Blank Canvas

Rochester, for all its detractors, also maintains a remarkably passionate fan base.  This fanaticism is driven by several factors (all of which have been noted many times), including:

• World-class music
• An intense focus on the arts
• Access to top-tier education
• A beer, wine, and coffee scene that can match almost anywhere
• A history worth retelling
• Truly diverse architecture and landscapes
• All of the above without a painful commute
• All of the above at an affordable cost
• All of the above with the open-mindedness of a larger city

Beyond these factors, Rochester also offers one other key element that generates an immense amount of enthusiasm: a blank canvas.  For an undeniably creative community, the ability to be part of a revitalization story borders on exhilarating.  While citizens shape their communities all over the world, the process in Rochester is arguably one of the most alluring:

1. Rochester is a paradoxical blend of unestablished and established.  In other words, while opportunities for rebuilding and reshaping are numerous, a strong and proven foundation exists.
2. Rebuilding in Rochester is a not-so-subtle undertaking.  Our conversations do not revolve around a small corner at the margin of the city but rather the following somewhat conspicuous stretches:

• The waterfront along a picturesque, northward-flowing river that bisects the heart of the entire metropolitan area
• The waterfront abutting a Great Lake, across which lies by far the largest city of another country
• The most important plot of land in downtown Rochester and perhaps the whole region

So let's get painting (okay, that was bad.)