Rochester, NY's Plymouth-Exchange ("PLEX") neighborhood is nestled along the Genesee River south of Downtown. At the river's edge sits the long-abandoned Vacuum Oil plant, a site identified as a New York State Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) in 2010. Vacuum Oil's location and historic significance make it a prime candidate for redevelopment in a fast-changing neighborhood.

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Having seen a substantial shift in housing tenure, quality, and price,  PLEX had become a popular choice for visiting faculty and students of the nearby University of Rochester. While the Vacuum Oil site held a tremendous amount of new development potential, long time neighborhood residents were concerned about what the site's redevelopment and the continued expansion of the rental market could do to the cost and character of the neighborhood as a whole.

 

RKG was hired to complete a sociodemographic and housing analysis for the neighborhood, examining key indicators to determine how the area had changed,
and what changes may be coming in the future as a result of outside market forces. This analysis included a housing market assessment and affordability study, a review of absentee landlords and code enforcement issues, a review of the neighborhood's zoning, and an assessment of current housing programs and funding sources that could ensure diverse development types. The plan resulted in a set of regulatory, policy, and funding strategies that sought to balance new investment in housing development with the reinvestment of resources to stabilize the neighborhood.
 

Photo Source:

Rochester Subway

www.rochestersubway.com