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Permalink Reply by Christopher Ives on July 8, 2011 at 9:22am

This is pretty sad.

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Permalink Reply by Margy Meath on July 8, 2011 at 9:58am

wow Mark.... that is really, really sad and scary!!  I am curious about many things - doors being locked but customers still inside? (sounds more like a private 'club' setting). Ignoring your plea for help?? WHY???

I hope you will follow up with the Thurston Road Business Association and Sector4 CDC re: this. Perhaps Adam McFadden should also be notified of this behavior given his advocacy for local bar/club owners and discussions we have had about bars/clubs during "street watch". I am glad you weren't hurt by the apparent criminal looking for money!! I hate to think what COULD have happened if the guy looking for money had decided to become more aggressive.....

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Permalink Reply by Marian Boutet on July 8, 2011 at 4:52pm

I believe it too.  Thurston Road personifies "going to hell in  a handbasket."

 

I hope you notified Lt. Dearcop.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on July 8, 2011 at 8:54pm

I have not notified anyone other than the members of this group, with my post.  I assume everyone else mentioned, except Lt. Dearcop, views Location19.  Margy, re:the person looking for money, I told him he was crazy if he thought I had any!  I told him I did not have a penney in my pocket.  True.  I would never walk around there with my wallet, as that was once stolen from me in the parking lot at was once Skip's Meat Market (at the time,) now another clothing store which is useless to me, as I would rather have meat at a price below Wegmans.  Oh, well.

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Permalink Reply by Margy Meath on July 8, 2011 at 9:06pm

Mark - just as an FYI, I posted your information re: the incident on the 19th Ward Crime Watch Facebook page - i did not indicate your name, just described the events that took place. Hopefully, it's a warning to people re: the the presence of panhandlers/possible car break-ins.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Joan Roby-Davison on July 11, 2011 at 3:30pm

I was sick much of last week and did not have any opportunity to respond to this posting until today, so I apologize for the lateness of my response.

 

The Thurston Bar & Grill received a grant through the City of Rochester, and I spent a great deal of time working with the owner and his employees on the project.  Many of the employees are neighborhood residents, and the owner(s) have made a significant investment beyond the city grant.  When I've stopped in, the business has been busy, mostly with neighborhood residents as customers.   Not all businesses have chosen to make any kind of improvements.  Patty Nelson, one of the owners of the Thurston Bar & Grill, has committed hours of her time to making Thurston Road a better place for businesses and customers as a volunteer with the Thurston Brooks Merchants Association and in coordinating the "Ease on down Thurston Road" event in May. 

 

I will follow up on this incident with the owners, and with Lt. Dearcop, as public safety on Thurston Road is an on-going struggle and challenge for both the residents and the businesses.  I certainly wish that the incident had not happened - and I am grateful that you were not injured, and no cars (apparently) were broken into.  If I get any information that can be shared, I will post it.

 

Several more businesses will begin facade improvements in the next few weeks as we continue to work on improvements to Thurston Road.   I would be more than happy to work with residents, businesses, the 19th Ward Public Safety Committee and RPD to find additional strategies to improve the safety on Thurston.  We will not succeed in revitalizing the street with facade improvements - we need to change the image and safety of the street. 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on July 11, 2011 at 11:30pm

I was extremely angry when I sent out this post, for obvious reasons, and I do not wish to diminish the work of Patty Nelson, who I met at the "Ease on down Thurston" event.  I also am extremely glad for the improvements made at the business, as it looks much better. 

 

Maybe the employees just need to be a little more sensative to what is going on, and that when someone is repeatedly rapping on the door with a loud noise, they might investigate.   Especially when they are signaling to call 911.  Since I was mailing a letter at the Post Office, this just happened to be the first place I came to where we might have been able to get police assistance.   The fact that the bar was full of people and the door was locked was not cause for someone not to see what the problem was.  I am not singling out the bartender, but also the customers who were sitting right by the door.

 

Thanks Joan.

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Permalink Reply by Joan Roby-Davison on July 12, 2011 at 9:52am

I don't go out very often at night, other than to neighborhood meetings.  I can't remember the last time I was in ANY bar at night.....

 

I receive complaints about other establishments in the neighborhood, with loud noise, fights, motorcycles, whatever, but have gotten none about the Thurston Bar & Grill.   I spent last evening supporting residents in the South Plymouth area who are trying to control a mini market that has created havoc with litter, drug activity and noise. 

 

For those of you who want to see Thurston Road prosper, and return to being a vibrant neighborhood commercial area, support the businesses there that you believe are important.  That may include businesses like So Ambitious, a boutique run by a lovely young lady, or Ali's Tailor Shop, a business that chose to STAY on Thurston Road in spite of any challenges.  

 

Hunt's Hardware, Crowley Plumbing, barbershops and bars have been on Thurston Road for many, many years.  Lets identify problems, and strategies to solve them, and to attack a business for this one incident (bad as it was) perpetuates the stereotype that nothing good is happening on Thurston Road.  That's unfair to the many business owners who are working hard to change both the appearance and reputation of the street, including the owner (George) of the Thurston Bar and Grill.  

 

I will reach out to Lt. Dearcop to see what more can be done on Thurston Road to improve the safety for residents, businesses, their employees and customers.   We know that there are problems with drug activity near the Y, with property conditions along the street, and we are working with NSC to address those problems.  

 

The Thurston Brooks Merchants Association is already planning events for next year, with a date already picked for the next "Ease on Down Thurston Road".  The businesses and the TBMA support the 19th Ward Square Fair.  If there are problems, by all means let us know about them so we can help address those problems.  But don't forget that there are good things happening, and a lot of people working to turn Thurston Road around. 

 

If you want to get more involved, join the Thurston Road public safety group coordinated by Adam McFadden, or PCIC, or PAC-TAC.  Or, give Don Hanks a call at our office with your ideas.  The commercial areas will only survive and thrive if the neighborhood surrounding them is healthy and thriving.   I believe that we can make that happen.

 

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Permalink Reply by Diane Watkins on July 14, 2011 at 7:06pm

Very good points Joan. Personally, I do not feel afraid to walk there but I am only one block away.

Does anyone know what all the hoopla (police activity) was at the 400 building yestersday? Or with the police and ambulances in the 600 block of Post yesterday?

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Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on August 4, 2011 at 12:11am

I called 911 a few nights ago due to excessive noise at 1:45 AM.  I could hear it in my bedroom, trying to sleep, from a half-block away.  People outside the bar screaming at each other.  People then walking down my street to their cars, shouting at each other.  People saying leave, the police are here.  What a lovely morning!  It was way after 2 before I finally got back to sleep. 

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