Business Owners Expressing Growing Concerns Over Mayor’s “Special Events Zone” on East Avenue

Venetto Pizza & Pasta and Aqua Vite are two businesses located in Rochester's "Special Events Zone" section of East Avenue - Photo from Google Maps

Editor’s note: This article has been updated (Dec. 12, 2024, 6:56 a.m.) to include information and perspectives from the city of Rochester’s Bureau of Communications and Special Events Director, Barbara Pierce.

Business owners on East Avenue are having mixed reactions towards Mayor Evan’s “Special Events Zone”. While many feel the program has positive aspects, most are becoming concerned about the impact it is having on their bottom-line.

The business owners in the area say they want to meet with Evans to discuss the program, especially the revenue losses they are sustaining.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans established the “Special Events Zone”—East Avenue and Alexander Street—back in September after several shooting incidents in the area. The program includes blocking off certain streets, checking bags, and frisking patrons entering the “zone”. Additionally, access was limited to those over the age of 21, and photo identification was required. Evans said the initiative was a way to curb violence and improve safety for bars and restaurants in the area. 

Since its establishment and watching for results of the project over a time frame Evans feels the project has been successful with no violence or gunfire in the East End.

In recent weeks the city had decided to allow 18-year-olds back into the area and lift the ID requirements.

“Overnight, the public drinking, hanging out and parking lots, and just general loitering in the area completely went away,” said Blake Gianniny, one East End property owner.

But Don Schwartz, owner of Venetto Pizza & Pasta on East Avenue, says the initiative is costing some businesses as much as 50% or more in sales on the weekends.

“No one wants to go into an area where there are a lot of police cars or they have to be frisked, having personal items touched.” Schwartz said.

Schwartz says the initiative is pushing business to Park Avenue on the weekends. “They’re getting most of the business that otherwise we would be receiving on the East Avene,” he said.

Additionally, Schwartz said he wasn't in agreement with the act of officers frisking those who were allowed in the area or being ID'd—Mayor Evans halted the ID requirements a few weeks ago.

“A bunch of us [business owners] met and we are weighing our options,” Schwarts said. “We’re hoping to get a meeting with the mayor sometime next week to hash this out.”

Schwartz, who also owns Aqua Vite—a bar he opened next door to his restaurant—says the main concern for businesses is the revenues they are losing.

“If this was in any other area of the city it would be a big problem,” he said.

John Diamantopoulos, owner of Johnny’s Irish Pub says the revenue losses are real, but he appreciates the effort Evans is putting into keeping the area safe.

“It’s a balancing act,” he said. “My general consensus is that it’s helping with the law and order down here but during this learning curve the businesses are suffering. It’s a long payoff.”

"It's crucial that the Mayor meet with us and find a resolution to these concerns," noted Schwartz. "Otherwise we will need to seek some other legal remedies."

But the city’s Bureau of Communications and Special Events Director, Barbara Pierce says the administration has been very open to hearing from business owners.

“In fact, we have held a standing meeting with business owners from the area since we first implemented street closures – the meetings started weekly and more recently have effectively become biweekly,” she said. “Senior administration officials attend from our end, and the Mayor himself has attended at least twice. The administration has been very open to hearing from business owners – but not all of them attend these meetings.”

Pierce also noted that the safety measures in question are in place for four hours per weekend—from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday nights only.

“I think that’s an important detail,” she said.

Additionally, Pierce pushed back on the use of the word “frisking”. “[It] is not part of the setup,” she said. “Searching/limiting bags and wanding are – by private, contracted security. Private security guards, not police, have always been the ones to search bags, wand patrons, and ensure weapons are not being brought into the area.”

Lastly, she said that the administration is consistent in their policies related to areas of the city where significant numbers of people gather.

“We are treating this area as we would any large special event where crowds of this size come together,” she said.