Rachel Barnhart (
Rochester,
N.Y.) – Arlene Parks is a regular at Diva, a shoe shop in
Midtown
Plaza.
As owner Frank Moretti rung up her latest purchase, she said, “Don’t go too far!”
Moretti is one of Midtown’s 49 businesses that have to find a new home. The building is being torn down to make way for PAETEC’s world headquarters.
“I told him not to go too far because it would be out of my reach. Downtown is primarily right now where I can afford to come,” said Parks.
Moretti has no intention of going too far. He’s thinking about moving across the street to the Sibley building. The former department store is nearly empty, and is set up for a number of shops to move in on the first couple of floors.
“I think it would work. It just depends on how many people might be interested in going over there,” Moretti said. “I think you really need a large group of people to create that mall atmosphere.”
Sibley is owned by a subsidiary of Wilmorite Corp., which hasn’t been able to do anything with the place since buying it in the early 1990s. Wilmorite owes the city more than $15 million in back taxes, loans, and fees.
Wilmorite’s Chairman of the Board Tom Wilmot told 13WHAM he’s open to the idea of Midtown’s tenants moving to Sibley. He’s been contacted by the city and plans on beginning talks this week.
"I have no idea what the scope is here,” he said. “Would it be a mall or a streetscape?"
Wilmot said there are many unanswered questions, and a lot would depend on what kinds of businesses want to move to Sibley, and how many of them will sign on. Wilmot said, however, that he’s encouraged about the property’s future.
“I think it makes a lot of sense to look first at Sibley,” said Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, head of Rochester Downtown Development Corporation.
City of Rochester Economic Development Commissioner R. Carlos Carballada said, so far, few businesses have indicated they want to go to Sibley.
He said one problem in attracting retail tenants to Sibley, whether they are from Midtown or elsewhere, is that PAETEC doesn’t plan to open in four years. There are also any number of things that could go wrong with the project.
“Making that kind of decision as a retailer today and making that kind of commitment, I don't think either one of us would do that until we were absolutely sure that was going to happen,” Carballada said.
Carballada said another challenge in relocating Midtown tenants is that many pay little or no rent. He’s not sure how many of the retailers are viable on their own.
Bob Colombo, owner of the Jewelry Clinic, said the Sibley Building’s future is too uncertain, so for now, he’s still looking for a new store.
“My options are always open. Somebody can talk me into a better spot I'll take it,” he said.
On Tuesday night, Rochester City Council approved the Mayor Bob Duffy's relocation and redevelopment plans for Midtown.
Next month, the city will hire a consultant to begin work converting Midtown site into PAETEC world headquarters.
