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I love how museums are always brought up. Oh cool, out of the 365/366 days a year, I can spend maybe 2 weeks worth at most visiting a museum. Unless some people go to them once a week? Until those museums create jobs and spark a growing economy, they're nothing but a small convenience at best. Yeah, it's cool we have them. But they don't do anything for the city itself.
As far as unfriendly people living here, I can't really say that. Most are pretty nice, minus the pretentious snobs who think their **** don't stink over on the east side. People here aren't as nice as most southerners I've interacted with, it's by no means an unfriendly place to live.
And purdue, easy with the downtown being a mess comment. All you have to do is drive out of downtown and visit Monroe/East Ave or Alexander St and you instantly in a nice downtown. Well, according to garmin at least. Even though those areas are only near what is considered downtown, and not located within what most people consider it to be. Which is a disgraceful mess.
*crossing fingers that Paetec helps to change the entire landscape of downtown*
I love how museums are always brought up. Oh cool, out of the 365/366 days a year, I can spend maybe 2 weeks worth at most visiting a museum. Unless some people go to them once a week? Until those museums create jobs and spark a growing economy, they're nothing but a small convenience at best. Yeah, it's cool we have them. But they don't do anything for the city itself.
As far as unfriendly people living here, I can't really say that. Most are pretty nice, minus the pretentious snobs who think their **** don't stink over on the east side. People here aren't as nice as most southerners I've interacted with, it's by no means an unfriendly place to live.
And purdue, easy with the downtown being a mess comment. All you have to do is drive out of downtown and visit Monroe/East Ave or Alexander St and you instantly in a nice downtown. Well, according to garmin at least. Even though those areas are only near what is considered downtown, and not located within what most people consider it to be. Which is a disgraceful mess.
*crossing fingers that Paetec helps to change the entire landscape of downtown*
Thanks. I stand corrected on the downtown statement. You are correct. The East End is a model for future success. Mixed-use residential, entertainment, business and retail. Just perfect. All walkable and safe. My wife and I go out to dinner there all the time and we frequently take out-of-town guests there... You are correct. I overstated that a bit. I was more thinking of Midtown - should have been more clear. My bad!
But on: "Yeah, it's cool we have them [museums]. But they don't do anything for the city itself." Are you kidding? Every (and I mean every) credible rating of "quality of life" for a city always includes cultural activities in their equation. These "nice to haves" actually make up an important part of a city's character. I agree with you - you will not spend *that* much time there in any given year. But even a few visits per year makes for an important impact (especially for kids) and is certainly a critical part of "quality of life". This is not a Rochester debate, this is "how do people rate cities" debate. Pittsburgh, Richmond, Washington DC, Chicago... Doesn't matter. They will all highlight their cultural assets when talking about "quality of life" in a city.... As much as I overstated my bit about "downtown" - you need to rethink that statement about museums a bit. They certainly count.
I guess sarcasm is lost on the internet. Oh well. I was joking about what you said. I fully agree that downtown is a mess. That's why I added my bit about Paetec at the end of that statement. Since you're not from here, you missed some of the good times of Midtown, and you'd probably be even more saddened by its current state. Hell, at 28 I'm not even old enough to remember the truly golden area of that place, but I do remember being 8 years old and riding the bus down there with my grandmother during the holidays and experiencing Magic Mountain and riding the monorail during its last few good years. And then in typical modern Rochester fashion, it was allowed to crumble to the ground.
About the museums, I guess I just don't see how something you might visit twice per year plays a huge impact on quality of life, especially when we're talking about a city with no governmental leadership, atrocious aesthetics outside of a few exceptions on Ease Ave, no forward momentum or foresight, poor planning, so on and so forth. If a city is dependent on a few museums defining its quality of life, it has problems. In a city like Rochester that has nothing else going for it they might make for a bit of character, but that's like saying nice **** on a 300 pound chick count for her because they give her character. However if you improve the rest of her, then they start to count for something. The city needs a mammoth overhaul to get to the point where a museum will really count for something. Until the, it's just one of the few things this place has going for it.
Who knows, maybe I feel that way because I don't live in the city and worry about that crap. If I didn't have to use the name Rochester in my mailing address or drive downtown every day, I probably wouldn't give a rats ass.
Not for nothing, but you don't "have" to use Rochester as your mailing address. You can put Greece, or whatever other inner-ring suburb that uses a Rochester address. The only important thing is the zipcode. It's not whether it says "Rochester" or "Greece"....it's if it says 14612,14626 or whatever else.
The thing about Rochester is that outwardly this place truly would appear miserable--and in many regards, it is. However, there is an ineffable 'something' that gives Rochester a truly unique and undeniable charm. Anyone who has lived here and left knows exactly what I'm talking about; even those who prefer the location they moved to wouldn't deny that there is something oddly special ( i really dont know how else to describe it) about Rochester. I have even heard this from people who've only spent a month or so here--or even visited on a week long vacation--which seems to suggest that this shouldn't be dismissed merely as locals being attached to the location where they made a majority of their memories.
so to answer the original question:
Is Rochester as bad as people say it is??
Yes. But the people who told you this are likely only telling you half of what they feel about this city--only they didn't want to admit it, or they just don't know it yet.
Not for nothing, but you don't "have" to use Rochester as your mailing address. You can put Greece, or whatever other inner-ring suburb that uses a Rochester address. The only important thing is the zipcode. It's not whether it says "Rochester" or "Greece"....it's if it says 14612,14626 or whatever else.
Right on. I've adopted this practice long ago, as many of us "snobby" Pittsford residents have.
Well as far as I know Pittsford isn't usually one of the towns that has "Rochester" as it's official mailing address. Greece, Hilton, Gates, Chili, Brighton, Irondequoit all have Rochester as mailing addresses for businesses as well, with most residential addresses using it (though they technically don't have to) but all of the other suburbs use their own names. Never quite understood why; growing up I used to think that I lived in the town of Greece which was a part of the city of Rochester; and that all "cities" were made up of "towns".
Others have pointed out that people are unfriendly in Rochester
ALWAYS ignore this. Not about Rochester but about everywhere in the world. I guarantee you'll find every city and town in the planet somebody has said "people from there are unfriendly". It's totally meaningless.
Quote:
Crime is a concern. But we've had no issues. I can't decide if this is a media-generated 'scare tactic' or really an everyday-person's issue.
Depends where you live. In the suburbs it's a non-issue, to be honest. The only crime event I've even heard about in my several years here among those I know is a bunch of cars on our street one year were "broken into" (only those unlocked, like mine) and CDs taken. Probably some teenager from the neighborhood but who knows.
Born and raised. Left for 15 years. Excited to be back (and brought my family and technology business).
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Originally Posted by OverTaxedInNY
Hell, at 28 I'm not even old enough to remember the truly golden area of that place, but I do remember being 8 years old and riding the bus down there with my grandmother during the holidays and experiencing Magic Mountain and riding the monorail during its last few good years. And then in typical modern Rochester fashion, it was allowed to crumble to the ground.
SO well put. I have the same memories. But it's interesting how we have decided to deal with these feelings of sadness. From what I can tell, you've deciding that complaining loudly is the right reaction. Okay... To each their own. For me, I am actively looking for ways to make a positive impact and move things (even in tiny tiny ways) more toward those fond memories that I know my kids won't have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OverTaxedInNY
About the museums, I guess I just don't see how something you might visit twice per year plays a huge impact on quality of life
I hear ya! It sounds counter-intuitive. I agree. The ratio of time you actually spend doing these things is small. But riddle-me-this: WHY is it included in EVERY credible survey on 'quality-of-life'? The scientists (you know, the guys who define TRUTH) have clearly determined that it is... You don't need to understand it to recognize it as true... I personally don't understand how oxygen is moved into my bloodstream in my lungs, but I accept the advice from scientists to tell me that it must be to keep me living. This is no different my friend.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OverTaxedInNY
Who knows, maybe I feel that way because I don't live in the city and worry about that crap. If I didn't have to use the name Rochester in my mailing address or drive downtown every day, I probably wouldn't give a rats ass.
Somehow I doubt that. Your passion for 'being negative' about Rochester is actually impressive.... I wish I could harness it and use it for positive change. I have a feeling you could get a TON accomplished.
Last edited by purdue512; 01-14-2011 at 08:20 AM..
Reason: Typo.. Again.
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