City of Rochester
News Release
(Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren congratulated the many job creators in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region for earning a “Top Performer” status in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s annual Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative.
The Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council (FLREDC) was awarded $86.5 million, which will fund critical projects in Downtown Rochester and city neighborhoods. These include the construction of a six-story building at Midtown to serve as the headquarters for the Butler/Till media-services company; the conversion of the former Kodak Hawkeye building to a mixed-use job center in northeast Rochester; and the construction of La Marketa, a Latin American village on North Clinton Avenue.
“These awards show us that Rochester’s renaissance is well underway and capturing the attention of employers who want to invest in our city and be part of the energy and excitement,” said Mayor Warren. “I would like to thank Gov. Cuomo, FLREDC Co-chairs Anne Kress and Bob Duffy, and FLREDC Executive Director Vinnie Esposito for their advocacy for our region. This funding will further propel the tremendous momentum that is helping us create more jobs, safer/more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities.”
Gov. Cuomo today announced that more than $763 million in economic and community development funding has been awarded through Round VIII of the REDC initiative. The FLREDC was among five Top Performers that will receive up to $20 million in additional Empire State Development grant funding to support priority projects.
As a Top Performer, the FLREDC will receive funding for 141 projects, including several in the city.
These include:
- Butler/Till expansion at Midtown: $1.2 million. Buckingham Properties will construct a new six-story, mixed-use commercial and residential building on Parcel 2, with several floors to serve as the headquarters for Butler/Till.
- Kodak Hawkeye renovation: $1.2 million. The St. Paul Street campus will be transformed into an international trade center. The campus will be home to a job training center, commercial and medical office space and international businesses.
- La Marketa Latin American Village Plaza: $400,000. Construct a Latin American Village Plaza to support the La Marketa development.
- Completion of Priority Bicycle Boulevards: $250,000. Complete construction of the last 10 miles of the City’s Priority Bicycle Boulevard network.
- Roc Paint Division Concrete to Canvas: $49,500. Activate and energize Rochester parks and green spaces through creative and interpretive artistic play installations while providing employment training and career exploration for young artists.
- The Strong Museum expansion: $725,000. Expansion to house new exhibits and educational programs, attracting 400,000 visitors each year.
- Joseph Avenue Center for Performing and Visual Arts renovation: $100,000. Renovate a former historic synagogue into a community arts center with a focus on education and performance.
- Green Visions: $52,625. Friends of the GardenAerial, Inc. will provide job training in such skills as general landscaping, contract management, maintenance operations, composting, floral design and arrangement, customer service, sales and marketing.
- Gateways Music Festival Workforce expansion: $32,500. Hire a Program Manager to increase the organization's capacity, including the transition from biennial to annual festival.
- Golisano Autism Center: $1 million. Construction of new building in the city to create new jobs to provide services to individuals with autism and their families.
- Richford Building renovation at Midtown: $1.7 million. Restore the historic Richford Hotel to a 100-room national brand, extended-stay hospitality option.
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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo at 428-7135.