City seeks input for Downtown Revitalization Initiative application
The City of Rochester is applying for Round 8 of New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for up to $10 million in grant funding and will hold an open house seeking input from residents, developers, and business and property owners to inform the application. The meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in the lobby of First Federal Plaza, located at 28 E. Main St.
“We are committed to revitalizing Downtown’s Four Corners area, restoring its historic significance, and creating a vibrant, thriving Center City,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “If successful, this Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant will allow us to build on the momentum of recent investments and the success of our last application, as we work with the community to shape a future that serves and inspires both residents and visitors alike.”
With this application, the City of Rochester is targeting the Four Corners section of Downtown, which is generally bounded by W. Broad Street, the Genesee River, the Inner Loop North, and N. Fitzhugh Street. This area is the historic center of Rochester but has unfortunately experienced an extended period of disinvestment, leading to considerable vacancies and increasing blight.
The proposed DRI grant will seek to build upon recent investments in the area, including Constellation Brands new headquarters, numerous public infrastructure improvements including the State Street Reconstruction, Aqueduct District Street Improvement, and Main Street Streetscape projects, the new Austin Steward Plaza, as well as other recent and ongoing projects.
Click the button below for more information about the DRI planning process and the City’s application.