Northwest Neighborhoods - Charlotte

Northwest Quadrant - Charlotte

0604078RY1087psResidents of the Charlotte (pronounced shar-lot) neighborhood enjoy the best of all possible worlds -- a scenic resort village situated inside a world-class city. A very active and cohesive Neighborhood Association completes the small-town feel.  In summer, locals and visitors flock to Ontario Park Beach, music concerts and special events like the Rochester Harbor and Carousel Festival. Each winter, the Lakeside Winter celebration draws hundreds to the "Chilly, Chili Challenge" and "Polar Plunge."

The Charlotte Community  Association, founded in 1962, ranks among the largest and oldest neighborhood groups in the city. It is ever watchful of the environmental and historical assets within its boundaries, which begin on the east at the Genesee River, reach west to the boundary of the Town of Greece, south to historic 19th century Holy Sepulcre and Riverside cemeteries, and ends north at Lake Ontario.

First, home to Seneca Indians, then European settlers, the confluence of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River forms a natural port that attracted international trade until the War of 1812. Later, its commercial usefulness diminished with the arrival of the Erie Canal in 1823. Undaunted, Charlotte rebounded to become "The Coney Island of the West" as hotels, cottages, and a small amusement park edged the shoreline. One one Fourth of July in the late 1800's, 20,000 people arrived for a day at the beach. In 1905, a genuine Dentzel menagerie carousel was built and "The Dutchess" remains a landmark today as one of only 14 "antique menagerie carousels in the United States."

Ororke-bridgeBy 1916, the village of Charlotte was annexed into Rochester and a neighborhood was born. Houses on its residential streets range from large turn-of-the-century homes and small cottages alongside post World War II houses and apartment complexes.

Architectural landmarks include the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Museum and Tower (the first lighthouse was built in 1822, and replaced in 1862) and the Charlotte Library (1919).

An aging Stutson Street bridge was replaced in 2004 by the Colonel Patrick O'Rorke Memorial Bridge, which honors Irish immigrant and Union a Union Colonel killed in the Civil War.

Restaurants that line Lake Avenue, the neighborhoods main thoroughfare, include fine and casual dining. The first Abbot's Frozen Custard, a Rochester institution since 1902, is located across from Ontario Beach. Some restaurants have given new life to historic buildings, like Hose 22 Firehouse Grill.

Turning-Point-boardwalkImportant green spaces within the neighborhood include Turning Point Park Trail and Rain Garden on the Genesee River. The Genesee River Trail was  designated as a national recreation trail in 2006 in its southern route from downtown Rochester to the port.

Charlotte Business Association The Charlotte Business Association's goal is to connect and foster positive relationships as we serve our members with quick access to pertinent information, resources, grants, partnerships, and events. In doing this work, we aim to better connect our community and the region we serve as, we enhance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within the workplace and beyond.  Their Mission is to help businesses grow locally and remain competitive in an increasingly complex economy while staying connected with the community they serve.