The City of Rochester, NYSDOT, and Federal Railroad Administration will hold a public meeting to present draft concepts for Rochester’s new intermodal transportation center (NOTE: This is the Amtrak/Greyhound/Trailways station, NOT the RTS Bus Terminal). A presentation will be made at 5:30pm. Some of the key points will be around site selection, the functional requirements of the station, architectural style, and expanded site plan.

Attend the Public Meeting & Presentation:
See which site is being recommended and comment on
the station design, layout, and amenities:
5pm, Wednesday, 5/30/2012, at Rochester Riverside Convention Center
RSVP on Facebook

Some more details & diagrams after the jump…

Site Selection

At the first public meeting in November 2011 four possible sites for the new station were presented: The current site at 320 Central Avenue, State Street on the existing Kodak parking lot site, Andrews Street on the west side of the river, and the old post office on Cumberland.

78% of those who commented preferred the current site at 320 Central Avenue (site #1) over the other three options. Planners like this site as well because the tracks are already configured appropriately in this location and the site has a straight line of site to Rochester’s downtown core. This site was also where Rochester’s beloved Claude Bragdon station once stood. This was also the site chosen by Reconnect Rochester for our concept plan.

Other considerations for site selection were:

• Area for 95+/- parking spaces for Amtrak Station Operations
• and for 80+/- parking spaces for Trailways / Local Business Use
• Strong public preference for secured parking
• 4 – 5 Bus Bays for Trailways NY Operations
• 2 – 3 Bus Staging / Layover Parking Spaces
• Pedestrian Access / ADA Accessibility
• Drop-Off Loop, Taxi / Limo Staging Spaces
• Enhanced Connectivity to Downtown Core

Also for consideration are the building’s functional requirements:

• waiting area
• ticket counter
• ticket office
• ticket counter queue
• Quik-Trak machines
• baggage check
• baggage claim queue
• bagroom/secure storage
• first class lounge (is this a business lounge? not sure.)
• public ADA restrooms… men, women, family room
• station manager’s office
• lead clerk/supervisor office
• employee ADA restroom
• employee accounting/locker/lunch/lounge
• equipment room (tickets/C&S)
• agent office closet
• records storage room
• safe storage room
• storage room
• custodial closet
• drinking fountains
• vending area
• communications/public pay phone
• information kiosk
• public address system
• passenger information display
• conference room
• police sub-station
• mechanical/electricalroom
• entrance vestibules (2)
• circulation area
• escalator, passenger elevator, stairs/ramps

Plan Alternatives

So then we have two options for how the station will be situated on the site and in relation to the street, tracks, and parking…

One option places the building up against the tracks with a parking lot situated between the building and the street. While this option aligns with tracks it does not reinforce the urban fabric of the neighborhood because it is situated behind a large surface parking lot—not pedestrian friendly and a bit ugly too.

Reconnect Rochester would prefer something closer to the second option…

This option is closer to the original site orientation of Bragdon’s Union Station.
With the building closer to Central Avenue this plan reinforces the urban fabric and provides more opportunity for lease space (shops, a café, etc.). In addition, the parking lot could be tucked behind the building—hidden from the street.

It’s also important to note that both of these site design alternatives call for an elevated pedestrian bridge to connect the station to the train platforms. In our concept plan Reconnect Rochester called for the existing Bragdon/Union Station tunnels to be renovated and reused. Because the platforms sit one level above the station ground floor, any elevated pedestrian bridge would need to be roughly 3 to 4-stories high—it would need to pass over the tracks/platforms and provide enough clearance below for passing trains. This means passengers would need to take stairs/elevators up to the bridge, and then back down to the platforms. Why not just use the tunnels that are already there beneath the platforms? It would mean a much easier trek to the trains! Oh, and the train platforms should also be covered with a canopy, please and thank you.

Expanded Site Alternatives

Finally, below are two possibilities for the expanded site, including the awkward trapezoid lot on the opposite side of Central Avenue Since the option of building a parking ramp/garage doesn’t seem to be on the table, some of this area will need to be used for overflow parking. Notice the 80+ parking spaces on the Joseph Avenue side of the lot, and the urban plaza on the Clinton Avenue side…

In this option vehicles would enter and exit the overflow parking lot from Central Avenue. Not ideal since most pedestrian activity will be on Central Avenue.

In this option vehicles would enter and exit the overflow parking lot on the Joseph Avenue side. Although we would have preferred to keep all of the parking area on the north side of Central Avenue, this is option is preferred over the previous one.

So that’s our update. Please don’t forget to come to the public meeting and presentation and bring your comments and suggestions with you!

Rochester Regional Community Design Center presents “Getting It Done,” a presentation and discussion with William Fulton, Fmr. Mayor of Ventura CA., and Mark Mallory, Mayor of Cincinnati, OH.

Facing issues similar to Rochester including public safety, economic development, the environment, educationand youth employment in an era of reduced funding and resources, both leaders have been effective and instrumental in making positive changes and spurring collaborative efforts in their cities, succeeding in producing nationally recognized results.

William Fulton specializes in urban planning, metropolitan growth trends, economic development, TDR and policy projects with a focus on government agencies, land conservation organizations and developers as clients. He quite literally wrote the “Guide to California Planning.”

And just last week, Mayor Mark Mallory and city officials broke ground on Cincinnati’s new streetcar .

Details:
7pm, Monday, 2/27/2012, at Gleason Works
Buy tickets here ($10)

On Tuesday, January 31, the Rochester Regional Community Design Center will present “Transformation: Don’t be Afraid of It,” a talk by Peter Park, planning director for Denver. Peter Park will take us through a genesis of the transformative process in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the 1990’s where he was a key player in planning and implementing the creation of the River Walk, a downtown revitalization project , for more than a decade.

Mr. Park will discuss the specifics of his projects and the nature of their catalytic effect, addressing the challenges faced including community “buy in”, bureaucratic hurdles and the changing of a city’s culture required to transform the physical environment for everyone’s benefit.

Details:
7pm, Tuesday, 1/31/2012, at Gleason Works
Buy tickets here ($10)

Greentopia presents: Urbanized

On Thursday, February 2, Greentopia Film will host a screening of Gary Hustwit’s Urbanized at the Little Theatre for a one-night-only event.

Who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? Unlike many other fields of design, cities aren’t created by any one specialist or expert. There are many contributors to urban change, including ordinary citizens who can have a great impact improving the cities in which they live. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized frames a global discussion on the future of cities. Urbanized is the third part of Gary Hustwit’s design film trilogy, joining Helvetica and Objectified.

Immediately following the movie, a panel discussion will take place with Rich Perrin (Genesee Transportation Council ), Joni Monroe (RRCDC ), Michael Philipson (GardenAerial ), Wayne Goodman (Landmark Society ), and Mike Governale (Reconnect Rochester ).

Details:
7pm, Thursday, 2/1/2012, at The Little Theatre
Buy tickets here ($10-$12)

Rochester, NY has about 1,035,000 population in its metro area; Buffalo is slightly larger with 1,124,000; and Syracuse has about 646,000. The combined metro population for the three major cities along the old New York Central Water Level Route is 2,804,000.

In terms of rank, Buffalo is 50th, Rochester is 51st, and Syracuse is 81st. As a combined area, we would become 19th largest, edging out Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, FL and just behind St. Louis. Nice, eh?

Well, if one could travel by a 100mph business class passenger train from downtown Buffalo to downtown Rochester in about 45 minutes and from downtown Rochester to downtown Syracuse in about 50 minutes, being able to work or read or just nap on the way, these cities are no longer distant or inconvenient.

Each city has its own commercial base and does not replicate the other two. Each has an abundance of human and natural resources and infrastructure that is currently under-utilized.

Perhaps it’s time to shed old 19th century notions of geopolitical boundaries and start thinking like other progressive 21st century regions.

It will take more than a good train or two, but no single component can do more than a fast, convenient transportation link.

Next, we can start to link with metro Toronto and really become an North American powerhouse.

Speaking of which…

Don’t forget to bring your ideas to the first public open house for Rochester’s new Amtrak/Greyhound/Trailways Intermodal Center! See you there. Event Info

Imagine a Rochester without an noose-like expressway dividing downtown-adjacent neighborhoods on the north and east sides. An obstacle to true connectivity for over 50 years, imagine the loop and its ramps filled in to grade instantaneously at the snap of your fingers. Naturally the next question arrives in our minds immediately, ‘How will we utilize this reclaimed real estate?’

If the goals are to reconnect severed neighborhood conduits, promote commerce, reduce car dependence, ensure ease of navigation, and foster a dynamic and vibrant streetscape, the answer lies not in a grandiose vision of the future, but more likely in our historic roots.

Consider the example of Alexandria, Virginia. Originally platted in 1749 on land donated by Philip and John Alexander, six fundamental tenets of Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) differentiate this inviting river city from generic drivable suburbanism…

Rule 1: The Center

Each neighborhood should have a clear center. The focus of this central meeting point should be on commercial, cultural, and governmental activity.

Rule 2: The Five Minute Walk

Residents of Alexandria are rarely more than a five minute walk from their daily needs, including retail and occupational sites, some of which are located at the same site.

Rule 3: The Street Network

Alexandria’s streets form a grid of small blocks which allow for numerous routes connecting one point to another. Traffic is more easily diffused by presenting the individual with added navigation options. As the streets travel parallel and perpendicular paths, ease of orientation is enhanced.

Rule 4: Narrow Versatile Streets

The narrower streets found in our older cities have a calming effect on traffic. This makes the sidewalk pleasant and safe to walk along. Further enhancements are made to a pedestrian-friendly environment by widening sidewalks, the presence of shade trees, and the outdoor room effect creating by buildings close to the street.

Rule 5: Mixed Use

Multiple uses for a building help to ensure a constant rotation of users of the street space as well as constant monitoring by occupants. Buildings should be arranged by their physical type, not by their use. Use-based segregation is the case in common restrictive zoning laws which would render a place like Alexandria illegal to replicate today.

Rule 6: Special Sites for Special Buildings

Traditional neighborhoods locate important structures such as schools, places of worship, and other civic buildings at prominent sites within the street grid. These larger structures, generally of higher architectural quality, serve to terminate vistas, in a pleasing as well as orienting manner, as residents and visitors travel along the corridors. Alexandria’s City Hall sits back from the streets on a plaza, one of few buildings in town to do so. This plaza takes on added importance on Sundays as it hosts an area farmer’s market.

Some Examples…

A fine example of TND carried out on a blank canvas is Memphis’ Harbor Town. Envisioned as a pre-war, pre-automobile style neighborhood by Henry Turley, ground was broken in 1989 at a site just northwest of downtown Memphis on what was previously a sandbar in the Mississippi known as Mud Island. A design review process for each new house ensured a neighborhood fit and enhanced the building process. Commercial tenants in Harbor Town include a small grocery store, a gift/garden shop, a bilingual daycare, and a hotel.

A significant infill project in the TND idiom was undertaken in Safety Harbor, Florida only a few years ago. The anchor, known as Harbor Pointe offers up 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail (Ice Cream, Wine, Cell Phone, and Coffee shops) with a 5,000 square foot restaurant tenant at the corner of Main Street and Bayshore Boulevard. Rule 5: Mixed use was certainly ascribed to as this development boasts 25,000 square feet of office space on the 2nd and 3rd floors and is the first stage of a development area that would add residential in the form of condominums.

With an eye toward sustainability, reuse and restoration are an important part of neighborhood development. In 2003, Ken Marquis of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania bought the Casey Laundry building in nearby Scranton. Constructed in the 1920’s, the building originally served as an ancillary services annex for the since demolished Hotel Casey complex. The refurbishment created three large apartments, one on each of the upper floors of the building. The 1st and 2nd floors host a loft-style art and frame store as well as a small coffeehouse.

Traditional Neighborhood Design has shown itself to be up to the challenge of some of the most seemingly intractable neighborhood improvement issues. Let us return to our Inner Loop example. Imagine we are told that the expressway will never be removed. This was the scenario presented to the residents of Columbus, Ohio’s Short North neighborhood. The routing of Interstate 670 isolated this neighborhood from the rest of the city, leading to the type of crime and abandonment issues seen across the country in neighborhoods destroyed by freeway construction. The solution to the lack of connectivity was the I-670 ‘Cap.’ The cap actually consists of two additional bridges erected on either side of the overpass. Each bridge is host to buildings that front on High Street, in much the same way that Rochester’s Main Street Bridge used to function. As a result of this pioneering design, pedestrians and diners at sidewalk cafes don’t even realize they are on a bridge over an interstate. Now connected to the convention center district at the north end of downtown, the Short North has seen spillover development in the form of 160 new housing units on a 3.2 acre site called Victorian Gate.

We Can Be Change Agents…

In closing, obstacles to the common sense approach that is TND still exist in the form of single use zoning, financial policy, traffic engineers, perceptions of open space, income segregation, the development industry, taxation schemes, permitting processes, and the diminished role of architects. What we as citizens can do is play the role of the generalist, one whose focus is not narrowly limited to one issue such as traffic, housing, schools, crime, or the environment. These issues are largely interrelated and can be successfully addressed if taken together in the context of the neighborhood. The generalist’s role in advancing this approach is to champion change in local governmental policy by demanding that:

• Community Design be put back on the agenda. In order to be effective, policy that impacts the physical environment must be preceded and justified by a specific physical vision.
• Regulations be rewritten. Do not try to fix old zoning codes, the best way to upgrade a development code is to start from scratch to avoid creating an even more confusing code.
• Government be proactive. The local planning department must be empowered and encouraged to propose development patterns ahead of the private sector.
• Planning be regional in nature. Local municipalities must act with the understanding that the most meaningful planning occurs at the regional scale.
• Public participation is encouraged and ideas implemented. Citizen participation in the planning process has proved to be the most effective way to avoid mistakes.
• Future government buildings follow these guidelines. Location and design of municipal buildings sets an important example.

For more on Traditional Neighborhood Design, see the following reference material:

Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream

Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck
New York : North Point Press, 2000
Central Library: 307.7609 D812s

Home from Nowhere: Remaking our Everyday World for the Twenty-first Century

James Howard Kunstler
New York : Simon & Schuster, 1996
Central Library: 307.12 K96h

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Jane Jacobs
New York : Random House, 1961
Central Library: 711 J17d

Riders with a “UFO” pin will be able to ride local buses for free all day on October 20, the first Critical Mass Transit Day. The UFO promotion is part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the $1.5 million in gasoline money that is ‘abducted’ from our local economy every day.

Critical Mass Transit Day is a joint effort by Regional Transit Service (RTS) and Reconnect Rochester, a transit advocacy group that suggests by using public transit as an alternative to driving a car, Rochesterians have the power to reinvest those dollars back into Rochester’s economy.

RGRTA even announced a fun photo contest today on their Facebook page in honor of the big day. So post a photo of yourself on Critical Mass Transit Day!

Even if you just go for a joy-ride down the street, the idea is to learn about our transit system and show your support for the future of public transit in Rochester. And as you’re riding along on Thursday, remember that by making smart transportation choices we can all save money, and help grow our region’s economy over the long run.

Need Assistance Using RTS?

Download this Commuter Resources sheet [PDF] for handy RTS transit tips. You can also call RTS at 585-288-1700 for help planning a trip or contact the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester—they can help you decipher the routes and schedules.

Riders with a “UFO” pin will be able to ride local buses for free all day on October 20, the first Critical Mass Transit Day. The UFO promotion is part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the $1.5 million in gasoline money that is ‘abducted’ from our local economy every day.

Reconnect Rochester will be handing out UFO pins
at local farmer’s markets throughout October:

• Brighton Farmer’s Market, Sunday Oct 9 & 16, 9am-1pm
• Monroe Village Farmer’s Market, Wednesday Oct 5 & 12, 4-7pm
• South Wedge Farmer’s Market, Thursday Oct 6 & 13, 4-7pm
• Rochester Public Market, Saturday Oct 15, 9am-1pm

Critical Mass Transit is a joint effort by Regional Transit Service (RTS) and Reconnect Rochester, a transit advocacy group that suggests by using public transit as an alternative to driving a car, Rochesterians have the power to reinvest those dollars back into Rochester’s economy.

THE SAVINGS ARE VERY REAL! According to CommuteSolutions.org, those who drive to work everyday alone can incur costs that exceed $1 per mile. That includes fuel, maintenance, parking and depreciation, and depends on vehicle type and driving habits. By comparison, a ride on an RTS bus costs one dollar.

In addition to the personal savings, every one-dollar invested in public transportation can generate $4 in economic returns for our area. Conversely, nearly every dollar we burn on gasoline leaves Rochester.

Making smarter choices when it comes to transportation is an easy way for households to save money, and grow our region’s economy over the long run.

On October 20, proudly display your pin. Even if you just go for a joy-ride down the street, the idea is to learn about our transit system and show your support for the future of public transit in Rochester.

Need Assistance Using RTS?

Download this Commuter Resources sheet [PDF] for handy RTS transit tips. You can also call RTS at 585-288-1700 for help planning a trip or contact the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester—they can help you decipher the routes and schedules.

Did you know every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns. It’s true. Households that use public transportation and live with one less car can save on average $9,000 every year.^[1]

The volunteers at Reconnect Rochester find these numbers downright frightening. And we’re doing something about. We’ve organized a ‘human resistance’ movement have been getting the word out this weekend at the Greentopia Festival about Critical Mass Transit Day.

ON THE 3RD THURSDAY OF OCTOBER, AND EVERY MONTH THEREAFTER, WE WILL LEAVE OUR CARS AT HOME & JOIN TOGETHER FOR A “CRITICAL MASS” TRANSIT RIDE. EVERYONE IS INVITED! NO ONE IS IN CHARGE! LOOK FOR YOUR COMRADES ON RTS BUSES WEARING THIS PIN…

ON OCTOBER 20 SHOW THIS PIN TO YOUR RTS DRIVER AND RIDE FREE ALL DAY!

THAT part is no hoax. RTS has kindly agreed to honor our NO-UFOs pin as free entry onto any RTS bus all day on October 20. Just flash this pin at the friendly driver. Even if you’ve never ridden RTS before, now is the perfect time to give it a try. If only for one day. To get to work, or for a leisurely trip around the block.

Visit Reconnect Rochester at the Greentopia Festival (High Falls, vendor area, booth 55) and grab your FREE pin today… before they VANISH.

Greentopia Festival

The two-day, interactive fest in historic High Falls will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. The volunteers at Reconnect Rochester are VERY excited to have a booth at this brand new event to help promote the green movement and alternate forms of transportation.

I won’t give away the surprise, but we’ll be featuring an out-of-this-world exhibit highlighting some “green” benefits of transit you probably never knew.

Announcing the FIRST EVER
“Critical Mass Transit Day!”

Reconnect Rochester is using this weekend’s event to get the word out about the first ever “Critical Mass Transit Day”—taking place on the 3rd Thursday of October (10/20/2011) and every month thereafter.

Similar to the cycling version of Critical Mass where cyclists take to the streets on human-powered modes of transport, Critical Mass Transit will be a celebration of greener, more social forms of transportation. The rules are simple: on the 3rd Thursday of every month, leave your car at home and walk, bike, or roller skate to the nearest bus stop. Take the bus to work (or where ever it is you go during the day) and then take it back home at the end of the day.

Get Your FREE Ride…

To make things a little more interesting, we’ve teamed up with the Transit Authority to offer you a FREE day on RTS. You heard me right… The first Critical Mass Transit Day can be absolutely FREE for you… No strings. All you have to do is visit our booth at the Greentopia Festival and say hello.

So come visit us Saturday or Sunday in the High Falls overlook area (where Browns Race and Commercial Street meet) and get green with us.

NOW is the time to tell your Senators to maintain funding for this important program.

These are tough economic times, which makes it even more important to keep the innovative programs that put federal dollars to good use rebuilding our local economies, strengthening our communities, and creating necessary jobs.

Earlier this year when the Partnership was under threat, your voices made a real difference and funding was preserved. Now we need your voices to be heard even louder.

Tell your Senators: Protect funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Make sure that Congress knows we will not accept shortsighted cuts that sacrifice the health of our communities.

From connecting affordable housing with jobs to turning dilapidated lots into vibrant downtown centers, the Partnership is making a difference in our communities, where we are hurting the most.

Please tell your lawmakers not to take away crucial opportunities for our communities.

This is the time when we need your voice the most. Thank you for all that you do.