise difficult ;-) ------>>>>>> What could we do RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW to make High Falls better?
One thing that comes to mind when the ball park is mentioned is a Red Wings themed restaurant. I think that could be a really cool attraction, and pull a decent amount of business. Maybe even have a different Red Wing player or two in there every night for free autographs, kids activities, etc. Something along those lines. The Red Wings are an asset to Rochester and should be used as such. Nothing says family friendly like a local sports team and its player interacting directly with children.
Second idea is a brewery themed joint run by High Falls Brewing/ Genesee or whoever it is now. Make it the Rohrbachs of downtown, with food and beer all rolled in to one, and a nice place for a bunch of guys to meet up after a tough day at work to enjoy a few good beers and wind down.
Third is a High Falls Museum located in the oldest building available. Rochester is old, the water falls are older, and there's a ton of history surrounding the falls and the industries that relied in them, mainly flour. Gather any artifacts possible, any stories from Rochestarians, etc. There's gotta be a ton of stories to be told and artifacts to be seen, so tell and show them! Make admission cheap, don't turn it in to a place where it costs a family of 4 fifty bucks to enjoy.
Fourth: Do something on the water itself. I don't know what's below or behind the falls, like what Niagara Falls has with the tours behind the falls. If there is something there to work with, engineer and and build it. If there isn't anything there to work with, well, engineer and build it. MAKE it an attraction at all costs. Create jobs, tell the community jobs have been created and this effort is being used to both get Rochester back to work as well as make the city an attractive hot spot again, and watch popularity rise.
Fifth: When all is said and done, ensure safety and the image of safety. Don't let gangs of kids wander about as if it were there turf. Even if they're not causing trouble, it doesn't make me want to take my family there. I want to be around clean people who respect the patrons they're sharing the space with. Keep every square inch clean. Fresh paint, repairs, garbage cans, no graffiti, etc. Make it look like a place that everyone cares about, and I'll want to be there. Make it look like a project someone forgot about after its creation, and I'll find other things to do.
Those are my thoughts. I could probably come up with many more if I were sitting at a table with a bunch of other people whose ideas would spark more of my own. But I'm at work now and have limited time, nor am I getting paid, so I really don't care that much. But if some high school dropout who only has a GED to his name can come up with simple ideas like these, there's no reason our city planners, civil engineers, politicians, and other people of similar ilk can't trump anything I say and do it better.
One thing that comes to mind when the ball park is mentioned is a Red Wings themed restaurant. I think that could be a really cool attraction, and pull a decent amount of business. Maybe even have a different Red Wing player or two in there every night for free autographs, kids activities, etc. Something along those lines. The Red Wings are an asset to Rochester and should be used as such. Nothing says family friendly like a local sports team and its player interacting directly with children.
Second idea is a brewery themed joint run by High Falls Brewing/ Genesee or whoever it is now. Make it the Rohrbachs of downtown, with food and beer all rolled in to one, and a nice place for a bunch of guys to meet up after a tough day at work to enjoy a few good beers and wind down.
Third is a High Falls Museum located in the oldest building available. Rochester is old, the water falls are older, and there's a ton of history surrounding the falls and the industries that relied in them, mainly flour. Gather any artifacts possible, any stories from Rochestarians, etc. There's gotta be a ton of stories to be told and artifacts to be seen, so tell and show them! Make admission cheap, don't turn it in to a place where it costs a family of 4 fifty bucks to enjoy.
Fourth: Do something on the water itself. I don't know what's below or behind the falls, like what Niagara Falls has with the tours behind the falls. If there is something there to work with, engineer and and build it. If there isn't anything there to work with, well, engineer and build it. MAKE it an attraction at all costs. Create jobs, tell the community jobs have been created and this effort is being used to both get Rochester back to work as well as make the city an attractive hot spot again, and watch popularity rise.
Fifth: When all is said and done, ensure safety and the image of safety. Don't let gangs of kids wander about as if it were there turf. Even if they're not causing trouble, it doesn't make me want to take my family there. I want to be around clean people who respect the patrons they're sharing the space with. Keep every square inch clean. Fresh paint, repairs, garbage cans, no graffiti, etc. Make it look like a place that everyone cares about, and I'll want to be there. Make it look like a project someone forgot about after its creation, and I'll find other things to do.
Those are my thoughts. I could probably come up with many more if I were sitting at a table with a bunch of other people whose ideas would spark more of my own. But I'm at work now and have limited time, nor am I getting paid, so I really don't care that much. But if some high school dropout who only has a GED to his name can come up with simple ideas like these, there's no reason our city planners, civil engineers, politicians, and other people of similar ilk can't trump anything I say and do it better.
This is awesome! Nice job dude! I like these a great deal... All solid!
Does anyone know people in the Office of Economic Development? I think I know someone who does. I'd love to have them hear these ideas and tell us what they are doing to attract builders / investors. I sooooo agree with these ideas. That place could be really cool.
See, I can be more than a cynical a$$hole sometimes I just prefer to blast this city because of its poor leadership and lack of forward thinking. As I said, I don't know why I can come up with these types of ideas and the people who get paid to cant. Perhaps it's just special interests and greed preventing things from happening? That wouldn't surprise me either.
I knew you wouldn't be able to control yourself Nor can I.
1) Criticizing is ALWAYS easier than actually doing. I submit, very humbly, that you are taking the very very easy road.
2) Do you REALLY think that the people in the city have not thought of those ideas for High Falls? Again, I suggest (very humbly again) that these have all been discussed. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't bring them up again - we should. Why? Because public support helps get things moving. But to suggest (as you have) that others are incapable of coming up with these ideas is just silly.
3) And on that note, allow me to quote the great Thomas Edison, someone who I suspect you would greatly admire due to his self-starter nature and "I don't need any government help" attitude. Thomas Edison famously said:
Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.
This is one the single best quotes I've ever thought about. It's been confirmed for me time and time again. Most recently I was talking to a Venture Capitalist about a business venture and he said "Adam, ideas are free. Find me someone who can actually implement an idea successfully and I get excited." Again, Edison was right. So the basic problem with High Falls is not the lack of ideas, but the lack of able-bodied people to actually pull it off / put the money in / take the risk. Where can we find that?
as far as those ideas go, there is a museum there. Not sure how great it is since I haven't been inside. There are also plans for a brewery themed place, but it will be across the river at the brewery. You can easily get to it by the foot bridge. Will be interesting to see how it pans out.
I love the idea of a red wings themed place and think it would attract people.
My kids love the little museum. It is, well, little. More of a "visitor's center" than a museum. But as far as visitor's centers go - it's good. We stop in every time we take people from out-of-town to the High Falls.
Lived in Rochester for 30 years and lived not only through lots of talk of how to revive various city areas (i.e., High Falls), but also witnessed revivals and failures. I remember when the High Falls area was at its peak, and there were lots of people coming down there. But eventually, one-by-one, the various businesses/restaurants/bars failed or moved out. IMHO, it really boils down that in order for a downtown/city area to be successful, people have to live in the area. Otherwise, the novelty of coming into the city wears off, and people just continue with going to the same places that they felt comfortable going to before. Also, the destination was more popular in the warmer months (for obvious reasons), and on weekends. Businesses and restaurants can't survive on weekend/warm-weather business only.
The key to success is for people to live in the area. That has always been a challenge, and will continue to be a challenge for Rochester, as it's suburbs are very nice, relatively affordable, have better schools, and it is very easy to get in and out of the city from the suburbs (unlike other large metro areas, where people often chose to live in the city because of the major hassle factor in commuting to the suburbs).
Lived in Rochester for 30 years and lived not only through lots of talk of how to revive various city areas (i.e., High Falls), but also witnessed revivals and failures. I remember when the High Falls area was at its peak, and there were lots of people coming down there. But eventually, one-by-one, the various businesses/restaurants/bars failed or moved out. IMHO, it really boils down that in order for a downtown/city area to be successful, people have to live in the area. Otherwise, the novelty of coming into the city wears off, and people just continue with going to the same places that they felt comfortable going to before. Also, the destination was more popular in the warmer months (for obvious reasons), and on weekends. Businesses and restaurants can't survive on weekend/warm-weather business only.
The key to success is for people to live in the area. That has always been a challenge, and will continue to be a challenge for Rochester, as it's suburbs are very nice, relatively affordable, have better schools, and it is very easy to get in and out of the city from the suburbs (unlike other large metro areas, where people often chose to live in the city because of the major hassle factor in commuting to the suburbs).
True, unless you can provide potential young professionals, empty beaters and maybe some young families with nearby housing that is on par in some way.
Would a place like Tully's fit in there, as long as it is built within the same character of the buildings already there?
What constitutes excitement in Rochester? Labatt Blue and Sabres hockey. I don't mind those things of course but please enlighten me as to why you all think Rochester is so exceptional. Enjoy the commute tomorrow.
I find this more to be the Buffalo area than Rochester.
As far as Rochester, the cold and snow doesn't bother. I actually like it (as long as it doesn't drag on), and I find the true winters really aren't as long as people like to make it out to be. It also makes vacationing to warmer climates a little nicer and more exciting.
I really wish the voters and the politics would wake up and get our act in order. Rochester, and upstate, has a lot of potential from an economic standpoint.
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I just prefer to blast this city because of its poor leadership and lack of forward thinking. As I said, I don't know why I can come up with these types of ideas and the people who get paid to cant. Perhaps it's just special interests and greed preventing things from happening? That wouldn't surprise me either.
