Neighborhood History

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1830

Culver Road is laid out.

1852

Park Avenue is laid out.

Park Avenue began in the late 1860's as three separate streets, which explains its erratic course. Park Avenue ran from Alexander to Goodman. Crescent Street, part of the original driving park, ran between Vick Park A and B. Bates Street, named for an early East Avenue resident, ran from Barrington toward Culver Road. By 1875 the three were joined and shortly thereafter the street was renamed Park Avenue.

1865

James Vick purchased the Union Park property from Joseph Hall in 1866. Along with the track the purchase included Hall's nurseries. Vick was very sucessfull with his seed farm, but eventually he broke the property into small parcels and sold it for housing. Vick Park A and B were the north-south legs of the track, and the curved section of Park Avenue that connects them (originally Crescent Street) is the southern end of the old race track.

1870

Harvard Street, although named for a developer's brother-in-law not the college, started the adoption of college names for streets in the area. Harvard Street began at Meigs Street in the early 1870's and was gradually extended eastward to Culver Road by 1900.

1874

City annexes the land east to Culver Road.

1883

Horsecar lines expanded down Park Avenue.

1905

Village of Brighton is annexed in 1905 to become part of the City of Rochester. Twenty-first (21^st) Ward formed; population 1147; 1910 population 1582.

1906

The Oliver Culver house is moved from the corner of Culver and East Avenue to East Boulevard by Howard Smith.

Eldredge house is moved to Park Avenue as a private school for girls, and the empty lot across from the Chapin House is rebuilt as a the Willow Pond.

1910

Harvard Street developed from Culver Road as far as 873/902 Harvard Street.

1911/1912

Harvard Street developed from 873/902 Harvard Street to 992/1023 Harvard Street.

1913/1914

Harvard Street developed from 992/1023 Harvard Street to 1054/1035 Harvard Street.

1915/1916

Harvard Street developed from 1054/1035 Harvard Street to 1063/1092 Harvard Street.

1920's

Noise and congestion of auto traffic destroy the genteel ambiance of East Avenue. Wealthy residents leave for quieter suburbs to the south and east.

1921

Erie Canal abandoned and later drained in 1926.

1927

Rochester Subway System is completed 12/1/27.

1943

East Avenue Association forms to fight the downslide of the area. Zoning changed from D-1 Residential to F-Residential, and a section 260 feet deep on each side of the Avenue from Alexander to Oxford and wider strip from there to Colby became F-Residential. This area was to have single family residences only. Public institutions and churches were allowed. The city offered to take the unwanted properties and convert them into parks

1945

Zoning variances allow restraints, and rooming houses. Additional cars overwhelm limited spaces available.

1949

State agrees to the construction of an expressway from the new State Thruway into the city along the old subway and canal bed. City planners now drop the idea of East Avenue's conversion into a parkway.

New zoning opens East Avenue to multiple dwellings. They are only restricted in an area one half mile east and west of Culver Road.

1957

The revised zoning code supports the conversion of large single-family homes to multi-family dwellings.

Rochester Subway System is abandoned.

1960's

Several Neighborhood Associations form in the area, to preserve and upgrade the area.

Most residents are new to the area.

1969

The East Avenue Preservation District, which includes East Avenue, its side streets, and Park Avenue is established.

1974

Housing Court created to speed enforcement of code violations by landlords.

1975

A new zoning code linked zoning to present use.

The area is rediscovered as a popular neighborhood, and there is an increased demand for houses and apartments.

Neighborhood newspaper, City East, published.