ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Governor Hochul was in Rochester Monday morning to discuss plans to revitalize Downtown Rochester. The conference was held at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
State officials describe the Downtown Revitalization Initative as a program to turn downtown neighborhoods into centers for redevelopment, business, job creation, and economic and housing diversity.
“We know this program works because who knows better than local communities what should be invested in,” Rodriguez said.
Governor Hochul announced plans to transform downtown Rochester — particularly Main Street and Clinton Avenue. These plans include making downtown more walkable and adding more affordable to the area.
“In the middle of the city, you cannot have a big donut hole,” said Mayor Malik Evans. “We must make sure it’s filled in, but not filled in with anything, but filled in with things that will allow our city to be able to connect to the rest of the great things that we have going on.”
Hochul then went on to announce five awards to revitalize the area. The first award for $4 million will go towards redeveloping buildings on East Main Street and Clinton Avenue to introduce commercial and affordable housing units.
The second award for over $1 million will also go towards cleaning up and changing the Kresge building into a 24-room boutique hotel to attract more people to Rochester and the third award for over $1 million will go towards putting apartment units into the Edwards building — including adding carbon-free heating into the building.
The fourth award for over $1 million will go towards the Alta Vista building to transform four vacant lots into a six-story, mixed-use building — including housing units and supportive housing for domestic abuse victims.
The final award for over $1 million will go towards demolishing a one-story building and installing a new commons to increase walkability in the area.
“You will go by here, you will feel and experience the difference, people will notice it,” said Governor Hochul. “This is a new era, this is a new beginning. I’m really excited because my heart is in this community and I can’t wait to see what a revitalized Rochester revival looks like.”