Rochester’s Resolutions
January 5, 2006
While Rochester’s (and upstate New York’s) businesses continue to downsize or move away, two bright spots remain — Higher Education and Healthcare. Not only does Rochester excel in both areas, but demographic trends support future growth. Perhaps with a new mayor and a cooperative country manager Rochester will abandon its attempts at becoming an international tourist destination (i.e. the Fast Ferry) and revamp itself as an academic and cultural gem — drawing students and seniors to a manageable, user-friendly city.
First step? Start marketing the local colleges together as block. Offer interchangeable schedules and credits like they do in Massachusetts’s Pioneer Valley (Amherst, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, UMass, and Hampshire). Sell parents on the fact that Rochester is a safe, small city that offers a lot of diversity and culture in an affordable package. Back it up by putting cops on the street and making this a safe place to live and invest in.