Dunn Tower II in Rochester, NY

Pros

• The building and grounds are clean.
• The office staff are A++ and very helpful.
• The place is awesome.
• It is quiet and safe.
• There are get-togethers and holiday parties for residents.
• Dunn Towers is a great retirement community with very high standards.
• The home-visit staff are courteous, respectful, and professional.
• The community offers a fitness room and various activities for residents.

Cons

• The place is terrible.
• There was no help for any information.
• Dunn Tower is horrible and the management speaks to people in a way that leaves much to be desired.
• The reviewer would never recommend this place.
• The chances of being accepted at Dunn Towers are not very good.
• Applicants with hobbies requiring space may be denied, as the home visit can judge those hobbies harshly.
• The reviewer felt that their hobby was treated as junk and could be discarded, suggesting bias against their gender.

Review

Dunn Tower II is best suited for independent seniors in Rochester who want a clean, quiet, and well-maintained apartment-style community with visible attention to safety, responsive maintenance, and a social calendar that provides regular opportunities to connect with neighbors. It works especially well for residents who prize courteous office staff, reliable repairs, and a predictable, orderly environment. Those who expect a fully supportive, hands-on care setting or a completely flexible lease and floor-plan policy should recognize this community is aimed at independent living with amenities that support routine daily life, not comprehensive clinical assistance.

On the plus side, the strongest case for Dunn Tower II rests on its operating fundamentals. Residents report pristine grounds and interiors, a consistently clean building, and maintenance that addresses issues promptly. The office team can feel welcoming and helpful to many, and the residence offers a quiet, safe atmosphere with social activities and holiday gatherings that counteract isolation. For tenants who value a sense of community and a high standard of upkeep, these elements create real daily comfort and reassurance, making the living experience smoother than many other independent settings.

Yet the experience is not one-note. The most persistent concerns center on management communication and admission practices. Several reviewers describe encounters with staff as unprofessional or harsh, and a notable frustration arises around how information is conveyed when asking about amenities or eligibility (such as a non-smoking two-bedroom). More troubling are stories about the home-visit portion of the acceptance process, where some applicants felt pressured to "weed out" hobby equipment or faced mystifying subjective judgments about how space is used. There are repeated insinuations of bias - particularly around gendered perceptions of hobbies - and worries that being next on a waiting list does not reliably predict actually securing a unit. Taken together, these reports suggest that while the community can be excellent for those who are admitted, the path to residency can feel opaque and potentially inequitable.

Those potential pitfalls do not erase the concrete advantages for the right resident, but they do shape the calculus. For someone who can secure admission and who wants a clean, quiet building with dependable maintenance and a warm social life, Dunn Tower II delivers tangible value. The high-standard environment and the sense of safety can offset the occasional samples of friction if the applicant aligns with the community's specific acceptance criteria and tenancy expectations. In short, for independent seniors who view admission as a gatekeeping process they can navigate - and who do not require flexible floor plans or immediate, broad-based assistance - the positives can outweigh the negatives.

However, certain residents will want to look elsewhere. Prospective tenants who need transparent, consistently applied admission rules, or who dislike the prospect of a subjective home-visit screening, should consider alternatives. The same caution applies to those who want a two-bedroom with truly flexible configurations or who expect roommates or family to be equally involved in decisions about storage and space. There are other Rochester-area communities that may offer more straightforward intake, broader floor-plan options, or firmer policies on what constitutes acceptable hobbies and storage - reducing the risk of rejection or miscommunication.

For families evaluating Dunn Tower II, the prudent path is to pursue a thorough, concrete inquiry tied to real residents and current policies. Ask for a transparent explanation of the admission process, current wait-list status, and what documentation or demonstrations are required during the home visit. Request candid feedback from multiple residents about day-to-day interactions with the office staff, as well as recent maintenance experiences. Tour with a critical eye toward storage, space, and quiet-hours, and verify the availability of a two-bedroom if that layout is a priority. If the answers align with a resident's needs and expectations, Dunn Tower II can offer a high-quality, socially engaged independent living option; if not, the search should continue elsewhere with a clearer sense of admission fairness, resident support, and floor-plan flexibility.

This part of Rochester, New York offers a convenient and bustling urban environment with easy access to essential amenities such as pharmacies, restaurants, physicians, hospitals, cafes, places of worship, transportation options, and parks. With multiple pharmacies located within close proximity, medication management is easily accessible. There are various dining options nearby for enjoying meals out or grabbing a quick bite to eat. Access to healthcare providers including physicians and hospitals ensures quality medical care is readily available. Additionally, the presence of cafes provides opportunities for socialization and relaxation. Transportation options like the airport and Amtrak make traveling simple, while the nearby parks offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoyment of nature. Overall, this area provides a diverse range of services and amenities that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a vibrant community to call home.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Wegmans (0.6 miles)
• Park Ridge Apothecary (1.5 miles)
• Pharmacy - Unity Hospital (1.6 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Wegmans (2.6 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.4 miles)
• Hunan Garden (0.7 miles)
• Burger King (1.2 miles)
• Wendy's (1.6 miles)
• Critic's On The Mall (2.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.6 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.7 miles)

Physicians

• Canalside Family Medicine (0.7 miles)
• University of Rochester Orthopedics and Rehabilitation (0.7 miles)
• Westside Allergy Care (0.8 miles)
• Rochester Gynecologic Associates (1.4 miles)
• WorkReady - Unity Hospital (1.5 miles)
• Unity Hospital (1.6 miles)
• Greece Dermatological Associates (1.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Unity Perinatal Medicine (1.6 miles)
• University Of Rochester Medical Center Surg/Path Lab (4.9 miles)
• Neuro ICU 8-1200 (4.9 miles)
• SMH Nicu (4.9 miles)
• Strong Memorial Hospital - Cardiology (5 miles)
• James P Wilmot Cancer Center (5 miles)
• Highland Hospital (5.2 miles)

Cafes

• New Roots Coffee House (2.7 miles)
• Starbucks (2.7 miles)
• Tim Hortons (2.9 miles)
• Oriens Cafe (3.6 miles)
• 1872 Cafe (3.9 miles)
• Java's Cafe (4.9 miles)
• Ugly Duck Coffee (5.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Greece Baptist Church (2.9 miles)
• Hope Lutheran Church (4.1 miles)
• St Lawrence Church (4.3 miles)

Transportation

• Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) (3.4 miles)
• CSX Tracks (3.5 miles)
• Amtrak (4.5 miles)

Parks

• Seneca Park (4.4 miles)
• Genesee Valley Park (4.6 miles)
• Basil A. Marella Park (4.8 miles)
• Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square (4.9 miles)
• Highland Park (5.2 miles)