In the 1800s, rivers and waterways were vital to the success of newly established cities in the United States. Rivers provided a means of power and transportation, so towns sprung up where that resource was available.

With the construction of the Erie Canal over the Genesee River, the city of Rochester, in upstate New York, saw tremendous growth and became the fourth most populous city in the state. It was a boomtown in the 1820s and ʼ30s and underwent the construction of numerous flour mills. Today, it remains home to many major corporations and universities, and the river that boosted such 19^th-century industry has become a large part of the city’s tourism and community life.

Over the last several years Rochester has implemented a program called ROC the Riverway, has rebuilt flood walls and revitalized the riverfront. Part of the initiative included the West River Wall improvement project, named the 2024 Public Works Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association.

Kamal Crues has served as assistant city engineer since 2018 and as project manager for ROC the Riverway since 2022. He spoke about the completion of the West River Wall and the ongoing improvements the city is undertaking.

“The impetus behind this is that in 2008, FEMA reassessed the floodwalls. It was determined that the walls constructed in 1918 had deteriorated to the point that they were no longer providing sufficient flood protection,” he explained.

This assessment impacted the adjacent neighborhood of Corn Hill, which under the circumstances was designated a floodplain – raising insurance costs as well as questions that residents had not faced before. The residents decided to take initiative to address the issue, putting up $40,000 of homeowner’s association money to create design concepts for the area. The project goals were twofold: to improve flood protection and enhance the adjacent recreational area and trails.

To enhance the riverway, the city added a boat launch compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a riverfront plaza and a raised-table intersection, which elevates the entire intersection – encouraging automobiles to slow their speed and promoting pedestrian safety.

Lowered floodwalls increased visual accessibility of the Genesee River. “Previously, you could walk down the path adjacent to the river and not even be aware that it was there,” Crues said.

To maximize visibility of the river, the trails were also elevated and a levy system was put in below the trails.

Overall, the West River Wall Project took five years: two in the design phase and three in construction. The total cost for the project amounted to $8.4 million. A large portion of the design came from the New York Department of State and the construction funding came from the New York State Canal Corporation, which owns the land and the wall itself. All the land in the South River Corridor – the area south of the Court Street Dam to the Erie Canal – are part of the New York State Canal System.

With the improvements, the Corn Hill neighborhood is no longer considered a floodplain.

Roughly 2,000 linear feet and four acres of park space saw improvements because of the West River Wall project. The revitalized area is now known as the North Star Commons, named after the newspaper Frederick Douglass established in Corn Hill. To honor his legacy, community members requested the placement of a sculpture of the 19^th-century abolitionist and civil rights leader alongside Abraham Lincoln, depicting the second meeting between the two.

Also honored in the North Star Commons are educators from historically Black colleges who came to Rochester from 1968 to 1972. These teachers impacted the local school district immediately, though their influence faded in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement.

Citizens of Rochester, and the Corn Hill neighborhood specifically, embraced the West River Wall Project wholeheartedly. In addition to putting up funds for the design plan, they attended town hall meetings, ribbon cuttings and other events pertinent to the project.

“This is a true example of a neighborhood,” Crues said proudly. He called the Corn Hill residents “tremendous” and “a very involved bunch” who are invested in the beautification of their city.

Their involvement can also be seen on the neighborhood’s beautification committee. The committee proposed the addition of a butterfly garden in the North Star Corridor, inside the linear park: Committee members worked with the city and the Seneca Park Zoo to create and maintain the pollinator waystation.

Crues stated how this aspect of the park “fits right in with our new naturalized shoreline.”

He said he sees the entire ROC the Riverway project as “a new front door to the city.” With a new harbormaster office in downtown Rochester that allows travelers to dock at a facility where showers, Wi-Fi and other amenities are provided, “we are welcoming people from the river, but also welcoming people from the city to the river.”

Increasing the use of the Genesee River and its environs plays into the health and well-being of the city itself.

“ROC the Riverway is a larger economic revitalization strategy for our region, increasing the quality of life and enhancing opportunities for recreation, among other things,” Crues said.

Future phases look to upgrade a much larger space south of the Fourth St. bridge – about 4,000 square feet and roughly 16 acres of land. The city is pursuing funding for the next step, to “keep the people happy and safe,” Crues said.

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