News Release - Mayor Warren Announces Funding for Rochester Area Waterfronts

City of Rochester

News Release

(Tuesday, March 4, 2014) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren announced today that new funding in the amount of $2.2 million in fiscal year 2014 has been secured to complete a full dredging of the Port of Rochester and an additional $350,000 to complete a full dredging of Irondequoit Bay to the federal standard of 21 feet and 9 feet respectively.

On her recent trip to Washington DC, Mayor Warren met with Jeff McKee, Chief of Navigation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Yvonne Prettyman-Beck, Deputy Chief, Civil Works to personally make the case for the funding for the dredging which is essential to the Port of Rochester redevelopment project.

The Port of Rochester Marina development project is one of the City’s signature transformation projects. It will enhance the recreational nature of the Port and create exciting opportunities for new residential, commercial and retail space. The Marina project will strengthen the Port of Rochester’s reputation as a Great Lakes destination. The first phase of the project, now underway, calls for constructing a deep-draft marina basin that can accommodate 85 slips immediately south and west of the Port of Rochester Ferry Terminal with a river opening near the current site of the City boat launch. The basin will be surrounded by a park and public promenade that will connect the Genesee Riverway Trail to the Charlotte Pier.

North River Street will be extended to the south to provide an additional north-south access point into the Port from Latta Road, complete with sidewalks, lighting and on-street parking. In later phases of the project, a portion of the Port of Rochester Ferry Terminal will be renovated into a boater-service facility for boaters. The Marina design includes plans for future expansion of the basin to accommodate up to 157 slips.

“I would like to thank the Army Corps of Engineers for recognizing the value of this investment in Rochester which I am convinced will be returned many times over in economic development activity,” said Mayor Warren. “I would also like to thank Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, Senator Gillibrand and Senator Schumer for their advocacy on behalf of the Port project. Their efforts on behalf of this project, as well as their genuine commitment to Rochester, are deeply appreciated.”

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News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Christine Christopher at 428-7135.