| Blocks of 19th century loft-style buildings and apartments overlooking the river define the character of the eclectic St. Paul Quarter. The ground floors house fine dining and nightlife while the upper floors are the location of choice for many start-up tech entrepreneurs. You'll find loft apartments interspersed with rooms full of monitors in this truly mixed residential and business and entertainment area. The Quarter is also a great place to catch live music with a variety of clubs offering everything from jazz and Latin to rock and hip-hop.
To search for commercial office space, residential rental units, and a wide variety of service and amenities and entertainment options in the neighborhood, check out the
St. Paul Quarter entry in the Interactive Map.
History
The loft-style buildings we now associate with high design urban living and high tech start-up companies had their origins in much different circumstances. Built during the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s, they often served as workspaces with tall ceilings and massive beams designed to accommodate heavy machinery. The St. Paul Quarter includes one of the last intact city blocks of such buildings.
Housing garment manufacturers, tool and die shops, and a variety of other businesses, these buildings survived virtually unchanged into the 1980s. The sweatshops they once housed were replaced by small businesses, and studios for artists and commercial photographers. However, the basic character and of the buildings was unchanged - high ceilings, steam heat, large multi-paned windows, and brick walls.
When the City of Rochester changed its zoning ordinance to allow mixed residential and commercial use in the late 1980s, the St. Paul Quarter began to come into its own. The Olde Rochesterville development along the river entailed the conversion of a series of buildings into apartments, with offices and restaurants on the lower floors. The area now contains hundreds of residential units ranging from modern apartments to classic New York-style lofts (at Rochester's reasonable rental rates!).
As the area became increasingly residential, demand for services led to the opening of many restaurants and nightclubs, turning this vibrant area into one of Downtown Rochester's first truly 24/7 neighborhoods.
Future
Development continues in the St. Paul Quarter. Recently announced renovations to the Kirstein Building will add over 40 market-rate loft-style apartments and a sports bar, while the massive Michaels/Stern Building will house a mix of commercial space and market-rate loft-style units.
Festivals
Any depiction of life in downtown Rochester would be incomplete without a reference (in this case a hyperlink) to the innumerable festivals enjoyed by our residents. They include: the Rochester International Jazz Festival; the Corn Hill Festival (arts, crafts, and foods spread throughout this historic, riverside neighborhood); the 360/365 Film Festival; the Image Out/ Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (hosted annually at the Little Theatre); the Clothesline Festival (artists from the region and beyond on the grounds of the Memorial Art Gallery); the Park Avenue Merchants Festival (another local favorite that covers Park Avenue from Culver to Alexander); the Lilac Festival (world famous for its hills and dales of lilac bushes, this Festival also boasts top-shelf music and shopping); and, the Rochester Music Festival (a reflection of the changing music scene, the Music Festival is ever-evolving). Want to get an even closer look at what's driving the excitement about downtown living? Join this year's Inside Downtown Tour! | 
