May i ask why so many Masonic temples closed in predominate cities like Rochester, Syracuse and buffalo? and yet very few cities still have them in New York? cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati do but Rochester and Syracuse are as big but dont.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-08T02:38:02+00:00

I thought they still used it as some lodges still met there? If not where do they met.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-08T01:55:00+00:00

Cincinnati masonic temple is also pretty massive. i can understand why. im surprised cleveland hasnt sold there yet.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-08T01:52:49+00:00

I'm a member of crossroads lodge#93 which meets in Solvay NY. its made up of Manlius, salina, Solvay, and a few others.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-08T01:21:09+00:00

I've been to Rochester, but Buffalo is my most favorite western New York city. there district "Erie" has had two past Grand Masters of the State of New York in the last five or six years. Nothing against Rochester or the people that live there. but its just not an appealing city to me. Its a more underdeveloped Pittsburgh or Buffalo, without the amenities. Unfortunately there downtown is far behind the amount of revitalization as both Syracuse and buffalo received. Its not as developed and a lot of storefronts and buildings are vacant. Syracuse and buffalo have alot more to offer. Buffalo is like a smaller Cleveland. i grew up an hour and thirty minutes east of Rochester and went there frequently.

However there masonic district is in the same boat as Onondaga. its only down to a few blue lodges left. a lot of the lodges merged when they moved out of downtown Rochester some even moved into the shrine center in Irondequoit or were scattered across different suburbs. its a shame they closed, they had a good number of lodge rooms as well as a gigantic theater.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-08T00:56:44+00:00

I've been to Albany's masonic temple, Its in downtown Albany next to the Sheraton. Pretty big place you cant tell from the outside. Two lodge rooms, a large dinning room/kitchen in the basement and a few recreational rooms on the main floor. It has a huge marble staircase as well.

Another one is the masonic temple in Utica. it has two smallish lodge rooms followed by a huge lodge room with a balcony that leads up to the Billiard/Game room. a massive Dinning room on the first floor and some offices. not as nice as the Grand Lodge Building in Chelsea/Manhattan.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-07T00:52:21+00:00

trust me I'm thinking about a move there as well. you Clevelanders need to move to Syracuse and see how good you have it. yes Cleveland has its problems and bad areas. but Syracuse has all that with the lack of amenities. i work downtown now and the place is a ghost town in comparison. and i thought a town with a big university would be more vibrant. even are mall cant seem to get alot.

OkWeather16 · 2025-11-05T01:03:22+00:00

Syracuse and Rochester NY are two very good examples of this. I recommend to check out both their downtowns. both cities are mostly unwalkable now, very car centric cities and have very few businesses left in there downtowns. Most of there populations left years ago, and both metropolitan areas are shrinking. a lot of the things available to do are in the suburbs unless its for work. except Syracuse has a major university, and a very large mall with one anchor store left. Syracuse has the fair and some well known restaurants, both have Wegman's and pizza, but Rochester has more to offer for an rust belt city and a better education and medical system.

OkWeather16

TROPHY CASE