OLIN is leading a multi-disciplinary consultant team to plan, design, and implement a new urban State Park focused on the iconic, historic High Falls in Downtown Rochester. Building on years of grassroots advocacy and public planning through the City’s RoC the Riverway initiative, High Falls State Park will provide inclusive access to a historic and wild landscape in the heart of Rochester. The site features the Genesee River, a dramatic gorge, industrial relics, and layers of cultural history—a landscape rich in experiences and stories.
The Framework Plan, completed in 2025, embodies priorities for ecology, equity, heritage, connectivity, and programming identified through a robust process of community and stakeholder engagement. In addition to a physical design and phased implementation plan, the OLIN team is assisting New York State Parks and Empire State Development in establishing strategies for site remediation, property acquisition, revenue generation, management, operations, and maintenance.
The first phase of High Falls State Park, the three-acre High Falls Terrace, will establish a major gateway linking downtown Rochester to the gorge, the Pont de Renne pedestrian bridge, and the Genesee Brewery. Terrace Park features a cantilevered overlook with views of the falls, a nature-themed playground, and the Heritage Walk, an interpretive walk dedicated to Rochester’s immigrant and migrant history. High Falls Terrace is expected to break ground in Fall 2026 and open in 2027.
