Rochester, New York: What Might Have Been...

Almost 50 years ago the Rochester, NY, subway system was taken out of commission due to suburban sprawl - as city residents fled, the train tracks didn't extend to the places to which they were moving. As workers opted for their cars to take them into the city, the subway (or, rather, the "light rail") became obsolete. Recently some students took a trip through the tunnels (the trains ran mainly above ground, but traveled through a covered and partially below ground abandoned Erie Canal duct which served as the 2-mile center of the system) and brought back some cool photos.


It's a huge shame that the Rochester subway is no longer in service, though there have been minor calls for it to be reinstated, as well as calls for the original tunnel to be filled in with dirt, and other ideas to turn the tunnels into a subterranean park/transportation museum. If city officials had had the forethought to extend the subway into the suburbs, would Rochester have ended up being a city on par with Boston? Maybe not, but the city itself would probably be a much more bustling community than it was when I was there in the mid-nineties (I hear that the bustle has increased some since that time, but it's an overall stagnant city). As can be seen on the map to the right (click for enlargement), the subway went to U of R (my alma mater), and plans were being made to extend into the suburbs. Why they didn't go through with the plans is beyond me, but perhaps the answer can be found in this DVD.

Lawn ornament blogging

The South End Tramp.











Eastie Christ.















Sumner Tunnel Bunny.

Location, location, location

I see this billboard every day on my way to Maverick, and always thought it was strange for it to be there. Today I (finally) put 2 and 2 together and realized it's for people entering the Sumner Tunnel! At least that what makes the most sense. Most pedestrians walking up and down Meridian probably aren't interested in seeing Spamalot...but people going from the airport to the city probably are. I miss the Battleship Cove billboard that used to be in this spot - at least it was local!

The neighborhood eyesore is on the market

The ugliest house I've yet seen in Eastie is up for sale! It's near the corner of Marion and Saratoga, adjacent to the Barnes School. On the inside this place may be a palace, but outwardly it's nasty and pre-fab looking. I can only hope that whoever buys this eyesore will do some serious work to make the exterior less box-like. It would be a good location for a small greenspace. Tear that mofo down!

The rebirth of Maverick Square, ca. 2008

Maverick Square is going to look fantastic once the new T station is completed. It will be worth the two-year wait! Though in this mock-up there is one thing missing...trash cans. Some things never change, but I hope that's just an oversight on the artist's part. The Blue Line continues to present T stations that rock - Beachmont is still my favorite. Its tower is like a shiny beacon for the tired pedestrian who's wandered away from Belle Isle Marsh to parts unknown (namely, me). Aquarium, too, is a gem.

Hizzoner the Mayor

Menino will be in Eastie to talk about parks and greenspaces! He'll be at Cuneo Park (at Saratoga and Byron Streets) from 9:30 to 10:30 am on May 9th. Dunkin' Donuts will be served...and fabulous prizes will be won by a lucky few. I'll be interested to see what Menino and my neighbors have to say about things. I, for one, need to get more up to date on how parks in Eastie are developing, so it will be more of an educational event for me. I'd also like to see what it's like to have coffee and donuts with the Mayor of Boston.

The Starbucks rumors may be true

For all the times I've heard about a Starbucks being in the works for Maverick Square, I have yet to see any work being done for that to be possible. So I did a little digging today and found this nugget in an August 2005 Boston Globe real estate article:

"Starbucks and trendy restaurants are unofficial benchmarks that investors and home buyers often use as evidence that a neighborhood has been 'found,' said Will Montero, a vice president with ERA Boston Real Estate. Now, people may be scrambling to get into emerging neighborhoods like Chelsea and East Boston before the Starbucks opens, he said, but noted the coffee chain has already signed a lease in East Boston near Clippership Wharf."

So we may see a Starbucks yet, though apparently not directly in Maverick. If you build it, they will come, and they will build large luxury apartment complexes. Which is fine with me, as long as they don't obscure the neighborhood's beautiful view of Boston.