GROVE PLACE ASSOCIATION       April 22, 2001

4:00PM

General Meeting       Rochester

Public Market

 

Present: K. & J. Goldman, D. & M. Klass, J. Gregory, G. Weyerts, F. Stone, P. Hahn, K. & M. Pier, M. & S. Shapiro, S. & P. Pineo, B. Keck, J. & B. Lovenheim, S. & J. Bovay, B. Strasenburgh, E. Van Voorhis, D. Hershkowitz, L. Fyles, K. & H. McDonald, M. Buonocore, E. Green, S. Schwartzberg, E. Isaac

1.                  President Sue Bovay welcomed the group, including Fred Stone, representing Rural Metro. She announced the need for volunteers to study over the summer, the pros and cons of expanding the boundaries of the GP Association in order to open membership to other neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity.

2.                  The minutes of the previous meeting were read by Secretary Judy Gregory and approved.

3.                  Treasurer Elta Green reported that we have over $6000 in the treasury, and dispensed membership dues notices to everyone assembled

4.                  Art Committee Chair Roz Goldman announced that the neighborhood benches will be back in place in about two weeks, Flyers will be distributed reminding everyone of the May 3^rd noon celebration at the Gleason Auditorium of the downtown Library, at which the RIT student-designed benches which are to be placed in the neighborhood, will be unveiled and their creators introduced.

5.                  Beautification Chair, Marilyn Klass, reminded the group of the first spring cleanup on May 5^th. About 10 Americore volunteers will be joining us for the project, which will begin at 9:00 AM. Participants are asked to meet at Myra Buonocore’s and bring appropriate tools

6.                  John Lovenheim, Sector V Chair, reported that the Knight Beat, an upscale jazz club, has opened to great reviews on Chestnut St. Additionally, he related that the City is interviewing three consulting firms to do the Zoning By Design program, and developer Bob Ducet is meeting this week with the AIA Urban Design Committee to discuss the Block L project. The Congress of New Urbanism will be meeting in New York City from June 7th to 10^th, and John urged anyone interested in attending to join him at this convention

7.                  Lone Fyles noted that car larcenies are down this year in the City. She also said it is hoped that funding will continue to support three teams of officers doing “bar detail” in the St. Paul and High Falls areas on weekends from 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM, since there has been a decrease in violent and illegal incidents as a result of this.

8.                  Bob Keck continued to encourage anyone having information relevant to GPA to pass it along to him for the website.

9.                  Sue introduced our host and speaker, Pete Buckley, owner of the Public Market’s Union St. Vendors’ Market, and project manager for Pike Construction. Pete recounted his own history with the Public Market, having had a grandfather and several uncles who started businesses in the area. His presentation included photos and scrapbooks to illustrate his talk on the history of the site. Pete worked for several years as an architect for the City, and in that capacity redesigned areas of the market to echo the original architectural details of the 1905-era structures.

The first market was located at a corner of the Main Street bridge, back in 1827, and operated primarily as a purveyor of meats, not produce. In the 1870s, the market was located at the site of the current Liberty Pole, then as it enlarged moved to its current Union Street site. Early on, the market was strictly a wholesale concern, with “hucksters” purchasing products to sell from their wagons on Rochester streets. In 1913, retail selling took over, and the market became both a shopping and social gathering place for the many immigrants in the area. Designed for the horse and buggy era, by the 1930s parking of automobiles had already become a problem.

 It is currently supported by both City and private funding, and on a summer Saturday as many as 350 vendors, and 10,000 to 14,000 shoppers can be found there. The market is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well, year round.

Along with new gates marking the entrance to the Market, improvement projects include continued work on the current structures, uncovering the original brick road surfaces, and construction of a sidewalk in front of the permanent buildings. It is hoped that another restaurant will also be enticed to the area to replace the popular “Jimmy’s” which closed a couple of years ago.

Sue thanked Pete for his informative presentation and for the coffee served to all the guests, and also urged the group to help themselves to handouts and printed announcements of upcoming events.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM. and everyone was invited to a reception at the Goldman’s.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Judy Gregory, Secretary