The RRCDC continues to work with CURB and City of Rochester to develop ARTwalk, which
received the "Uncommonly Good Award" for design.
> See Our Work
What is a community design center?
A community design center is a not for profit organization run by volunteers, architects, and design professionals. It serves as a resource for the surrounding region to promote community, sustainability, and good planning. A design center hosts public education events, lecture series, community charrettes, and also assists governments in implementing vision plans.
What Is a Design Charretts?
"The object of the Charrette is to produce results on paper in the form of drawings and plans. The object is not to produce verbiage." - James Howard Kunstler
The charrette is an intense planning process that involves all interested parties to address community design problems holistically and create collaborative solutions. The charrette is an opportunity for community members to gather with design professionals to dream and discuss ways to improve their communities and neighborhoods. On the day of the charrette dreams are sketched: more trees here, a new park here, remove this intersection. The RRCDC is committed to the charrette process as the antidote to conventional top down planning practices, which commonly result in controversy and delay. The charrette process builds public trust and support for transformative community change.
How can I make a Charrette happen in my own community?
Contact the RRCDC for assistance initiating a charrette. The first step is to form a steering committee consisting of interested stakeholders. Then the geographic focus areas and schedule are defined. The planning process for a charrette can take 6 to 8 months and the RRCDC assists with facilitating these processes.
Who is eligible to facilitate charrettes?
RRCDC has over 50 volunteer design professionals who facilitate at each charrette.
How can I volunteer/sponsor/donate?
We have numerous opportunities for volunteers ranging from helping out at our lecture series or conferences to assisting with projects at the office. We will be happy to accommodate your preference for hours and schedule. Feel free to call us or stop in with questions.
We encourage both private sponsors and businesses to support our events.
RRCDC is a 501c3 non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible.
What is the composition of the RRCDC board?
All RRCDC Board members are licensed design professionals. Executive Director Joni Monroe, Board President Roger Brown, Board Vice President Dean Biancavilla, Board Secretary Timothy Raymond and Board Members Craig Jensen and Al Pardi are Registered Architects. Board Treasurer Malinda Gaskamp is a Registered Landscape Architect.
What is the Public Realm?
"These two words describe that part of the built environment that gives a community its life, defines its character, fosters its economic vitality, embodies its spirit, reflects its heritage, and creates its identity." -RRCDC President Roger Brown
The Public Realm includes streets, parks, corridors, open spaces, sidewalks, and buildings which are open to the public. The Public Realm defines a city, and the RRCDC believes it is important for the community to have input in their Public Realm through the charrette planning process.
What is a vision plan?
A vision plan details the results-ideas, drawings, and maps-from a charrette. The RRCDC organizes the vision plan in an easily accessible format for the town to hold and use. A vision plan is the basis for strategic planning so that government, businesses, and residents can collectively make their dreams reality.
What is civic engagement?
Civic engagement is about nurturing community and recognizing that we are all community members and need to consider community issues our own. Civic engagement is individuals coming together to donate time and energy to the betterment of the common experience.
A community design charrette is the epitome of civic engagement. By working together before, during, and after the charrette event, the process of improving both the physical and non-physical aspects of the community begins.
What role does the city play?
RRCDC is an independent non-profit organization not affiliated with any level of government. We are a resource for the City of Rochester and the surrounding towns and villages of Monroe County and the nine county region of Greater Rochester. City, town and village governments, along with neighborhood associations and similar groups may contract with RRCDC for specific projects and services.
How long does it take to create a vision plan?
It usually takes about five months to translate the drawings produced at a charrette event into a vision plan. During this time there will be a number of meetings with the charrette steering committee and the public to review the progress of the plan and to incorporate feedback from the committee and the public into the plan.
What happens after a charrette?
The charrette Steering Committee meets for follow-up and summary after a charrette. The RRCDC Design Team reviews the charrette results and translates them into a vision plan for physical transformation. Finally, the charrette results are presented to the public. This post-charrette work is a valuable process; it is important to take sufficient time to build strong relationships among neighborhood residents, businesses, and elected officials.
Does Rochester have a vision plan?
Yes. Rochester’s Center City Master Plan was developed by the city’s Bureau of Planning utilizing many of the concepts from the 2000 Downtown Charrette facilitated by RRCDC. The Center City Master Plan calls for a more walkable downtown with fewer one-way streets, more pocket parks and removal of the Inner Loop. The 2000 Charrette also called for a more design based zoning code. The city’s new zoning code, adopted in 2003, includes city-wide design standards and series of downtown design districts where the functional uses of buildings are deregulated while the designs of buildings are more closely regulated. This is meant to encourage a vibrant mixed-use downtown and to improve the public realm through the recognition that building frontages along streets are a crucial component of the public realm. RRCDC facilitated a second downtown charrette in early 2007. The final results of that charrette will be used to refine and update the Center City Master Plan.
How is community revitalization funded?
The RRCDC is funded by state and city grants, as well as Multi Model and Main Street grants. The Council on the Arts and Genesee Transportation Corporation provide additional support. To secure funding for implementation of vision plans, the RRCDC assists communities in the grant seeking process.
Can vision plans legally control future development?
Vision plans are not legally binding. They are a resource, not a law. However, eventually the city may develop the ideas from the vision plan into code.
What should I do if I can't find the answer to my question on this website?
You can contact the RRCDC by sending an email to info@rrcdc.org or by calling us at (585) 271-0520.