The Area
The Southwedge NeighborhoodThe South Wedge, aka the South Wedge Urban Village, is a triangular wedge of land in the south of Rochester, bordered by the Genesee River on the West, and the Erie Canal (now Interstate 490) on the East. Traditionally an immigrant and working class neighborhood, it became run down in the 1960's and 1970's.
As recently as the 1980s, it was considered a 'bad' part of town, but active neighborhood groups encouraged its growth and revitalization. New businesses are opening up, a street life is developing and it's become one of the hottest areas in the city to live, work and play.
In 2007 the South Wedge area, Swillburg and the Highland Park area swept The City Newspaper’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2007 getting winning votes citywide for “best neighborhood” along with best coffee house (Boulder Coffee Co.), Best Wine Selection (Solera Wine Bar), Best Happy Hour (Lux Lounge), Best Meal Under $10 (John's Tex-Mex Eatery), Best Men's Clothing Store (Thread), Best Women's Clothing Store (Thread), Best Secondhand Clothing Store (Godiva's), Best Straight Bar (Lux Lounge), Best Park (Highland), Best Playground (Meigs Street and Linden Street), Best Chinese Restaurant (Ming's Take Out), Best Indian Restaurant (India House), Best Place for a Last Date (Mount Hope Cemetery),Best Outdoor Make Out Spot (Highland Park), Best Cure for Cabin Fever (Lamberton Conservatory), Best Movie Snuggle Buddy ("Princesss" the cat at the Cinema Theatre). As its reputation grows, so does its property values and community spirit.
Living in The Wedge
Many apartments have relatively lower rents, but more space and amenities than other areas in town. There are a decent number of rooms to rent in the area, very few studios, but 2 bedroom and complete houses for rent abound. Below is a short price list of 'average' rents for the area.
Rooms To Rent : $250 to 400, all utilities Studio Apt's : $290 to $450 usually with all utilities included One Bedroom's : $500-$525 a month with heat and hot water included Two Bedroom's: $550 to $850 some with heat included 2-3 Bedroom Houses : between $500 and $1100 a month with no utilities included.
It is a vibrant, clean, and relatively safe area of Rochester to live. The majority of homeowners take pride in the area, and it has an ever increasing number of interesting shops and bars. On many streets, homeowners have created "painted ladies," houses of many colors like San Francisco. The [Landmark Society of Western New York], one of the oldest and most respected preservation groups in the nation, held its 28th annual House and Garden Tour in the Highland Park neighborhood in June 2008. Twelve houses circa 1920s were chosen for the tour including two condos in the historic Spanish tile roofed Ellwanger Barry School1 at Linden and Meigs Street.
In May 2008, A sculpture of the city founder, Nathaniel Rochester, was unveiled in Nathaniel Square on the corner of Alexander Street and [South Avenue]. The sculpture, with Rochester sitting in reflection, was the work of sculptor Pepsy Kettavong2.
The South Wedge Farmers Market, open Thursdays from May through November, has becoming a popular meeting place for the neighborhood. Along with produce and flowers, the market features a changing cast of musicians and craftspeople.
Businesses
South Avenue, South Clinton Avenue, and Gregory Street converge in the heart of South Wedge. Along all three streets are clusters of locally-owned retail shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. The area also has many small parks, nifty old buildings, and it is in walking distance to Highland Park and Mount Hope Cemetery, both in the Highland Park Neighborhood formerly known as the Ellwanger Barry Neighborhood.
The South Wedge Planning Committee has taken a big role in the area's revitalization.
Food & Drink
Other
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Clarke Conde photography for stories {real or imagined}
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Marianne's Women's, children's and men's clothing, and Irish dancewear
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South Wedge Farmers' Market on Thursdays in the Summer and Fall
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Paul Taylor Glass - Operated in Rochester, NY, owned by longtime South Wedge resident Paul Taylor.
Transportation for University of Rochester Students
The UR/Strong area lying west of South Avenue and south of Highland Avenue down Mount Hope Avenue past Strong Memorial Hospital is home to many young doctors and graduate students and boasts 5-15 minute walks to campus. Nearly all of the rest of the South Wedge area is a short bike ride to campus or a short walk to the Red Line (Bus 72) running across [Alexander Street] and down Mount Hope to McLean Street where it turns onto campus. This bus is a shuttle between the Eastman School of Music downtown and the U of R River Campus and is free to U of R students! The U of R area is well served by other city bus lines, including the 24 to Marketplace Mall and the 50 to Monroe Community College.
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Photos and Description on EllwangerAndBarry.com website - 2See RIT Success Story and his His Flikr Photos on Asian Rochester
