Thanks for this! It sounds just like it did! Now its just rubble, how sad. Rochester I believe has its days numbered. We cant even elect a new mayor properly. =(
@Boppomolies Yeah, but don't worry about it. I was 9 when they did away with Wegmans, but that supermarket didn't officially "close" until 2003. I remember going in there when it was an IGA in 2002.
@xreddragonx Black people are not predisposed to commit crime. Why don't we focus on combatting the issues that have formed and continue to reinforce these pockets of poverty in our community, instead of attacking and becoming bigoted against those who act out, or those who simply look or dress differently? Blaming things on "the blacks" does not bring midtown back.
@xreddragonx I can find something offensive without being personally offended. Perhaps I should clarify the nuance: although I'm not personally emotionally injured by his statement, I feel that it is disgusting, ignorant and potentially hurtful to others.
I agree there is a crime problem in Rochester. It's something that scared people away to begin with, and it's continuing to hurt efforts to bring them back.
I'm standing by my belief that there are broader socioeconomic issues at play.
this makes me so sad...im going to miss this place.... im only 22.. but lots of great memories as a kid at mid town.. such a shame... Rochester used to a city of quality
@Cinderellazqueen I first went into Midtown in 1988 with my uncle and his girlfriend at the time. I saw Santa Claus on Magic Mountain and I even rode the Monorail. Back then, Midtown Plaza and Rochester seemed to be doing very well. Have you been to the old Irondequoit Mall lately? That is a sight to see.
Midtwn was like "the Max" of the inner city. i aint been home n bout 10 years. we use 2 go dwn there everyday after school starting in 7th grade.all da girlies would b out there....Man good times.
I find the insinuation that "blacks" are the cause of Rochester's problems to be offensive, uninformed and completely inaccurate. Rochester has a ton of issues- crime is just one of them. Also, associating black people with crime is offensive. Sure, many people that live in the poorer areas are black -and in those areas the educational system is horrible, hence crime- but, i guarantee you that has nothing to do with their race, just the disadvantages we allow -as a community- to be dealt to them
@hondolespaul I'm not offended necessarily. I just think that backwater ways of thinking - like that "the suburbs are being overrun by blacks"- are the very things which are destroying Rochester. We shouldn't blame other races for our failures as a city. It's ignorant and not very productive.
@shawnw585 Just to be fair, both the whites and blacks contributed to the downfall of both Gates and Greece. My white neighbor's kids started causing trouble in my old neighborhood in Gates. They were even drinking beer on a street corner. This began in the late 1990s and didn't stop until one of my neighbors decided to sell their house and move. In 2002, low income apartment complexes were built on Ingress Pk. which is a stone's throw from where my old house is. Continued...
@shawnw585 My Dad and I should have sold our house and moved away that year, but I had one year left to go at Gates Chili High School. By 2005, gang activity was starting to make its way through my old neighborhood. In 2006, things got a lot worse. One of these gangs began targeting me for no reason at all. My car at the time was vandalized and my father's car mysteriously caught on fire. In September of 2006, two bicycles were stolen out of my yard in broad daylight. Continued...
@shawnw585 It got to a point where I had to spend all of my time guarding my old house. I even put up a high fence so no undesirables would cut through the yard. I seriously feel bad for some of my old neighbors.
One of the major downfalls of midtown plaza and downtown rochester itself is that it's being over run by blacks. Not that I'm trying to be racist, but white people are not going to come here when it's all thugged out by a bunch of young black people that think they're a gangster. Yes this is not the reason, but this was the last piece of the puzzle
@vistaway3008 I'd hate to say this, but I actually agree with you. Certain parts of the suburbs are being overrun by blacks as well. Twenty years ago, Gates and Greece were nice small towns with massive potential. Today, my old neighborhood in Gates is a haven for gang activity and it has been that way since 2002. People can sugarcoat things until the cows come home, but that's the truth. Several other crimes have occurred in Gates since I moved away. They seem to get worse every year.
@vistaway3008 With an unresponsive police department that does absolutely nothing in order to help its citizens, I expect Gates to become Little Rochester soon. The last time I went by my old house, a black kid was walking by it and he gave me a dirty look. Greece is having a big problem with homicides, murders and other serious crimes. With a police department riddled with corruption, I expect this town to go the way of Harvey, IL.
I was born in rochester and left at the age of 12. I attend number 44 school and the new 35 school. also florence brasser in chili, and indian landing school in penfield. Par dee school in palmyra. Moved around and awful lot. Just never liked Rochester even in my young years. I live in sunny california now. Good bye midtown plaza.
I grew up in Rochester, but now live in Nashville, Tn. Once upon a time, Rochester, NY was a thriving city. Now that your larger corporations like Kodak, Xerox and Baush and Lomb are pretty much non-existant, this is the result. It's so sad. I'm glad I left when I did b/c I will take with me memories of a more prosperous Rochester.
I left Rochester in January of this year and moved farther away. I also remember when it was a thriving city. Even some of the suburbs no longer resemble themselves. You couldn't pay me to move back to Gates.
Writing from Tucson, AZ. Rochester was where I was born and raised. It's sad to see the Midtown on a slow decline, but I can't say I'm surprised. If it cheers you up any, this place is WAY to active to be put on my "Dead Mall Parade" playlist.
I remember when Wegmans was there, and when All Day Sundays used to be on the first floor of midtown on the clinton ave side. Midtown used to be the place to be. you met people out in front, did your shopping, hung in the food court for a bite to eat, and jumped on the bus and went home. We had some great times back then. Downtown Rochester will NEVER be the same without Midtown. Thanks for the video.
You´re welcome. In my honest opinion, Downtown Rochester died way before Midtown Plaza closed. Now that Midtown is closed, I cannot imagine downtown getting more foot traffic. I visited the Sibley Tower on December 6, 2008 and it just wasn´t what I expected. Christmas celebrations in Rochester will always belong to Midtown Plaza.
Thanks for filming this.. This is such a bummer.. I remember going there as a kid sitting on Santa's lap. Went there in Dec. for the last lighting of the tree... The first in door mall in America, this is what happends :( It really breaks my heart! :(
You´re welcome. I regret not being at Midtown for the last tree lighting ceremony. Sadly, I heard that there were only a dozen people present anyway. I also have memories of Magic Mountain and riding our Monorail back when it was silver, lol. I have pictures around here somewhere. You should visit my midtownmallrocs website one of these days.
Hey that place was really cool. I stumbled in there randomly when going to a concert at the Montage Music Hall near there. I would love a DVD if you have one. My dad is a native of rochester and he remembers this mall vividly.
Due to very little public interest, I decided not to produce a documentary. I am not done shooting footage anyway. There was an auction at Midtown on August 14, 2008 and the mall is supposed to be demolished in June of 2009. I highly doubt this will even happen, unless PAETEC can get back on their feet. Without a World Headquarters, Midtown Plaza will become an abandoned landmark. Mayor Duffy assumes that other companies will build there regardless of what happens to PAETEC.
To me, Midtown is still a fun place. Do you have any pictures of the mall or a video of your radio show from the 1960s? I heard that Midtown Plaza will be closed down for good this summer and the building will be condemned. You should consider coming to Rochester. We can both record Midtown's final days. If I had $6 million dollars, I would consider buying the property and revitalizing it.
The Midtown Plaza was a favorite of mine back in the 1960s. Fun place! I once did a radio show from there downstairs near the clock. Sorry to see it all go. :-(
What was the music in the background? Was it from the Clock of Nations?
mauler413 1 week ago
Thanks for this! It sounds just like it did! Now its just rubble, how sad. Rochester I believe has its days numbered. We cant even elect a new mayor properly. =(
ddip214 11 months ago
Rochester is the ass-hole of the earth!
TOTAL DUMP!
MrFollowfollow21 11 months ago
You have a bad economy to thank for places like these
and ebay for these shopping landmarks to go down like
this. It's is a real shame.
methodistgirl
methodistgirl 1 year ago
@Boppomolies Yeah, but don't worry about it. I was 9 when they did away with Wegmans, but that supermarket didn't officially "close" until 2003. I remember going in there when it was an IGA in 2002.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@Boppomolies Actually, Wegmans was on the first floor.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@xreddragonx Black people are not predisposed to commit crime. Why don't we focus on combatting the issues that have formed and continue to reinforce these pockets of poverty in our community, instead of attacking and becoming bigoted against those who act out, or those who simply look or dress differently? Blaming things on "the blacks" does not bring midtown back.
shawnw585 1 year ago
@xreddragonx I can find something offensive without being personally offended. Perhaps I should clarify the nuance: although I'm not personally emotionally injured by his statement, I feel that it is disgusting, ignorant and potentially hurtful to others.
I agree there is a crime problem in Rochester. It's something that scared people away to begin with, and it's continuing to hurt efforts to bring them back.
I'm standing by my belief that there are broader socioeconomic issues at play.
shawnw585 1 year ago
I remember Santa! Irondeqouit mall is so sad... it was so beautiful too... thank you for posting this video... its all we have left of this place...
Cinderellazqueen 1 year ago
@Cinderellazqueen Unfortunately, the old Irondequoit Mall/Medley Centre will sit vacant for a long time. No problem.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
It looks like a generic mall in Moscow or Singapore...
jgmcgehee 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You could bring a pet in the mall? When did this mall close?
Sheri451 1 year ago
this makes me so sad...im going to miss this place.... im only 22.. but lots of great memories as a kid at mid town.. such a shame... Rochester used to a city of quality
Cinderellazqueen 1 year ago
@Cinderellazqueen I first went into Midtown in 1988 with my uncle and his girlfriend at the time. I saw Santa Claus on Magic Mountain and I even rode the Monorail. Back then, Midtown Plaza and Rochester seemed to be doing very well. Have you been to the old Irondequoit Mall lately? That is a sight to see.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@Cinderellazqueen know its the "city of poverty"
force311999 1 year ago
Midtwn was like "the Max" of the inner city. i aint been home n bout 10 years. we use 2 go dwn there everyday after school starting in 7th grade.all da girlies would b out there....Man good times.
thegodinhere 1 year ago
I find the insinuation that "blacks" are the cause of Rochester's problems to be offensive, uninformed and completely inaccurate. Rochester has a ton of issues- crime is just one of them. Also, associating black people with crime is offensive. Sure, many people that live in the poorer areas are black -and in those areas the educational system is horrible, hence crime- but, i guarantee you that has nothing to do with their race, just the disadvantages we allow -as a community- to be dealt to them
shawnw585 1 year ago
@shawnw585 I apologize if you were offended.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@hondolespaul I'm not offended necessarily. I just think that backwater ways of thinking - like that "the suburbs are being overrun by blacks"- are the very things which are destroying Rochester. We shouldn't blame other races for our failures as a city. It's ignorant and not very productive.
shawnw585 1 year ago
@shawnw585 Just to be fair, both the whites and blacks contributed to the downfall of both Gates and Greece. My white neighbor's kids started causing trouble in my old neighborhood in Gates. They were even drinking beer on a street corner. This began in the late 1990s and didn't stop until one of my neighbors decided to sell their house and move. In 2002, low income apartment complexes were built on Ingress Pk. which is a stone's throw from where my old house is. Continued...
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@shawnw585 My Dad and I should have sold our house and moved away that year, but I had one year left to go at Gates Chili High School. By 2005, gang activity was starting to make its way through my old neighborhood. In 2006, things got a lot worse. One of these gangs began targeting me for no reason at all. My car at the time was vandalized and my father's car mysteriously caught on fire. In September of 2006, two bicycles were stolen out of my yard in broad daylight. Continued...
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@shawnw585 It got to a point where I had to spend all of my time guarding my old house. I even put up a high fence so no undesirables would cut through the yard. I seriously feel bad for some of my old neighbors.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@shawnw585 "I'm not offended necessarily."
Yes you were offended, you even STATED that you were. *eyeroll* Btw, "completely inaccurate" my ass.
xreddragonx 1 year ago
One of the major downfalls of midtown plaza and downtown rochester itself is that it's being over run by blacks. Not that I'm trying to be racist, but white people are not going to come here when it's all thugged out by a bunch of young black people that think they're a gangster. Yes this is not the reason, but this was the last piece of the puzzle
vistaway3008 1 year ago 2
@vistaway3008 I'd hate to say this, but I actually agree with you. Certain parts of the suburbs are being overrun by blacks as well. Twenty years ago, Gates and Greece were nice small towns with massive potential. Today, my old neighborhood in Gates is a haven for gang activity and it has been that way since 2002. People can sugarcoat things until the cows come home, but that's the truth. Several other crimes have occurred in Gates since I moved away. They seem to get worse every year.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
@vistaway3008 With an unresponsive police department that does absolutely nothing in order to help its citizens, I expect Gates to become Little Rochester soon. The last time I went by my old house, a black kid was walking by it and he gave me a dirty look. Greece is having a big problem with homicides, murders and other serious crimes. With a police department riddled with corruption, I expect this town to go the way of Harvey, IL.
hondolespaul 1 year ago
Nothing lasts forever, not Midtown, Sibley's, Kodak, or even Toyota!
1518karen 2 years ago
@1518karen I agree with you. To me, Midtown Plaza had a lot of potential and still does.
hondolespaul 2 years ago
I was born in rochester and left at the age of 12. I attend number 44 school and the new 35 school. also florence brasser in chili, and indian landing school in penfield. Par dee school in palmyra. Moved around and awful lot. Just never liked Rochester even in my young years. I live in sunny california now. Good bye midtown plaza.
helamen333 2 years ago
Rochester was a nice vibrant city at one time, but now it's struggling. A columnist said that it will take 75 years for Rochester to come back.
hondolespaul 2 years ago
I grew up in Rochester, but now live in Nashville, Tn. Once upon a time, Rochester, NY was a thriving city. Now that your larger corporations like Kodak, Xerox and Baush and Lomb are pretty much non-existant, this is the result. It's so sad. I'm glad I left when I did b/c I will take with me memories of a more prosperous Rochester.
kbrooks0001 2 years ago
I left Rochester in January of this year and moved farther away. I also remember when it was a thriving city. Even some of the suburbs no longer resemble themselves. You couldn't pay me to move back to Gates.
hondolespaul 2 years ago
Writing from Tucson, AZ. Rochester was where I was born and raised. It's sad to see the Midtown on a slow decline, but I can't say I'm surprised. If it cheers you up any, this place is WAY to active to be put on my "Dead Mall Parade" playlist.
pansatyrson 2 years ago
Guess what? Midtown Plaza is now sitting completely vacant awaiting asbestos removal. If you get a chance, watch my other video clips.
hondolespaul 2 years ago
I remember when Wegmans was there, and when All Day Sundays used to be on the first floor of midtown on the clinton ave side. Midtown used to be the place to be. you met people out in front, did your shopping, hung in the food court for a bite to eat, and jumped on the bus and went home. We had some great times back then. Downtown Rochester will NEVER be the same without Midtown. Thanks for the video.
sukieBoo66 3 years ago
You´re welcome. In my honest opinion, Downtown Rochester died way before Midtown Plaza closed. Now that Midtown is closed, I cannot imagine downtown getting more foot traffic. I visited the Sibley Tower on December 6, 2008 and it just wasn´t what I expected. Christmas celebrations in Rochester will always belong to Midtown Plaza.
hondolespaul 3 years ago
anyone remember way back when they used to have a wegmans on the first floor...also loved the giant Christmas tree and the monorail...good times.
goonies31 3 years ago
I remember the Wegmans store at Midtown Plaza.
hondolespaul 3 years ago
Thanks for filming this.. This is such a bummer.. I remember going there as a kid sitting on Santa's lap. Went there in Dec. for the last lighting of the tree... The first in door mall in America, this is what happends :( It really breaks my heart! :(
Cinderellazqueen 3 years ago
You´re welcome. I regret not being at Midtown for the last tree lighting ceremony. Sadly, I heard that there were only a dozen people present anyway. I also have memories of Magic Mountain and riding our Monorail back when it was silver, lol. I have pictures around here somewhere. You should visit my midtownmallrocs website one of these days.
hondolespaul 3 years ago
Hey that place was really cool. I stumbled in there randomly when going to a concert at the Montage Music Hall near there. I would love a DVD if you have one. My dad is a native of rochester and he remembers this mall vividly.
Juvenile71983 3 years ago
Due to very little public interest, I decided not to produce a documentary. I am not done shooting footage anyway. There was an auction at Midtown on August 14, 2008 and the mall is supposed to be demolished in June of 2009. I highly doubt this will even happen, unless PAETEC can get back on their feet. Without a World Headquarters, Midtown Plaza will become an abandoned landmark. Mayor Duffy assumes that other companies will build there regardless of what happens to PAETEC.
hondolespaul 3 years ago
To me, Midtown is still a fun place. Do you have any pictures of the mall or a video of your radio show from the 1960s? I heard that Midtown Plaza will be closed down for good this summer and the building will be condemned. You should consider coming to Rochester. We can both record Midtown's final days. If I had $6 million dollars, I would consider buying the property and revitalizing it.
hondolespaul 4 years ago
The Midtown Plaza was a favorite of mine back in the 1960s. Fun place! I once did a radio show from there downstairs near the clock. Sorry to see it all go. :-(
KKD1247 4 years ago