City of Rochester - City Council
News Release
Plan Would Allow Project to Meet FTA Deadline and Save $24 Million in Federal Funds
(Thursday, July 23, 2009) - By agreement with Rochester City Council, Mayor Robert J. Duffy today submitted legislation that commits the City to allow for property acquisition by purchase or condemnation and the commencement of the process to abandon streets needed to build the two funded portions of the Renaissance Square project. This legislation would allow the Main and Clinton Local Development Corporation (Main & Clinton) to meet the 70% final design criteria it says it needs to meet the Federal Transit Administration’s July 24 deadline.
The legislation would allow the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) to acquire the property it needs to build the two funded portions of the project – a new Monroe Community College (MCC) Downtown campus and the new transit center.
The legislation also provides that the City take responsibility for the parcels that were set aside for the proposed Performing Arts Center (PAC) in order to ensure that the corner of Main St. and Clinton Ave. be used for private development and provide property tax revenue.
In a joint statement, the Mayor and Council Members said, “After long and exacting discussions and study, we believe this legislation gives the Renaissance Square project the exact requirements needed to meet the FTA submission deadline in order to preserve the $24 million in Federal funds. The plan also provides City taxpayers the assurance that a keystone corner of Downtown will remain under City control and any development there will stay on the tax rolls.”
The Main & Clinton Board sought to acquire the corner of Main and Clinton for the possible construction of the PAC if funding became available. In the short term, the Board cited that the corner needed to be demolished and used as a “staging area” for construction equipment and materials.
The City will meet the “staging area” requirement by working with property owners to acquire and consolidate the parcels. A condition of the acquisition spells out that acquired sites be made available for staging for the MCC and transit center construction; or another acceptable staging area be provided if the buildings are retained. Should private development that meets this condition not develop in time to serve the needs of the Project, the City will take direct action to meet the Project’s needs. The City will commit to provide an ample staging area there to keep pace with the project’s construction schedule.
After a preliminary inquiry and study, it has been determined that many of the property owners want to sell their buildings and many of the structures are beyond cost effective restoration.
The proposed PAC is not funded and not part of phase-one of the project, except for some shared utilities and build-outs at MCC and the transit center. Federal funds for that and for property acquisition\demolition would have to be paid back in any case. Should the County come forward with a theater proposal that is fully funded and provides for income to offset any annual operating deficit, the City remains open to discussing the plan.
The legislation also conditions the size of the transit center. The City has worked hard to compromise with RGRTA over the footprint of the terminal. The legislation now reflects the approval to locate the western edge of the transit center 185 feet from the eastern curb line of St. Paul Street. This plan would maintain the bus turnarounds at both ends of the center and maximize parking space for the Cox, Warner and Edwards Buildings. The City will also initiate the required action to abandon Mortimer and Division Streets as required.
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News Media: For more information, contact Gary Walker, 428-7405 or Bill Sullivan, 428-5981.