60 Browns Race Design Proposal

Concept Statement

Historic 60 Browns Race in downtown Rochester is currently occupied by the restaurant and banquet facility, La Luna. This project aims to create both commercial and residential spaces for the building while also focusing on the sustainability of the site. The commercial space will be a spa and salon that services both the public and customers of La Luna. One of the services this spa will offer are two small apartments available to be rented out on the 3rd and 4th floors near the other 3 middle income residential apartments.

Both the residential and commercial spaces in this project will be sustainable. In order to help improve the lives of those in these spaces, nature and other biophilic patterns will be incorporated. They will be organized in a way to reduce stress and make people feel relaxed. A small enclosed reading nook will also be added in the residential apartments that will provide a small getaway to help reduce the stress of our everyday lives.

In addition to the residential and commercial spaces of this site, I have several other proposals for the surrounding areas. There is a small parking lot near 60 Browns Race that could be converted into a small park to provide more green space. In addition, more trees and other greenery would be added along the streets of High Falls. The Genesee Gorge is also a crucial part to this plan. The gorge has so much potential if opened to the public. It can be turned into a big park for events and other gatherings. Doing this would attract more people to the High Falls area. Businesses would thrive and more people would want to live in this area.

Sustainability Statement

Currently, the High Falls area is not very sustainable. There are many ways to fix this including planting more trees along the streets and sidewalks. Another way to make the High Falls area more sustainable would be to turn one of the parking lots between 60 Browns Race and Hunt Architects into a small park. Grass and trees would be added along with picnic benches and other seating. Outdoor games like chess tables or even a scavenger hunt could also be added to create a reason for people to want to go there and create a reason for them to stay. For the gorge to become viewable from this park a few trees would have to be removed but the number removed would be far less than the number of trees going into the park or in the surrounding area. Parking could also be added either onto the parking garage that exists in High Falls or create another small parking garage out of one of the parking lots to accommodate people’s vehicles while there.

Opening the gorge to everyone and creating a path to get down to the gorge is also important. The slope down into the gorge is not as steep near Volt Place so it could be made so that the slope is very gradual which would allow people to get down into the gorge. A narrow path out of concrete or some other hard material could be created towards the edge of the wall of the gorge but I propose that the rest of the slope just have more grass planted so you can walk down into the gorge wherever on this slope. Down in the gorge picnic benches and some other spaces with roofs would be created.