Canandaigua Historic District (Boundary Increase)

Canandaigua's historic core is protected as a district of 354 properties, 338 of which contribute to its character. Buildings date from the 1810s to the 1930s and are made of brick, wood and stone. Atwater Park, a landscaped green on North Main Street, is the focal point, surrounded by civic and religious landmarks such as the Ontario County Courthouse, the post office, City Hall and the First Congregational Church. North of the park, North Main Street holds the largest and most elaborate houses, while Howell and Gibson Streets feature Queen Anne, Italianate and Federal mansions. South of the park lies the commercial center of two- and three-story masonry blocks, mostly from the third quarter of the nineteenth century, and nearby working-class streets with modest frame homes. The district expands an earlier North Main Street district to cover the whole historic center. Its boundaries exclude areas where modern construction and heavy alterations weaken the historic setting.