News Release - City Officials Cut Ribbon for South & Hickory Place

City of Rochester

News Release

Mixed-Use Residential and Retail Building Debuts in Rochester’s South Wedge Neighborhood

(Wednesday, June 30, 2010) – Deputy Mayor Patricia K. Malgieri, City Neighborhood and Business Development Commissioner R. Carlos Carballada and City Councilmembers Carolee Conklin, Matt Haag and Adam McFadden joined Howard Konar, President of Konar Properties today for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of South & Hickory Place, a mixed-use residential and retail building, located at 661 South Ave. in the city’s dynamic South Wedge neighborhood.

The $4.8 million development includes the construction of a 40,000 square foot, four story mixed-use building with 33 apartments on the top three floors and 68 parking spaces. The previously vacant site between Gregory Street and Hickory Street is now home to a building that fits in seamlessly with neighboring turn-of-the-century buildings.

“The City gladly invested in this highly anticipated project by providing a $1 million low-interest loan,” said Deputy Mayor Malgieri. “Fourteen of the market-rate residential apartments will conform to the City’s Affordable Housing Program, enhancing our efforts to meet the demand for additional housing being generated by one of our largest employers, the University of Rochester and the Medical Center.”

The apartments are a mix of studio, one and two bedroom units. Konar Properties became involved in the project during a 2003 tour of the area conducted by members of the South Wedge Planning Committee (SWPC). SWPC members solicited Konar’s interest after watching the construction of Konar’s Elmwood Manor townhouses along Highland Avenue. SWPC promoted the addition of new residential units to the area, the creation of a solid façade along South Avenue and construction of a rear parking courtyard accessible from the side streets. Through a separately incorporated affiliate – Gregory Street Transfer, LLC – Konar acquired seven separate parcels to assemble the site. Construction began in July 2009 and the building is now complete and ready for full occupancy.

 “We believe the mixed-use building on this site will contribute to the growth of this neighborhood in several ways,” said Howard Konar. “It will add new residential apartments to the neighborhood, link retail stores in the building to existing retail and will restore a traditional neighborhood aesthetic to this portion of South Avenue. The project will also create new jobs in the retail locations, as well as the building’s maintenance and management needs.”

"The South Wedge will now have even more high-demand living space,” said Commissioner R. Carlos Carballada. “The city is quickly becoming a place where people want to live, work and prosper. There’s a renewed interest in city living and this is due to strong neighborhood organizations such as SWPC and visionary developers like Konar Properties. We are fortunate to count them as partners in our revitalization.”

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News Media: For more information, contact Neighborhood and Business Development Commissioner R. Carlos Carballada at (585) 428-8801 or Timothy Schmid, Director of Residential Properties, Konar Management Corporation or Michael Trojian, Director of Commercial Properties, Konar Management Corporation at (585) 334-4110.