Amid safety success, the East End event zone’s age limit was decreased

Rochester, New York – In an effort to attract more people to the East End on Saturday nights, the City of Rochester is prepared to reduce the age limit for the East End Special Event Zone.

Following violent incidents in the region, and with the Mayor’s approval under the current Gun Violence State of Emergency, Rochester police established checkpoints and blocked traffic on a number of streets.

By the end of September, patrons had to be at least 21 years old to enter.

The special events zone was commended by Mayor Malik Evans.

“Not a single open container in the past month,” Mayor Evans stated close to the intersection of Alexander Street and East Avenue. “There haven’t been any shooting occurrences. There haven’t been any violent occurrences, and the area is now more pedestrian-friendly due to the reduction in cars.”

Evans stated on Friday, October 25, that the city is prepared to drop the age requirement.

According to Evans, “18-year-olds probably will be happy, right?” “We’re going to let 18-year-olds into the zone this weekend, but the security will continue.”

Despite fewer patrons, people feel comfortable, according to Blake Gianniny, owner of four businesses along the bar strip.

“We were kind of…perhaps an unsustainable path earlier this summer,” stated Gianniny. “And despite a dip in the number of people coming down here at the moment, all of these changes, everybody that does come down here looks at them as positive.”

However, bar owner Don Swartz reports a sharp decline in sales.

“(In) four weeks we’re down — easily 40 to 45% business,” stated Swartz. “And that’s true with a lot of other businesses along this strip within the city’s safe zone, or party zone, or whatever they’re calling it.”

According to Swartz, the technique is incorrect, but the detail is a plus.

“I think some people don’t want to go through a checkpoint with identification, have their bags searched, have their bodies patted down in order just to walk down the street there.”

According to Mayor Evans, the city has no intention of discontinuing the security detail. According to him, the agreement would continue to include weekly meetings between company owners and representatives from the Mayor’s Office. Gianniny estimates that between 1000 and 1,700 people visit the bar sector every weekend.