Boasting one of the most walkable and comfortable retail and restaurant corridors in all of Rochester, Park Avenue holds a prestigious reputation as THE neighborhood to stroll, eat, drink, and enjoy life.

History abounds right under the surface: as you walk down the avenue you might wonder why there are so many bends and turns. Until 1875, Park Avenue was actually three streets: the original Park Avenue ran from Alexander Street to Goodman Street, Crescent Street ran between Vick Park A and B, and Bates Street (named for an early East Avenue resident) ran from Barrington toward Culver Road.

Another bend in the history of Park Avenue, is the literal bend between Vick Park A and B. James Vick was a prominent business man and successful seed dispensary owner, furthering Rochester as the Flower City. In the 1860s, he purchased the old Union Race Course for horse-racing, eventually developing it into residential streets. The bends where Vick Park and Park Avenue meet, are the original bends of the race track.

Lastly, but not least of what this storied neighborhood has to offer, is the neighborhood we know, is actually three. Park Meigs (Alexander St. to Vick Park A), Park Central (Vick Park A to Culver Rd.), and the ABC Streets (Culver Rd. to East Ave.) are officially recognized with their own associations. ABC Streets is probably the most recognizable, as its collection of residential streets includes an alphabetical feature of inventors, naturalists, and scientists (Audubon, Beverly, Calumet, Colby, Darwin, Ericsson, Faraday, Girard and Homer).

A unique and diverse architectural set of store-fronts (their famous row of retail and restaurants), palomino horse hair coloring (for the Union Race Track), and an inky dark aqua (the written accomplishments and discoveries of ABC streets namesakes) commemorate the three chosen highlights of this unique neighborhood.

Rochester's long stretching network of trolley routes serviced the far reaches of the city; The 300 line of Park and Dewey avenue traveled from East Avenue, through the heart of the Park Avenue neighborhoods, and northwest through Center City into the Maplewood neighborhood..