Conesus offers easy-going lakeside living and room to breathe
Rural scenery and a laid-back lakefront lifestyle await in Conesus, a Livingston County community on the east side of Conesus Lake. The area offers lakeside properties and sprawling lots in the countryside, some large enough to hunt on. “Nature is the name of the game here because you either have the lake or the land,” says Matthew Sharman, a Realtor with Empire Realty Group and one of the top agents in the region. “The community is really tight. For the most part, other than the lake, it’s a blue-collar, traditional community. But it’s serene with lots of space.” While amenities are a few miles away in Geneseo and Lakeville, residents don’t mind the tradeoff in exchange for extra breathing room. The area receives a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Lakefront estates and rural properties with acreage
“Conesus is kind of like a tale of two places,” Sharman says. “You have the absolute wilderness and huge parcels with lots of land and tons of space, and then you have the lake,” where homes tend to sit on smaller lots. “As you get up into the hills, people are starting to build homestead-ish, higher-quality homes. So someone might buy 20 or 30 acres and put a 3,000-square-foot house on it. It’s almost luxury living.” Many homes were built after the 1970s, and it’s common to spot cottages, A-frames, split-levels and ranch-style homes. The area has a median price of about $260,000, which is lower than nearby Livonia. Homes on the water cost more, with some lakefront properties with private docks and water frontage costing up to $1 million.
Activities on the water, plus proximity to Letchworth State Park
Conesus Lake is the most westerly of the 11 Finger Lakes and is a go-to destination for boating, swimming, water sports and fishing. Vitale Park in Lakeville offers a boat launch, walking trails and plenty of spots to enjoy a picnic. “In the winter, there’s ice fishing and snowmobiling,” Sharman says, and Hunt Hollow Ski Club is within a 30-minute drive. Nearby Hemlock Lake is a source of drinking water for the Rochester area and remains undeveloped, offering a peaceful escape for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing. About 15 miles away, Letchworth State Park is nicknamed “The Grand Canyon of the East” for its deep gorges, rich forests and cascading waterfalls. Golfers can hit the greens at the public Conesus Golf Club.
Livonia schools get a $43 million facelift
Most students attend schools in Livonia , less than 10 miles away. The district has a total enrollment of about 1,300 students across Livonia Elementary School, graded B-minus by Niche, and the combined Livonia Middle/High School, rated C-plus. Officials are wrapping up a nearly $43 million facilities project to improve infrastructure, upgrade classrooms and enhance security at each school building. The project also includes the Saunders Sports Complex and Field House, which features new turf fields and tennis courts.
Locals head to Geneseo and Lakeville for food and errands
Most residents drive to Geneseo to get groceries at Aldi or Walmart and head to Lakeville to grab a bite to eat. Galene offers upscale New American dining on the water on the north side of the lake, while Beachcomber on the south side offers a casual spot to dock for seafood and drinks. Lakeville has a growing craft beverage scene, with Old Stump Blower (OSB) Ciderworks, Solitude Brewing Company, No BS Brew Company and Deer Run Winery. Turtle Stone Bar and Grill, Conesus Golf Club’s public restaurant, has burgers, wings and beer on tap. Local farm stands sell seasonal fruits and veggies, and many farms offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Consumers pre-pay for “shares” of the future harvest and receive weekly or bi-weekly allotments of fresh produce.
About 45 minutes from Rochester
Most folks drive, but there is limited bus service available to Dansville and Mount Morris through Regional Transit Service (RTS) Livingston. While there are two urgent care facilities in Geneseo, the closest emergency room is about 10 miles away at Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville. It’s about 40 miles to Rochester and Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, or a roughly 45-minute drive. New York gets its fair share of snow, and Conesus tends to get more due to its higher elevation. “It’s not uncommon to have a foot of snow up there and drive into Livonia and not see anything,” Sharman says. “Some of the people who have large parcels with winding driveways will have to have a plow or pay to have it done — and there are lots of people who’ll do it — but the towns do a great job of making sure the roads are safe and clear.”
The Ring of Fire kicks off Independence Day festivities
The Ring of Fire is an annual tradition that kicks off the Fourth of July. On July 3, locals line the shores of Conesus Lake and light flares to create a ring of fire as fireworks pierce the sky.
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Written By
Leslie Klosterman
