The history of Marketview Heights
Construction boomed here between Railroad Street and North Union Street from the late 1870s until World War I, helped along by streetcar lines that ran north along Webster and Parsells avenues and Goodman Street. Most houses were wood frame and were built by contractors rather than architects, and because they came before zoning, they sit close together on narrow streets.
In 1905 the city opened the Public Market at 280 North Union Street, next to the rail line that brought in produce. It started as a wholesale market supplying neighborhood grocers, including John Wegman, and in 1913 the city allowed sales directly to shoppers. Even in the supermarket era of the 1950s it drew about 20,000 visitors a day in peak season.
In 1917 the Rochester Dental Dispensary opened at 800 East Main Street as a public dental clinic funded by George Eastman. The Italian Renaissance style building by Gordon, Madden and Kaelber was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and after sitting empty for years it has been redeveloped as the Eastman Gardens apartments.
The area was long known by its ward numbers or simply as the Public Market area, and the name Marketview Heights came into use in the 1970s. Between 2015 and 2017 the market added a new indoor B Shed and an outdoor D Shed that mirrors the original 1905 structure, and in 2019 a restored 1905-era horse fountain was set in a new courtyard.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1905 | The Rochester Public Market opens at 280 North Union Street. |
| 1913 | The market begins allowing direct sales to shoppers. |
| 1917 | The Rochester Dental Dispensary, funded by George Eastman, opens on East Main Street. |
| 1983 | The dispensary building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. |
| 2019 | A restored National Humane Alliance horse fountain is unveiled at the market on September 28. |
Did you know?
When the market opened on North Union Street in 1905 it sold wholesale to local grocers, and one of them was John Wegman, co-founder of what became the Wegmans supermarket chain.
The homes in Marketview Heights today
Expect late nineteenth and early twentieth century wood-frame houses, both single-family and multi-family, set close together on narrow lots. Newer infill houses and loft-style apartments in converted buildings add to the mix.
Historic designation
No neighborhood historic district found. The Eastman Dental Dispensary at 800 East Main Street is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. What that means for an older Rochester home.
Landmarks and parks
- Rochester Public Market (280 North Union Street) - on this site since 1905 and the anchor the neighborhood is named for
- Eastman Dental Dispensary (800 East Main Street) - George Eastman’s 1917 public dental clinic, now apartments, on the National Register
- Market horse fountain - one of 125 granite fountains given by the National Humane Alliance, restored and installed in 2019
Buying a home in Marketview Heights
Fall for the house, then do the homework. These are the first things we check here, on top of the usual inspection:
- Houses here sit close together on narrow lots, so get a survey and check driveway, fence and eave encroachments with neighbors.
- If the property is or was a multi-family rental, confirm the legal unit count and Certificate of Occupancy with the City.
- Visit on a Public Market day to see how traffic and parking work on your block.
- 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 Marketview Heights
Buyers who search for Marketview Heights are often looking for exactly what makes it Marketview Heights: the homes, the history and places like Rochester Public Market (280 North Union Street). 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 Marketview Heights home worth?
Marketview Heights FAQ
Where is Marketview Heights?
Marketview Heights is in the northeast 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 Marketview Heights?
Expect late nineteenth and early twentieth century wood-frame houses, both single-family and multi-family, set close together on narrow lots. Newer infill houses and loft-style apartments in converted buildings add to the mix.
Is Marketview Heights a historic district?
Yes. No neighborhood historic district found. The Eastman Dental Dispensary at 800 East Main Street is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
How do I find homes for sale in Marketview Heights?
Search current listings on our team site, or tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll set up a search for Marketview Heights and the neighborhoods around it.
Sources
- City of Rochester: Public Market history
- NY Daily Record: Neighborhood Focus, Marketview Heights (2009)
- National Park Service NPGallery: Eastman Dental Dispensary
- University of Rochester Miner Library: Eastman Dental Center records
- 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 Marketview Heights?
Buying or selling, tell us the street and we’ll tell you what we’d look at first.
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