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Health & Fitness

Residential vs. Commercial Zoning

The downtown cycle is similar all across America: towns were settled and soon developed a main street.  Main streets were lined with homes, businesses and apartments where people lived and did the majority of their transactions and business.  As transportation and roads improved business men could move further away from the bustle of Main Street.  Many of the original homes and apartments on Main gave way to new buildings however some of the homes remained and were converted into businesses.  Downtown Rochester is dotted with dozens these former homes from Chomp to the funeral home and office to the homes along East Street, dentist offices, insurance offices, law offices, rock schools, folk music schools and salons.  This trend is beginning to reverse though.  People are coming back to downtown.  New houses are being built and others are being remodeled, some from the foundation up.  New apartment buildings and townhouses are in the works.

As I drive through downtown Rochester today I can't help but notice that many of these houses turned commercial spaces are for rent.  I say these buildings should be converted back into residences again.  Some of these are beautiful homes and having more people living downtown helps support the local businesses and increases demand for new business.  I don't know if this can only be done one house at a time or if the city can vote to zone all of these house/businesses as multi-zoned commercial/residential.  Does anyone have any insight into this?

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