Downtown ROCs!

Life on every street. Beauty in every space.

Our Mission

Beautifying Downtown Rochester

Transforming spaces, one garden at a time.

See Our Impact

Community in Action

Volunteers, artists, and neighbors working together.

See Projects

Now on Main Street!

Our new home in the heart of downtown Rochester.

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Rochester Comes Alive

A vibrant downtown for all 1.1 million of us.

Support Us

We're just like you — We ❀ Downtown! That's because we believe that a healthy, vibrant & beautiful downtown Rochester is essential to the prosperity of our entire region — all 1.1 million of us!

Replacing Blight with Beauty

Our mission is to revitalize downtown Rochester through transformative beautification and placemaking projects that replace blight with beauty.

We achieve this through efforts such as litter removal, flower planting, public art, and other placemaking and "tactical urbanism" projects.

By collaborating with downtown residents and stakeholders, we develop "win-win" partnerships that help downtown realize its true potential as the beating heart of our community.

1.3K+ Followers & Supporters
2018 Founded
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
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Beautiful flower planter in downtown Rochester
Downtown ROCs founder Mike Gilbert

The City. Beautiful.

The seed for Downtown ROCs was planted in 2018, when Mike Gilbert looked out the window of his new 4th floor downtown office and noticed a small unkempt park.

Overgrown with weeds, it was bordered on two sides by chain link fence. Garbage was strewn across a path leading to a statue, the view of which was swallowed by two rows of overgrown hedges.

Something had to be done.

So two weeks later, armed with rakes, shovels and bags, a dozen volunteers gave Schiller Park a much-needed makeover.

And so began a mission to beautify and activate downtown Rochester… One small space at a time.

Read the Full Story

Before & After Downtown Rochester

Downtown Rochester is a pretty cool place. But its potential is limitless! Where some see blight, we see an opportunity to create beauty.

"Where others see decay, we see the potential to do something spectacular. Whether it's a worn-out bench, an empty tree well, or just a nondescript street pole, every space represents a blank slate — a canvas on which to create… and a chance to do something great!"

Floral mural on building

Public Art & Murals

Transforming blank walls into vibrant works of art that celebrate Rochester's spirit and beauty.

Midge Thomas Community Garden

Community Gardens

Creating green spaces that bring neighbors together and add natural beauty to urban streetscapes.

Beautiful roses in downtown garden

Flower Planting

Seasonal flower installations that brighten corners, bus stops, and public spaces throughout downtown.

Restored painted bench

Bench Restorations

Giving new life to worn-out benches and street furniture, making downtown more welcoming for everyone.

Community volunteers

Litter Removal

Regular cleanup rounds with dedicated volunteers keeping downtown Rochester clean and inviting.

Downtown ROCs Main Street office

Storefront Makeovers

Activating Main Street with beautiful window displays and a welcoming presence at the heart of downtown.

A Sampling of Our Projects

Midge Thomas Community Garden Mural on Liberty Pole Way Bench Restorations at East & Chestnut Mums on Andrews Street Tree Well on Pleasant Street Planters outside 40 Franklin St. Benches Restored on Woodbury Marigolds on Andrews St. Play Library at Liberty Pole Plaza East Ave Makeover Greyhound Bus Stop Benches Behind the War Memorial Schiller Park Makeover St. Joseph's Park Landscaping Main Street Storefront Makeover

A Special Birthday for a Special Woman

Help Us Honor Midge's 99th!

This summer we are recognizing the life and contributions of Mrs. Margaret "Midge" Thomas with the creation of a new Community Garden in her name.

You can help make this garden a reality with a tax-deductible gift towards this project that will beautify and inspire the very neighborhood Midge still calls home.

Help Build Midge's Community Garden
Mrs. Margaret 'Midge' Thomas
Downtown ROCs new Main Street office

We're Now on Main Street!

As 2025 draws to a close, we're excited to share that we are firmly planting our flag in downtown Rochester with a new physical office right on Main Street!

This storefront serves as a tangible example of our mission to beautify and activate downtown by contributing to the aesthetic appeal of the streetscape.

Thanks to support from RDDC's Outdoor DΓ©cor Grant Program, we were able to create a beautiful window display that showcases our work and invites the community in.

Visit Us:
318 Main St. E
Rochester, NY 14604

What People Are Saying

Love your mission.

— Barb & Tony Glassman

It is amazing what you all are doing!

— Michael Mills

It makes me so happy to see the good work Downtown ROCs is doing — both the hands on work and the advocacy!

— Irene Allen

Thank you for the hard work and dedication to our wonderful city!

— Rich Ignizio

We appreciate all you do to maintain and beautify the neighborhood!

— Nicholas (neighbor)

Every bit of beauty and care makes our downtown a better place to live and visit. Thank you!

— Community Member

Wow, what you did looks very nice. Thank you so much and God bless you, my friend.

— Sammy

We believe in incremental downtown improvements.

— Downtown Supporter

Partner With Us

We are always interested in talking about downtown Rochester. If you have an idea for a collaboration, or would like to participate in a Downtown ROCs project, we'd love to talk!

Contact Downtown ROCs

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Address
318 Main St. E
Rochester, NY 14604
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