City of Rochester
News Release
New Partnership to Develop Midtown Tower
New City web pages chart pace of change, solicit community input on Downtown development
(Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012) – Rochester is in the middle of a sweeping transformation that requires the immediate attention of everyone with an interest in its future, Mayor Thomas S. Richards said Wednesday at the Rochester Downtown Development Corp.’s annual Vision-Future Luncheon.
“We are not the same city we were 30, 20 or even five years ago, and we’re not going back,” Mayor Richards said. “We are moving forward. It’s going to be exciting and vibrant.”
As evidence, the Mayor announced that Larry Glazer of Buckingham Properties and Bob Morgan of Morgan Management have formed a new partnership to develop Midtown Tower. The $55 million project will create between 160 and 182 rental housing units and three to five stories of commercial space in the Tower, which has an updated design.
Rochester’s transformation is gaining momentum. The need for action is particularly important in Downtown, the economic hub of the Rochester region and the employment center for more than 50,000 people, the Mayor said.
“We will never be the community we aspire to be unless Downtown is successful,” he said. “It is emblematic of both the transformation that is occurring and the need to do it.”
To help illustrate the pace of the transformation and directly engage the community on shaping the future of Downtown, Mayor Richards unveiled two web pages on the City’s website.
ROCHESTER’S BLUE RIBBON DEVELOPMENTS:
The first page, Rochester’s Blue Ribbon Developments, captures economic development activity by highlighting ceremonial ribbon cuttings, ground breakings and the announcements of major initiatives.
“I am honored to stand beside the men and women who have demonstrated a willingness to take a chance on this community,” Mayor Richards said. “These ceremonies are a testament of the courage and the faith that so many people place in this community every day. Rochester’s success would not be possible without those accomplishments that we celebrate at these ceremonies.”
The Blue Ribbon Developments page allows visitors to browse by month and see the pace of economic development in the city. The page will also feature an interactive map of the development locations, making it easy to find new businesses opening in Downtown’s individual districts and city neighborhoods.
In addition to business openings, the page will spotlight important capital projects along with news conferences for major announcements of City initiatives fueling the progress and growth of Rochester.
Blue Ribbon Developments can be found at www.cityofrochester.gov/BlueRibbon.
CENTER CITY MASTER PLAN:
In unveiling the second web page, Center City Master Plan Updates, Mayor Richards announced that Wednesday was the first day of a public-input phase to update the Center City Master Plan (CCMP), which was originally drafted in 2002.
Mayor Richards is seeking the public’s input concerning Downtown through an online survey and a series of public meetings. This information will be included in the updated CCMP. More information about the CCMP and the online survey – which closes on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013 – can be found at www.cityofrochester.gov/CenterCity.
The public meeting schedule is as follows:
• 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 meeting for Downtown Residents and Prospective Residents in City Council Chambers;
• 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 meeting for Downtown Stakeholders in City Council Chambers.
The Master Plan update will produce a concise document that will have longevity, flexibility and provide a valuable marketing and promotional tool for Rochester. This roadmap for development will also help the City seek state and federal funding for public projects.
“The time to shape Rochester’s future has arrived,” the Mayor said. “There are places, some in our own region, that can afford to take a few years off in the hope that things will move along by themselves. Rochester is not one of them.”
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News Media: For more information, contact Gary Walker at 428-7405.