MAYOR ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE SHOPPING AT MIDTOWN (City of Rochester News Release - 03/26/2008)
Mayor Robert J. Duffy today encouraged Rochester residents to continue shopping at Midtown Plaza as the Midtown Revitalization Project continues. While the City works with Governor Paterson and its partners at Empire State Development, PAETEC and City Council to move the project forward, the mayor is reminding people that the Plaza’s shops and restaurants will remain open to the public for several months. There are more than 35 retail stores, salons and eateries that are open Mon. -- Sat., 10 a.m. -- 5:30 pm.
“As we continue working to revitalize the core of our city, I want to be sure people realize that there are nearly 40 merchants in Midtown who welcome their business,” said Mayor Duffy. “We are working together to find many of these businesses homes right in downtown, so as the new Midtown takes shape, many will be close by to continueserving their customers.”
The City is allocating approximately $5.5 million to assist Midtown Plaza tenants with their relocation. The City is also working to create a special grant program to provide additional assistance for those businesses relocating within downtown or in the city. City Council will vote in April to authorize funding for the City's relocation efforts and to secure approval for the grant program.
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MIDTOWN PLAZA CLOSING SCHEDULE & MIDTOWN GARAGE PARKING RELOCATION PLAN (City of Rochester News Release - 04/04/2008)
With the exception of the Euclid Building lobby at Euclid St., Midtown Plaza will officially close to the public on August 1, marking the start of a new chapter for downtown Rochester. Rochester-based telecommunications company Paetec plans to construct a half-million sq. ft. high rise and locate its headquarters there by mid-2011.
“Thanks to the vision of Paetec Chairman and C.E.O. Arunas Chesonis and the dedication and support of N.Y. State through Empire State Development, we have the opportunity to re-draw our Main St. and forever change our skyline,” said Mayor Robert J. Duffy. “This is an historic event that doesn’t come along very often, and we are proud to be leading the way to downtown’s renaissance.”
The City will take ownership of the Plaza’s properties in early May and is working aggressively with the remaining Midtown businesses to relocate them downtown and the city. A majority of the tenants will have vacated the Plaza by the end of June and by August 1, all tenants will have vacated with the exception of Clear Channel Radio in the Euclid Building and the Trailways bus station located on Elm St. Clear Channel and Trailways will remain as tenants through December.
Beginning June 30, the City will begin limiting access to the Plaza by closing the Chase and Xerox skyway connections and on August 1, pedestrian access to the Midtown Garage will be limited to the Euclid Building lobby and the Broad St. underground tunnel from the gateway atrium at the southeast corner of Broad St. and Clinton Ave.
The Midtown Parking Garage will close on Sept. 30 as asbestos removal begins. A parking relocation plan has been developed to accommodate the 1,300 current Midtown Parking Garage customers and make their transition as convenient as possible. The City is re-opening the Mortimer St. Garage and a creating a new surface lot on Mortimer St. Alternative parking options include the East End and St. Joseph’s Parking Garages.
City staff is working closely with the Rochester Police Department and the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation’s Downtown Special Services team to maintain public safety in and around Midtown as pedestrian and parking circulation paths change.
