The history of Genesee-Jefferson
Genesee-Jefferson runs from Dr. Samuel McCree Way south toward South Plymouth Avenue, between Genesee Street on the west and Reynolds Street on the east, with Jefferson Avenue as its main spine. Into the late 1800s this stretch of Genesee Street lay at the edge of the city, and the land around it was mostly wheat fields with a few scattered homes.
The 1880s set things in motion. Jefferson Avenue was created in 1888 by joining Frances and North Frances streets, and many of its buildings went up soon after. That same year the city’s new Park Commission spent nearly half its budget buying about 400 acres of riverbank to the south for what became Genesee Valley Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and the Elmwood Bridge opened a crossing to the east side of the river.
Horsecars were the main transit at first. When Rochester’s streetcar lines were electrified in the 1890s, trips downtown got faster, streetcar service ran along Genesee Street, and a wave of one- and two-family houses followed.
St. Monica’s parish was founded on Genesee Street in June 1898 with a resident pastor, a step up from the usual mission start. The Sisters of St. Joseph opened its school, and a combined church and school building at 838 Genesee Street was finished in January 1899. As the parish grew, the cornerstone of the present church was laid on October 4, 1914, and the first Mass was said there on January 30, 1915. It is a brick church with stonework and arches in the Lombard Italianate style.
Building spread west across Genesee Street in the early 1900s. West High School opened just across the street in the early 1900s, and the blocks beyond it, in the Nineteenth Ward, filled mostly between 1910 and 1920.
The Southwest Area Neighborhood Association (SWAN), founded in 1976 by longtime County Legislator Willie W. Lightfoot, gave the neighborhood its other common name.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1888 | Jefferson Avenue formed by joining Frances and North Frances streets |
| 1888 | City begins buying riverbank land to the south for South Park, later Genesee Valley Park |
| 1898 | St. Monica’s parish established on Genesee Street |
| 1899 | St. Monica’s combined church and school building completed at 838 Genesee Street |
| 1914 | Cornerstone laid for the present St. Monica Church |
| 1915 | First Mass held in the present St. Monica Church |
| 1976 | Southwest Area Neighborhood Association (SWAN) founded |
Did you know?
Jefferson Avenue did not exist as a single street until 1888, when Frances and North Frances streets were joined and renamed for Thomas Jefferson.
The homes in Genesee-Jefferson today
Mostly one- and two-family wood-frame houses from the streetcar era of the 1890s through the early 1900s, with storefront and mixed-use buildings along Jefferson Avenue and Genesee Street. Some newer infill houses have been built on formerly vacant lots.
Landmarks and parks
- St. Monica Church, Genesee and Monica streets - parish founded 1898; present Lombard Italianate church opened in 1915
- Jefferson Avenue - the neighborhood’s commercial and residential spine since 1888
- Joseph C. Wilson Magnet High School - opened as West High School in the early 1900s, just across Genesee Street
- Genesee Valley Park - Olmsted-designed park a short distance south, begun with land bought in 1888
Buying a home in Genesee-Jefferson
Fall for the house, then do the homework. These are the first things we check here, on top of the usual inspection:
- For two-family houses, confirm the legal unit count, separate utilities and any certificate of occupancy history with the City.
- For 1890s to 1910s frame houses, check foundations, porches, roofs and older wiring and plumbing.
- Ask whether the house or lot has been part of a City or nonprofit housing program, since some carry resale or occupancy conditions.
- The full city, school and county tax bill for the exact parcel
- School assignment for the exact address, confirmed with the Rochester City School District
The bigger picture on city taxes, lead rules, two-family homes and the City’s homebuyer grant is in our City of Rochester guide.
Selling a home in Genesee-Jefferson
Buyers who search for Genesee-Jefferson are often looking for exactly what makes it Genesee-Jefferson: the homes, the history and places like St. Monica Church, Genesee and Monica streets. We put that story in the marketing, price the home against true comparables, and launch it to draw a crowd. How we sell · What is my Genesee-Jefferson home worth?
Genesee-Jefferson FAQ
Where is Genesee-Jefferson?
Genesee-Jefferson is in the southwest part of the City of Rochester. Boundaries follow the City’s Celebrate City Living program and are approximate; confirm the municipality and parcel for any address.
What kinds of homes are in Genesee-Jefferson?
Mostly one- and two-family wood-frame houses from the streetcar era of the 1890s through the early 1900s, with storefront and mixed-use buildings along Jefferson Avenue and Genesee Street. Some newer infill houses have been built on formerly vacant lots.
Is Genesee-Jefferson a historic district?
Not as a whole. Some individual buildings may be landmarks, so check the exact address with the City before you plan exterior changes.
How do I find homes for sale in Genesee-Jefferson?
Search current listings on our team site, or tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll set up a search for Genesee-Jefferson and the neighborhoods around it.
Sources
- NY Daily Record, Neighborhood Focus: Genesee-Jefferson (2009)
- HMdb, Jefferson Avenue Historical Marker
- Digital Rochester Religions, St. Monica
- Diocese of Rochester, Survey of Parish Archives and Architecture: St. Monica (1992)
- Rochester History, Vol. LX No. 2 (1998), Centennial History of St. Augustine Church, Part One
- National Register nomination, Sibley-Elmdorf Historic District (2015)
- Celebrate City Living, Genesee-Jefferson
- Neighborhood names and boundaries: Celebrate City Living, a City of Rochester partnership
We describe neighborhoods by their history, homes and landmarks, never by who lives there. For school or safety questions, use the official sources so you can decide for yourself.
Thinking about Genesee-Jefferson?
Buying or selling, tell us the street and we’ll tell you what we’d look at first.
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