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Old 10-28-2012, 09:56 AM
 
Location: Rochester, NY
97 posts, read 201,428 times
Reputation: 284

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Bit of a controversy that's been going on in the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood. There is an historic but abandoned church at 660 West Main Street. It's called Westminster Presbyterian and was built in 1859 by German-Americans. The owner of the land wants to tear it down and build a Dollar General, even though there are already five dollar stores in the immediate area, including a Family Dollar only 0.3 miles away. Apparently this landowner owes the city some $40,000 in back taxes and is notorious in the neighborhood for letting his properties fall to disrepair and become havens for drug dealers and prostitutes.

As you can imagine, the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association is quite upset over this. They've been working hard on neighborhood revival and claim this project will set them back by destroying part of the neighborhood's history and ruining its unique character. I've heard that the urban pioneers who live in the restored house next door have threatened to move out if the Dollar General goes through. Now Bread & Water Theatre, a local group, has offered to move into the church and use it to stage productions. 660 West Main is less than a mile from I-490, making it accessible to the same suburban crowd that supports the Geva Theatre and other cultural amenities in the city. Bread & Water Theatre will also provide community enrichment.

I realize it's easy to side for some people to side with the landowner on the grounds that it's his property. But thing is, he is not Robinson Crusoe living on a deserted island. What he plans on doing is going to have an enormous impact on the neighborhood, and not a good one. If you oppose this, please consider signing this petition to save the church.

http://www.change.org/petitions/help...yterian-church
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Old 10-28-2012, 09:59 AM
 
3,235 posts, read 8,728,232 times
Reputation: 2798
It's horrible what this dirtbag wants to do with the property. Dollar generals are an eyesore and offer nothing to a community. What gives a city character are the older buildings. There is an offer on the table that would preserve the building and I believe that would be the best course of action.
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Old 10-28-2012, 01:21 PM
 
Location: Rochester NY (western NY)
1,021 posts, read 1,883,940 times
Reputation: 2330
Yeah, that church should definitely be kept around for a bunch of glee clubbers to use for low budget stage productions instead of a retail store that could mean a dozen or so jobs for people in the area.
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Old 10-28-2012, 05:20 PM
 
Location: Brighton, NY
55 posts, read 132,780 times
Reputation: 118
I'm not sure the theatre group has the money to rehab the building anyway. Supposedly it's nearly falling down, and would require at least $600K to make it usable. I'm not sure who is going to pay to save the church, assuming the city steps in and says it has to be saved. But with all the rest of the money that's been spent on that part of West Main in recent years, maybe the city should step up and protect the progress that's being made there. If not by saving the church, then by finding a better plan for the property. We should all be supporting the SBA neighbors in their effort to improve that area.
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Old 10-28-2012, 09:44 PM
 
Location: Rochester, New York
192 posts, read 531,386 times
Reputation: 284
Quote:
Originally Posted by RJLink View Post
I'm not sure the theatre group has the money to rehab the building anyway. Supposedly it's nearly falling down, and would require at least $600K to make it usable. I'm not sure who is going to pay to save the church, assuming the city steps in and says it has to be saved. But with all the rest of the money that's been spent on that part of West Main in recent years, maybe the city should step up and protect the progress that's being made there. If not by saving the church, then by finding a better plan for the property. We should all be supporting the SBA neighbors in their effort to improve that area.
I concur, rehabbing historic buildings like this church should be a bigger priority in the city. From what I’ve seen the SBA neighborhood has done a pretty good job of fixing up of their neighborhood and keeping the old buildings intact; we should make more of an effort to support them.



Quote:
Originally Posted by garmin239 View Post
It's horrible what this dirtbag wants to do with the property. Dollar generals are an eyesore and offer nothing to a community. What gives a city character are the older buildings. There is an offer on the table that would preserve the building and I believe that would be the best course of action.
I am detecting some sarcasm in this post?
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Old 10-28-2012, 09:51 PM
 
Location: under a rock
1,487 posts, read 1,709,843 times
Reputation: 1032
A Family Dollar store I get, but a Dollar General? I mean, what were they thinking? Sheesh!
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Old 10-28-2012, 10:42 PM
 
Location: Somewhere in America
15,479 posts, read 15,656,990 times
Reputation: 28464
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilmara View Post
The owner of the land wants to tear it down and build a Dollar General, even though there are already five dollar stores in the immediate area, including a Family Dollar only 0.3 miles away. Apparently this landowner owes the city some $40,000 in back taxes and is notorious in the neighborhood for letting his properties fall to disrepair and become havens for drug dealers and prostitutes.
The only reason the loser wants to tear it down is because he owes money. Sounds like a total slumlord!

Who wants to live next to a Dollar General? Hell, I wouldn't want to live next to a Saks 5th Avenue either.
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Old 10-28-2012, 10:51 PM
 
Location: Inis Fada
16,966 posts, read 34,763,174 times
Reputation: 7724
Dollar General has no consideration for anyone or anything other than becoming the largest national small box retailer while sending all profits out of NYS.

Fight the good fight!
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Old 10-29-2012, 05:33 AM
 
3,235 posts, read 8,728,232 times
Reputation: 2798
Quote:
Originally Posted by Corrion14621 View Post
I concur, rehabbing historic buildings like this church should be a bigger priority in the city. From what I’ve seen the SBA neighborhood has done a pretty good job of fixing up of their neighborhood and keeping the old buildings intact; we should make more of an effort to support them.





I am detecting some sarcasm in this post?
no, not at all. That neighborhood has been making strides to improve itself and the dollar general combined with the proposed liquor store for that property would bring in a scummy element that the neighborhood is trying to rid itself of.
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Old 10-29-2012, 08:39 AM
 
Location: Somewhere in America
15,479 posts, read 15,656,990 times
Reputation: 28464
Quote:
Originally Posted by garmin239 View Post
no, not at all. That neighborhood has been making strides to improve itself and the dollar general combined with the proposed liquor store for that property would bring in a scummy element that the neighborhood is trying to rid itself of.
Wait! A liquor store next to a Dollar General? Oh for Pete's sake! You might as well put a fence up and lock it up. It will turn into a crap hole faster than one can blink. Dollar General and liquor stores don't improve neighborhoods.
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