The population of our beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood includes long-time residents, singles, couples, families with small children, empty nesters, young professionals and college students. Neighbors live within walking distance of nearby Park Avenue’s active retail and restaurant scene, Cobbs Hill Park, and many outstanding Rochester institutions, including the George Eastman Museum, Memorial Art Gallery, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and historic East Avenue churches and mansions.
Neighborhood Association Overview
Residents of our neighborhood first organized in the mid-1980s in response to the possible impact on their properties due to what was then known as the Can of Worms (I490/I590) reconstruction project and related sound barrier construction. The I490 expressway previously had replaced the subway bed that in turn had replaced the old Erie Canal that once followed a route behind many homes on Harvard Street. As a result of our fledgling association’s efforts over the following years, affected neighbors lost less of their property to the reconstruction project than had been anticipated.
In the years that followed the association’s predecessor group forming in 1986, the association also tackled many issues focused on parking and noise problems. By 2005 the association, in partnership with other neighborhood associations, had helped to get the City’s Noise Ordinance amended.
Officially renamed the ABC Streets Neighborhood Association in 2010, the association is now well known for working in diverse ways to enhance the overall neighborhood. It has sponsored garden walks, music and outdoor movie nights, fall festivals, holiday events and children’s parades, and volunteer clean ups to maintain two small parks within the neighborhood’s boundaries – Morrison Park and the Calumet Triangle. The association sponsored the street banners in the neighborhood and for years has worked closely with the City to ensure the healthy maintenance of the tree lawns in the neighborhood.
One especially notable achievement occurred in 2020 when the association’s multi-year efforts working with the Landmark Society and nearby neighborhood associations resulted in the Park Avenue Historic District being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. As a result, homeowners in the ABC neighborhood may now apply for state tax credits for qualifying repair and rehab expenses.
Highlights of Our Neighborhood’s History
1830 - Culver Road is laid out.
1852 - Park Avenue is laid out. Park Avenue began in the late 1860s 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.
1866 - James Vick purchases the Union Park property from Joseph Hall. Along with the track the purchase included Hall's nurseries. Vick is very successful with his seed farm, but eventually breaks the property into small parcels to be sold for housing. Vick Park A and B are 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, though named for a developer's brother-in-law, is the catalyst for naming some streets in the Park Avenue area after colleges. Harvard Street began at Meigs Street in the early 1870s and was gradually extended eastward to Culver Road by 1900.
1874 - City annexes the land east to Culver Road.
1883 - Horse/car lines expand down Park Avenue.
1905 - Village of Brighton is annexed and becomes part of the City of Rochester. Twenty-first (21st) 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.
1910 - Harvard Street develops from Culver Road as far as 873/902 Harvard Street.
1915/1916 - By this time Harvard Street extends to 1063/1092 Harvard Street.
1920's - Noise and congestion of auto traffic negatively impact the genteel ambiance of East Avenue. Wealthy residents leave for quieter suburbs.
1921 - Erie Canal is abandoned (and will be drained in 1926).
1927 - Rochester Subway System is completed.
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.
1945 - Zoning variances allow 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.
1960s - Several Neighborhood Associations form in the area working to preserve and upgrade their neighborhoods.
1969 - The East Avenue Preservation District, which includes East Avenue, its side streets, and Park Avenue, is established.
1974 - Housing Court is created to speed enforcement of code violations by landlords.
1975 - A new zoning code links zoning to present use. The area is rediscovered as a popular neighborhood, and there is an increased demand for houses and apartments. Morrison Park is established.
1985 - The city notifies area residents that, due to Can of Worms re-construction and sound barrier project, that they will be losing land and/or property. Prior to in-person visits by City reps, all communication related to re-construction indicated it would only affect properties east of Winton Road. Many meetings with government representatives result in many homeowners losing less property than originally announced.
1986 - CHAP21 official name given to neighborhood association. CHAP21 stood for Culver/Colby, Harvard, Alphabet (later changed to ABC) and Park. 21 represented the ward. Zelda Artson-Crichlow and Bea Slizewski named first co-chairs.
1987 - Zoning sub-group forms within CHAP21 to focus on zoning issues.
1988 –The Can of Worms construction project, and the ensuing issues that directly affect our neighborhood, become a focus for the Neighborhood Association.
2000 - Natalie Frame and Mark Ritter become co-chairs of the CHAP21 NA.
2005 - CHAP21 membership grows to over 100 households and works with various members of other neighborhood associations and local government to amend City Noise Ordinance.
2007 - Mark Ritter steps down as co-chair and John Rudy named to position.
2008 – Natalie Frame steps down as co-chair. Co-Chair positions changed to President and Vice President. John Rudy remains on the CHAP21 board as President.
April 2009 – Tom Hasman elected President of CHAP21 NA.
Fall 2009 – The first meetings take place between CHAP21 NA, The City of Rochester and Bruce Zaretsky (a Park Avenue neighbor and landscape architect) to discuss the redesign of Morrison Park. Bruce Zaretsky volunteers his time to the effort.
December 2009 – Members vote to change name to ABC Streets Neighborhood Association to better reflect our location and create a more meaningful name. Morrison Park fundraising efforts begin. Over $1700 raised by the Association and an additional grant of $1500 awarded to the project by the City of Rochester.
March 2010 – The city kicks off the Morrison Park redesign project by repairing the curbing around the park.
April 2011 – ABC Streets NA is awarded a grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF) for a Welcome Sign to be placed in Morrison Park.
August 2011 – The NA recognizes many homes had reached their 100th “birthday” and designed plaques to commemorate the event. Residents can purchase plaques customized with their address and “circa” year.
July 2012 – Thirty-seven years after Morrison Park was dedicated, members of the ABC Streets Neighborhood Association come together to revitalize the park with new trees, plants and flowers. In addition, the traffic box was painted by neighborhood artist Dick Lubey, and a “Welcome” sign and stone garden were added.
November 2012- ABC Street Banners were installed on light poles throughout the neighborhood.
May 2013 - Susan Glenz is elected President and Dave Burnet Vice President.
April 2017 – Tom Pastecki elected Board President and Marianne Pastecki Vice President. They have subsequently been re-elected to the positions and continue as association leaders.
February 2020 – Park Avenue Historic District placed on National Register of Historic Places.