Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published March 1, 2018.

Where are you originally from? How long have you been in the Rochester area?

Andre Linares, Property Manager: I grew up in East Rochester, and have lived in the city for ten years now. I lived in the East Ave/NOTA area, Park Ave, and now am in Browncroft.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

Andre: I love the opportunities Rochester can provide. New restaurants with great menus are popping up constantly, there are opportunities for career advancement, and people here take a lot of pride in where they live. Plus, I’m able to see my family because they’re all in the area.

What are some of your favorite spots around NOTA?  

Andre: I love going to Joe Bean for their nitro cold brew. The raw bar and drinks at Revelry are a weekly must for me. I get my hair cut at RockPaperScissor Salon on University and the team there is so accommodating. Three Heads Brewery has great beers and awesome live music, and the Heritage Taco Truck is off the chain! M/Body has been very welcoming to us since we moved into the neighborhood, introducing us to fellow business owners, which we really appreciate.

Any favorite spots in other neighborhoods? 

Andre: I love Rocco--it’s my favorite restaurant. Han Noodle is great for comfort food. I really love Asian food--SEA on Monroe and Thai Mii Up are some of my other faves. I’d also recommend checking out Relish in the South Wedge! It’s BYOB and the food is awesome.

What makes Rochester unique?  

Andre: Right now, I think Rochesterians can believe in this city. We can be proud to live here. Development is providing housing and jobs. We’re all getting along and coming together. Rochester adapts well and uses our creativity to better the city.

What's your favorite place to get a garbage plate?

Andre: Penfield Hots--I love the meat hot sauce there. It’s spicier than most. Dogtown is great too, and McCann’s is really quality, especially with those crazy beef fat fries.

Tell us a little bit about 933 the U. What was the impetus for creating this community in this particular location?  

Andre: The Neighborhood of the Arts is this beautiful pocket suburb in the city. We were fortunate enough that the 40&8 and Monroe Voiture III brought this site to us and were a huge part of making 933 the U a possibility. The 40&8 have owned this land since 1941, and it became preservation district 15 about five years ago. The area is full of creative people, artists, and business owners, and we wanted to play off that creativity at 933. We accomplished this with artwork and different patterns, textures, and colors in the common area spaces and leasing office.

I'm sure it's been an exciting process getting 933 the U up and running. What's been your favorite memory here so far? 

Andre: I love the reactions I get when I take people on tours. Many of them have been driving by for months, eager to see the inside. The Morgans and our design team has done an incredible job turning this vision into such a beautiful building. It’s so contemporary for a residential building in Rochester.

What makes 933 the U special?

Andre: The location. NOTA is an incredibly inspiring art-forward neighborhood. It’s filled with history and is continuing to grow. There’s a new business around here opening every month!

We are also the only apartment community outside of downtown that has an underground parking garage. We provide a free parking spot with each apartment.

What's been the best part of launching a project like this in Rochester?

Andre: For Morgan Communities, it’s having an idea on paper come to life. All these old and new buildings are coming to life at once. Tower 280 opened in 2015, we have four more being built/restored right now. I am proud to say we’re a big contributor to the growth of the city.

For 933 the U, I’d say the best part has been building meaningful relationships with our neighbors. As good neighbors, we’re always thinking about what changes can make our neighborhood better. Everyone is on the same page and that’s been one of the coolest parts.

What are some of the challenges you face?

Andre: Any time we open a new community, having a successful marketing campaign is a challenge we anticipate. Our marketing and community outreach teams have built a great plan and provided an excellent platform for us to reach the public.

What have you learned from running 933 the U so far? 

Andre: It’s been an incredible opportunity to be in charge of a multi-million dollar build. It takes a lot of moving parts for something like this to come together. My job now is to create a community that seems like it’s always been a part of this neighborhood. The home and business owners here are proud to call NOTA their home, and I’ve embraced that notion and want to instill it in my residents too.

Tell me about some of the community partnerships 933 has built. 

Andre: There are so many!

• While our gym is still under construction, all our residents are provided with an M/BODY membership.
• When folks move in, they receive two free tickets to Comedy at the Carlson, a growler from Three Heads, gift certificates to Nox and Salena’s, gift cards and shampoos from Rock Paper Scissors, wine from Living Roots, discounts at NOVA Fitness.
• Josh Miles of Revelry and Char has been generous and great to work with.
• All residents receive a George Eastman Museum membership.

What kind of events will you be hosting for your residents? 

Andre: On the last Thursday of each month, we’ll be doing a tour of NOTA, visiting different spots for happy hour or checking out places like the Eastman Museum and the MAG. We also hope to host pop-up dinners here, yoga classes, and composting classes. I’m also dreaming of a pig roast with Black Button tastings or a Living Roots tasting event. We really want our residents to feel at home here.

What are your hopes for the future of 933 the U? 

Andre: I hope that we will create a community residents are proud to live in. We’ll be having a lot of events so people can get to know their neighbors. Hopefully our residents will want to get involved in making NOTA an even better place to live.