ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Starting this weekend, no one under the age of 21 will be able to come to Rochester’s East End entertainment district.

The city has released new details on what it calls a “Special Event Zone” on Saturday nights until further notice, aiming improve safety for bars and restaurants in the area. The announcement comes after a man was shot nearby Sunday morning off East Avenue.

The city is creating the zone under its gun violence emergency order, enacted in 2021 amid a surge in shootings. Here’s what to know:

Which areas are under the Special Events Zone?

The zone will be in place from on East Avenue from South Union Street to Alexander Street, home to many popular bars and other businesses. It will also extend into Lawrence Street until the intersection with Charlotte Street and Alexander Street until Champan Alley. Here’s a map from the city:

To create the zone, these streets will be closed to traffic except for residents to employees. South Union Street still will be fully open in both directions:

• East Avenue between Alexander and South Union street
• Alexander Street from Chapman Alley to East Avenue
• Gardiner Park
• Dryer Alley
• Lawrence Street
• Shuart Street

Where can you enter the zone from?

Starting on Saturday, Sept. 28 between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., people must enter the zone from one of these four locations:

• Chapman Alley and Alexander Street
• East Avenue and Alexander Street
• East Avenue and South Union Street
• Lawrence and Charlotte streets

You must be 21 or older with a photo ID to enter these locations. People will get a wristband upon entry and businesses will still be required to check IDs before serving alcohol. Backpacks and large bags will be prohibited.

Where can you park?

Parking is available at the lot at the corner of South Union Street and East Avenue. It will be accessible only through South Union Street. There will be no other parking within the zone.

If you’re picking someone up or getting dropped off, the city recommends doing that on East Avenue either near Alexander Street or South Union Street.

Why is the city making these restrictions in the East End?

Mayor Malik Evans said Thursday that overall, gun violence has gone down in Rochester. However, he said public perception is that some places are unsafe, like the East End, which is home to several bars and restaurants.

Police Chief David Smith said the East End “continues to be a problem.” The emergency order gives the mayor the ability to do things like make a business close early or bring in state police to help.

“If you’re going to the entertainment district, you should be going to have a good time, not because you want to go and wreak havoc. One person ruins it for everybody else. And we’re tired of it. We want people to be able to go out to the bars and clubs and have a good time and not have one or two people come in there, wreaking havoc,” Evans said.

He says the declaration is a useful tool in high risk areas like the entertainment district to hold property owners accountable to violence. The mayor says he knows this may be an inconvenience but that the city needs to send a message that violence has no place here.

A security guard was shot at J.D. Oxford’s Pub on Monroe Avenue just hours before Mayor Malik Evans’ pre-planned news conference on crime. Police say the security guard is expected to be okay and that they’re still looking for the suspect.

Mayor Evans placed a lot of emphasis on the suspect. He said people who disrupt others’ good time and safety in public places need to be held accountable. News10NBC’s Antonina Tortorello asked the mayor if he’s going to apply this to J.D. Oxford’s.

“We will be addressing JD Oxford’s. Obviously, there are things that we want to see there as it relates to security. Again, again, that just happened last night. But it’s just something that we can’t accept. And it’s unfortunate that individuals, instead of having a good time at a bar, raising their glass and celebrating, they decide to pull out a firearm and unfortunately, in this incident, this was an individual doing their job trying to break up a fight and someone decided to pull out a firearm,” Mayor Evans said.

The city has closed nine businesses this year using the emergency order. That’s the last step. Before it gets to that point, it works with the owner on steps like changing hours and hiring more security.

The mayor said that crime is down to pre-pandemic levels. Comparing the five-year average, murders are down 18% and shootings overall are down 34%. But Evans said people’s perception of crime is just as important.

“We want people to have a good time in Rochester. But if you think you can come and carry a firearm in the open and interrupt the vast majority of Rochestarians that are trying to come out and have a good time over the weekend, you got another thing coming. You’ll see this weekend what we’re going to do about it. We are not going to tolerate it,” he said.

On Thursday morning outside of JD Oxford’s, people in the neighborhood who News10NBC spoke with said they believe that crime is rising everywhere and they don’t feel safe.

As long as the gun violence emergency order, which has been renewed every 30 days, is in effect, Evans has the power to impose these curfews.

Watch the full news conference below:

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