Ribbon Cutting Marks Major Milestone for Greenwood Project’s Neighborhood HUB

On Friday, August 8, 2025, Connected Communities celebrated the ribbon cutting of its new Neighborhood HUB at 616 N. Goodman Street, marking a significant milestone for the Greenwood Project, a multi-phase community revitalization effort in Rochester’s EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods. The HUB is a stylish and welcoming space for residents and neighborhood organizations to gather, learn, and connect.

The Greenwood Project is one of the Regional Revitalization Partnership’s (RRP) signature investments, designed to empower community members to lead revitalization efforts in neighborhoods and along commercial corridors. Under the leadership of Dr. LaShunda Leslie-Smith, the Connected Communities team has served as a strong “community quarterback” in advancing this work.

The project has been made possible through the support of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, ESL Federal Credit Union, New York State, and other local partners. OneROC, serving as the RRP intermediary, was represented at the ceremony by President and CEO Joseph Stefko, who joined community leaders in celebrating this transformative investment.

The Greenwood Project’s work will continue with the opening of the Connect Lab on September 5, 2025, also supported by the Regional Revitalization Partnership. The Lab will focus on fostering local entrepreneurship.

About the Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP)

The Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP) is a $300M comprehensive economic development strategy and public-private partnership that maximizes impact and leverages additional investment for Buffalo’s East Side, Niagara Falls and Rochester. This community-driven, collaborative strategy takes a holistic approach to economic development and is designed to build community wealth through multiple paths. The RRP was developed in collaboration with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development (ESD) and is supported by ESL, Evans Bank, Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation, Five Star Bank, John R. Oishei Foundation, KeyBank/First Niagara Foundation, William & Sheila Konar Foundation, M&T Bank, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and partners in the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester. RRP program implementation is led by the Center for Regional Strategies.