The Renaissance in Rochester, NY

Pros

• The Venue is a great place to live.
• Elise has been great from the start and is always helpful and friendly.
• Julie, the new manager, has been fantastic and has already made great changes in the building.
• The amenities are great, and the apartments are spacious and beautiful.
• Maintenance issues are taken care of quickly.
• The staff and management are responsive, helpful, and professional.
• The Venue community is welcoming and friendly.
• Samantha is wonderful during tours and goes above and beyond to assist.
• Olivia and Stephanie are caring and dependable staff members who support residents.
• The East Ave location is close to everything in Rochester.

Cons

• There is lots of animal urine in the hallway carpets and the maintenance team does not do their job.
• The management is a mess and was a no-show to scheduled walkthroughs, plus they billed rent after move-out and refused to refund the security deposit.
• The Venue is the absolute worst place to live in Rochester, with hallways smelling like rotting garbage and slow maintenance response.
• The front door was broken and stuck open, the apartment was dirty, dark, and in serious need of repairs.
• The property is a construction zone with no advance warning for renovations and constant loud noise.
• The HVAC system makes it difficult to control temperature, with no reliable cooling and excessive humidity in the summer.
• Parking is difficult because resident-only parking is not enforced and spaces are often full.
• There are reports of mold and ongoing maintenance problems with little resolution.

Review

The Renaissance, operating under the Venue branding in Rochester, is best suited for households that prize very spacious, modernized apartments, strong on-site amenities, and a social, responsive management team when things run smoothly. It works well for residents who want a central East Avenue address, substantial square footage, and a community feel that includes a pool, fitness options, and regular interaction with a proactive staff. When the building is at its best, these elements create a lifestyle that covers comfort, convenience, and a sense of security through visible management and on-site maintenance.

Those weighing alternatives should note that this community is not ideal for households that require near-perfect maintenance reliability, quiet operations, and predictable systems. Several reviews flag ongoing construction, inconsistent communication, and managerial turnover as persistent frictions. Potential renters who cannot tolerate frequent disturbances, ranging from noise and remodeling activity to hot-water and HVAC quirks, will likely want to consider other Rochester options. In particular, families who prioritize a consistently stable climate, mold-free environments, and airtight responsiveness may find the execution here insufficient.

The upside centers on space, renovated interiors, and the ability to leverage a robust amenity set. Large, well-appointed apartments, often with appliances and in-unit conveniences, stand out as a core strength. The community’s staff, names repeatedly praised in tours and move-ins, tends to be responsive and personable: tour guides who provide clear information, leasing teams that organize smooth transitions, and maintenance crews that address issues promptly when they are not overwhelmed by a crowded schedule. When operations align, residents report a sense of safety, a clean and upscale feel, and a genuine commitment from managers to improve the building.

Yet the main cons pull decisively on the balance sheet. Construction activity and recurring maintenance issues loom large, with some residents reporting mold concerns, repeated leaks, and hot-water outages that interrupt daily routines. Heating and cooling control in individual units is limited, often leaving residents dependent on building-wide settings and seasonal adjustments that can push humidity and comfort levels outside ideal ranges. Parking frustration, inconsistent communication about policies, and occasional perceptions of disorganization from management add to the sense that this is a building in transition rather than a settled, fully baked community. Several reviews also touch on odor and cleanliness problems in hallways, and a minority recount serious disputes over deposits and billing.

For families evaluating tradeoffs, the decisive question is whether the peace of mind and day-to-day livability offered by space, amenities, and engaged staff outweigh the risk of ongoing maintenance disruptions, climate irregularities, and management inconsistency. The pros, spacious, updated units; a solid amenity lineup; visible, capable staff; and a location that keeps Rochester’s resources accessible, can offset many complaints if visits and leases reveal a stable, well-staffed operation at the moment of decision. However, the cons are not trivial: they can materialize as ongoing comfort headaches, health concerns for sensitive households, and financial disputes if trust in billing and repairs has been strained.

In practical terms, prospective renters should insist on a comprehensive, current maintenance plan, a transparent timeline for renovations, and a clear policy around climate control and water stability before signing. Request recent mold remediation records, a scheduled heat/ac protocol for each season, and verifiable assurances about hot-water reliability. Speak with several residents about whether the construction cycle has paused, the responsiveness of the front desk, and the consistency of pest control efforts. Finally, evaluate whether the financial and emotional costs of navigating a large, evolving building match the family’s goals for a stable, long-term home. The Renaissance offers undeniable upside for the right buyer; for others, the risk of ongoing disruption and management gaps argues strongly for looking at alternatives.

This part of Rochester, New York, offers a convenient and vibrant community with a variety of amenities nearby. With several restaurants, cafes, pharmacies, and physicians within a short distance, residents have easy access to essential services and dining options. The area also boasts several parks, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Additionally, transportation options such as car rentals and the Amtrak station are easily accessible for those looking to explore beyond the immediate area. Nearby places of worship offer spiritual support for those seeking a community connection. Hospitals like Strong Memorial Hospital and Highland Hospital ensure quality healthcare is readily available. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded living environment with plenty of resources for seniors to enjoy a comfortable and fulfilling lifestyle.

Restaurants

• Wendy's (1 miles)
• Balsam Bagels (1.1 miles)
• McDonald's (1.2 miles)
• Winfield Grill (1.5 miles)
• Sager Beer Works (1.8 miles)
• Village Bakery & Cafe (1.9 miles)
• Hot Shots Indoor Beach Volleyball Club (2 miles)

Cafes

• Tree Town Cafe (1 miles)
• New City Cafe (2.4 miles)
• Locals Only (3 miles)
• Ugly Duck Coffee (3.2 miles)
• Java's Cafe (3.4 miles)
• Neutral Ground Coffeehouse (3.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Top's Markets (2.1 miles)
• Tops Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Wegmans (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)

Physicians

• Lipson Cancer Center (1.5 miles)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (1.5 miles)
• Elmwood Medical Associates PC (1.6 miles)
• Whelpley and Paul (1.9 miles)
• Rochester Ambulatory Surgery Center (RASC) (1.9 miles)
• Rashida Clarke, OD - Your Local Eye Doctor - Brighton (1.9 miles)
• Occupational Medicine Services (2.1 miles)

Parks

• Cobbs Hill Park (1.8 miles)
• Tryon Park (1.9 miles)
• Durand Eastman Beach (2.6 miles)
• French Road School Playground (3 miles)
• Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square (3.4 miles)
• Edmund Lyon Park (3.4 miles)
• Highland Park (3.5 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (2 miles)
• Amtrak (3.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Artisan Church (2.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Strong Memorial Hospital (2.9 miles)
• Highland Hospital (3.4 miles)
• URMC Sawgrass Surgical Center (3.9 miles)