(Rochester, N.Y.) – We have a better idea of what the Midtown Plaza block will look like in the future.
The city released a draft design report for the site, which takes up more than 8 acres in the heart of downtown Rochester. As expected, the plan calls for the block to be divided into seven parcels, one of which would be a park.
“Right now it’s a mega-block, a super-block. It doesn’t have any pedestrian scale,” said Heidi Zimmer-Meyer of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation.
PAETEC Communications plans to build its world headquarters on one of the parcels. Midtown Tower would be converted into housing. A performing arts center is slated to go on another parcel. At least two other parcels are available for development.
“You’re going to create a level of pedestrian movement and activity that we have lost over the last 15 to 20 years,” said Zimmer-Meyer. “Frankly it feels like an abandoned zone down there.”
The plan calls for re-routing the service tunnel that goes down Main St. and shoring up the underground parking garage. New streets, lighting and utilities will be have to installed.
None of this will be cheap. Estimated costs are $34.5 million. Earlier in the year, Sen. Charles Schumer said he would secure $5 million for the project.
“The tunnel has to survive. We have to redo the whole site with new streets and new infrastructure,” said deputy mayor Thomas Richards. “This is a complex site.”
The infrastructure costs push the public investment in Midtown Plaza past the $100 million mark. That figure includes site acquisition, tenant relocation, demolition, environmental review and grants awarded to PAETEC and Christa/Morgan, the Tower developer.
