Rochester’s last remaining Cobblestone house to be preserved

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Rochester’s only cobblestone house is preserved. The property is at 1090 Culver Road in the city of Rochester, and it will soon be in possession of the city’s landbank.

The city made the announcement at the property Thursday.

The home was built in the 1830s, according to the Landmark Society. It has been vacant for the past decade or so, and has fallen into disrepair.

While no formal demolition application was filed, according to City Councilman Mitch Gruber, the City along with neighborhood associations, wanted to take quick action to protect this building.

Mayor Malik Evans said Thursday that they started conversations with the landowner last week, and made the deal. Evans and Gruber used “donate” and “deal” interchangeably throughout the press gaggle at the house.

That quick action however started at the grassroots level. People I spoke to there said the effort to do something about it started in the last month or so in the North Winton Village.

Debbi Keller, who lives five doors down of the cobblestone, said at first, she just wanted it cleaned up. She sent an email to City Council.

But the effort soon became a petition that she says reached over 2000 signatures.

“I’ve seen this house at its prime, and I’ve seen it the disrepair, and it’s really sad,” Keller said. “I’d love to see it, maybe maintain the apartments upstairs, but have the downstairs be some kind of business or gathering place where the community can enjoy it. And be able to view the architecture and all of the interesting details that have gone into maintaining a house from the 1830s.”

The City said they are pushing a quick timeline, and will be taking requests for proposals to do something with the property, as well as working on naming this a historic landmark. It currently doesn’t have that standing.

Continue to check back with News 8 on this developing story.

​ ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Rochester’s only cobblestone house is preserved. The property is at 1090 Culver Road in the city of Rochester, and it will soon be in possession of the city’s landbank.

The city made the announcement at the property Thursday.

The home was built in the 1830s, according to the Landmark Society. It has been vacant for the past decade or so, and has fallen into disrepair.

While no formal demolition application was filed, according to City Councilman Mitch Gruber, the City along with neighborhood associations, wanted to take quick action to protect this building.

Mayor Malik Evans said Thursday that they started conversations with the landowner last week, and made the deal. Evans and Gruber used “donate” and “deal” interchangeably throughout the press gaggle at the house.

That quick action however started at the grassroots level. People I spoke to there said the effort to do something about it started in the last month or so in the North Winton Village.

Debbi Keller, who lives five doors down of the cobblestone, said at first, she just wanted it cleaned up. She sent an email to City Council.

But the effort soon became a petition that she says reached over 2000 signatures.

“I’ve seen this house at its prime, and I’ve seen it the disrepair, and it’s really sad,” Keller said. “I’d love to see it, maybe maintain the apartments upstairs, but have the downstairs be some kind of business or gathering place where the community can enjoy it. And be able to view the architecture and all of the interesting details that have gone into maintaining a house from the 1830s.”

The City said they are pushing a quick timeline, and will be taking requests for proposals to do something with the property, as well as working on naming this a historic landmark. It currently doesn’t have that standing.

Continue to check back with News 8 on this developing story. Read More RochesterRochesterFirst