Close-knit community and lower home prices in Lyell-Otis
About 5 miles northwest of Downtown Rochester, Lyell-Otis is an active, close-knit community with historic homes priced below the city’s median. The neighborhood also has parks, fast-casual eateries and community resources such as the Lyell Branch Library. Families benefit from Rochester’s school choice program, while walkable streets, bus service and thoroughfares make it easy to get around the city.
Lyell-Otis is west of Interstate 490, just a few miles from downtown Rochester.
Lyell-Otis home prices are lower than the Rochester metro area average.
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Colonial Revival and Craftsman homes are popular with investors
Lyell-Otis features a mix of single- and multifamily homes set along sidewalk-lined streets shaded by mature trees. “Most of the people that I work with in that neighborhood are investors,” says Corey Wild, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Greater Rochester and more than 20 years of local experience. “There are a lot of rental properties.”
Homes here span from the late 1800s to the late 1900s. Architectural styles vary, but Colonial Revival, American Foursquare and Craftsman homes are common, often with clapboard siding, white trim and covered porches. Ranch-style and split-level homes add to the mix, frequently featuring attached garages and finished basements. Some properties sit on quieter, greener blocks with manicured lawns and white picket fences, while others are closer to more urban stretches near shops and restaurants. The median sale price is in the lower $100,000s, below both neighboring Maplewood and the citywide median. Prices range from the upper $40,000s for fixer-uppers to the upper $200,000s for updated, move-in-ready homes.
Lyell-Otis is characterized by tree-lined streets and well-maintained front yards.
Many of Lyell-Otis' home are from the early to mid-20th century.
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How Rochester’s school choice program works
Lyell-Otis is part of the Rochester City School District, which offers school choice. Families may choose an elementary school in their assigned zone or a citywide school. Lyell-Otis is in the Northwest Zone. Secondary schools are citywide. Flower City School No. 54 teaches pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and is within walking distance of many homes. Teens can attend Edison Career & Technology High, which offers programs in carpentry, advertising design and automotive systems.
Flower City Community School 54 has a student to teacher ratio of 16 to 1.
Edison Career And Technology High School has a C- rating from Niche.
John Williams School 5 has a student teacher ratio of 11 to 1.
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Wegmans has served Rochester since it was founded in 1916.
International bites and everyday essentials nearby
Lyell-Otis has a handful of convenience stores and restaurants throughout the area that focus on flavors from around the world. “The entire city is known for having very diverse food,” Wild says. Neighborhood favorites include:
Ting’s Diner, a classic American spot for no-frills brunch and coffee
Nam Vang, a Vietnamese restaurant known for its pho and banh mi
Rancho Palma, a fast-casual Latin eatery with chicharrones, carne frita and Cuban sandwiches
Linda’s New York Pizzeria, the game-day favorite for extra-large pies, Italian subs and barbecue wings
Two miles away, Gateway Plaza offers a wider selection of businesses, including grocery chains like Aldi and Wegmans.
Lyell-Otis’ parks feature sports, playgrounds and more
The neighborhood has several public outdoor spaces. Sebastian Park offers picnic pavilions and a basketball court, while Paul Bianchi Park has baseball diamonds, paved walking paths and outdoor fitness equipment. The dog-friendly J.R. Wilson Park is a favorite for pickup soccer and basketball, as well as its blue-and-green playground designed with stepper pods, spider-web ropes and corkscrew climbers. About 2 miles away, Maplewood Park expands the options with the Maplewood Rose Garden, access to the 24-mile Genesee Riverway Trail and courts for pickleball and tennis.
Paul Bianchi Park has baseball diamonds and spectator seating in Lyell-Otis.
Sebastian Park offers a lush green space for Lyell-Otis residents.
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Walkable streets, easy access to buses and NYC
Lyell-Otis’ streets are bike-friendly, sidewalk-lined and have Regional Service Transit bus stops. “You can take the bus, you can walk — there are bikes [and] scooters that the city provides for a small fee,” Wild says. For a trip to New York, you can head downtown via Lyell Avenue and take the Amtrak from Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station.
Regional Transit Service buses run frequently in Lyell-Otis.
The Lyell-Otis neighborhood has biking lanes for cyclists.
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Movies, crafts and more at the Lyell Branch Library
The Lyell Branch Library serves as a neighborhood gathering space, with programs for all ages, including movie screenings, professional workshops and hands-on craft sessions, like knitting and rock painting. The Lyell Otis Community Association meets at the library and organizes seasonal events, including an Easter egg hunt and a Christmas tree lighting. The group also promotes gardening initiatives, such as Plant a Seed Day, and helps maintain the Edgar Santa Cruz Peace Garden.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International
13 min drive
Bus
Glide & Bergen
Bus
Lyell & Avery
Bus
Santee & Otis
Bus
Santee & Villa
Bus
Lexington & Mt Read
Bus
Emerson & Santee
Bus
Glide & Freeland
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Lyell-Otis Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Lyell-Otis, Rochester sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 55 days. The median sale price for homes in Lyell-Otis, Rochester over the last 12 months is $117,500, down 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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