You’ll find a few differences in the print edition you’re reading – most significantly, the size of our pages, which are now 1 inch shorter.
The cause: the 30 percent tariff the Trump administration imposed on Canadian newsprint earlier this year.
Most newsprint used by US newspapers comes from Canada, and that includes the paper on which CITY is printed. Shorter pages use less paper, which will reduce our costs.
To fit that smaller page size, we’ve made a few adjustments to the design of some pages. And the length of articles on some pages is slightly less. (My weekly Urban Journal, for instance, will be about 580 words rather than 645 words.)
For the most part, though, we haven’t eliminated content. Among the exceptions: Some weeks ago we dropped the syndicated horoscope feature. We’ve sometimes eliminated listings of continuing art exhibits, but they’re always in our online calendar.
And with great regret, we have stopped publishing Home Work, a half-page feature produced by the Landmark Society, for which we have donated space for more than 20 years. We know that Home Work has been a popular feature, and both we and the Landmark Society hope to find a way to bring back it back.
Taking these steps has enabled us to get costs down without impacting the journalism we’ve provided for the past 47 years.
We welcome and encourage your comments – about these changes and anything else that’s on your mind.
Speaking of which…
Our major article this week looks at one of the most important downtown development issues city officials have grappled with in decades: what to do with Parcel 5. That empty lot has been the focus of officials’ attention since Midtown Plaza was demolished in 2010. Proposals for new development often become controversial, but this one has had a particularly high profile, because of its prominent downtown location and the development proposal itself.
Parcel 5’s future is now even more uncertain now, because of the FBI’s investigation into one of the developers, Morgan Communities. Mayor Lovely Warren believes that developing the lot can boost other downtown development, though, and It’s likely that she’ll continue to push for it.
The final decision will be made by City Council. In our look at Parcel 5 this week, we lay out the stands taken by Warren’s principal chosen developer, the Rochester Broadway Theatre League, as well as those of the critics. And we talk with the developer Warren first chose for the site, and then changed her mind: Andy Gallina.
The discussion shouldn’t stop there, though. As Grove Place resident Suzanne Mayer told us: “We need to be able to talk to each other about this and what’s best for this community.”
“I think it’s important to have a community conversation,” Mayer said.
She’s right. We hope you’ll take part in that, by letting city officials hear from you – and by letting us hear from you.
Public conversation on key public issues – local and national – has always been important, and it’s particularly important now. And yet Americans have been withdrawing, talking to themselves and to people who share their opinions. That’s a failure of citizenship, and it’s undermining democracy.
We hope you’ll share your thoughts, about Parcel 5 and other issues. We’re happy to pass them on, in our print edition’s Feedback section, in our online comments section, and on our Facebook page.
Do be civil, of course.
This article appears in Jul 11-17, 2018.
“We hope you’ll share your thoughts, about Parcel 5 and other issues.”
Let me, again, suggest a movie review of “Won’t you be my Neighbor” about the work of Mister Fred Roberts. It is still playing at the Little and at the Pittsford Cinema theaters.
As far as I know, one Rochester publication has reviewed this Rogers film, so I think it would be great to encourage people to see it, while it is still in town.
Second, I wonder if City News has anything to say about the expansion of the Strong Museum of Play. Perhaps the Strong could serve as a magnet to get more people downtown, at no additional cost to tax payers, with no risk, etc.
City News does incredible things and I wish you good luck with changes, But please stay open to outside ideas. Your initial reactions may be negative, but you can change your mind, right?
http://www.SavingSchools.org
Strong Museum of Play isn’t really getting an expansion, which is much needed, but just adding a parking lot and a hotel, neither of which is really needed.
And Parcel 5 has been empty for the last 4-5 years without construction. Grass would would grown great in that time.
Dear David4, Here is the Strong Museum $60 million story:
https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story…
You can decide for yourself if it just about added parking, etc.
Why would they do such a thing?
Why not be optimistic? What does City News have to say on this project?
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THANKS H
To Harry Pearle and David4: we’ve written about the Strong expansion plans (which do indeed include additional space at the museum) several times since it was announced nearly two years ago. The full complex will include the museum expansion, the hotel, a residential building, and parking.
If Parcel 5 is so valuable, then why is it still empty? We can’t even give it away and it seems we essentially have to pay out monthly installments to anyone who’ll take it.
In the meantime, Buffalo is running ads to get us over there. Empty is not good. A parking lot is better than an empty lot. What are we waiting for?
The city desperately needs a “central park”….an open space of green grass…parameter trees and venue space for year round festivals…concerts….community gatherings…German Fest and other regional events. This park will enrich the area and create economic value for adjacent property. The cost to develop as a park is low yet the return of investment will be immense!
The Gallina proposal for Parcel 5 was unique: Primarily condominiums. That is an important balance to all that new rental housing. It also made room for an open space park of appropriate size for Rochester. The arrangement on the site needs public exposure. Theater’s don’t belong at the 100% location because they are dark most of the time. Other sites have been examined, but the city’s consultant report was buried. Resurrect it! I doubt that ticket sales can be increased dramatically, as claimed, because a new theater will mean higher prices. Exchange St south of Court, already city owned, seems quite appropriate, and can be integrated into the exciting proposed plans for West Broad Street and the aqueduct.
City paper has been around 47 years! Wow! I have been around for 39 of those years and have been an avid City reader since then (even back when it was a subscription service). I think we need to pause and thank the Towlers for the years of dedicated service to our community. Not many medium sized cities have such a city-focused paper. Dayton Ohio from whence I came certainly did not. A BIG thank you
I can’t believe that the press in this country- daily and weekly, legacy and alt- is taking this BS Trump attack on them. This arose from a complaint by a single US paper mill, owned by a Wall Street hedge fund; no other US mill or trade association asked for it. Buffalo’s Congressman Brian Higgins was one of many testifying at the International Trade Commission this week about how damaging this is. It’s a full frontal assault on the First Amendment- what part of “Congress shall make no law” don’t they understand?
Don’t tell Trump, but I like the smaller size of City.
So, Urban Journal will now contain 65 fewer words? Awesome! 10% less leftist twaddle each and every week! Thank you President Trump!