[Hammer Town]

Hey everyone
I was looking at some pics of Rochester and saw a pic of the waterfall in the downtown. I also noticed that most of the buildings around it are abandoned does the city of Rochester or any developers planning on fixing up the area?

I see a lot of potential with that.

Thanks for any info.

[F11Roch]

Actually there aren't too many abandoned buildings left around the High Falls area. There has been an organized effort by the city to revitalize the area over the past 5 to 10 years. They even signed an agreement with Cordish to help develop and oversee the area. The goal was to turn it into a premier entertainment district. However, it has had a high amount of failures in that regard. The commercial and few residential developments in High Falls have done well. But many of the night-life spots have failed, most notably the Jillians located there.

It is without a doubt a beautiful and unique urban location and it is still ripe for the right development. The current city administration is thankfully starting to rethink the entertainment-only idea and gear more towards private development and residential. High Falls remains an area of high potential, but for now it is just that. One could argue that the East End has succeeded where High Falls has failed. High Falls received the most publicity as well as public funds from the city, whereas the East End revitalized itself through private enterprise and is vibrant mix of residential and nightlife development.

[whit_x]

This article was in today's D & C that explains the results of a study that the city commissioned about the future of High Falls. The fact that the government has put up half of the funds for development in this area and it still has failed has to do, IMHO, with the isolation of the site from the rest of the city due to the inner loop, as well as the decline in the 25-34 aged population in the area.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070117/NEWS01/701170389

[F11Roch]

Here is the article whit_x was talking about.

Let offices, housing fill High Falls, city told

Report suggests giving up on subsidized entertainment area

Brian Sharp
Staff writer

(January 17, 2007) — Mayor Robert Duffy says the city must face "the stark reality" that the future of the historic High Falls District might not be as an entertainment district.

Duffy's comment came in response to a consultant report, released Tuesday, that recommends city officials abandon a decadelong push to turn High Falls into an entertainment quarter and instead let private investors continue to steer development toward housing and office space.

According to the report, more than $41 million in taxpayer money has gone into High Falls since 1992. That total — from city, state and federal sources — is not much more than the private investment in office, residential, restaurant and retail development during the same period.

"The city has invested a lot of money in High Falls going back years," the mayor said. "I believe it's time to look at the stark reality that the future of High Falls may not be as an entertainment destination."

In its report, the Center for Governmental Research concluded that the city should sell off the buildings it owns, halt its operating subsidies and clean up public spaces it has allowed to languish.

No private property remains available for renovation or redevelopment, the report says — thus turning the focus to the city and Rochester Gas and Electric-controlled land and buildings. The city owns the Center at High Falls/Brown's Race Market complex. RG&E owns the land below the falls, the Beebee plant and other, smaller buildings.

The consultant suggested that the city look into breaking its contract with Cordish Co. of Baltimore, which manages the city property that is home to businesses such as Tiki Bob's Cantina and McFadden's bar. The contract runs through June 2008. One issue that likely will play a significant role in any outcome is a pending state decision on Tiki Bob's liquor license. The same company owns both bars.

In the future, niche retail shops and restaurants would primarily serve people who live and work in the district.

Mimi Tilton and her brother, Peter Freund, are spending about $1 million to renovate the four-story Perry Building into office and loft apartments and expect to welcome their first new tenant in May. Looking beyond her property, Tilton said the RG&E property "is screaming for attention," and more housing options are needed.

A spokesman said RG&E had not seen the report and declined comment.

David Luxenberg, an investor in the High Falls Button Factory building, said it's important to look at restaurants and services, too.

"(But) it needs to be re-branded in everybody's mind as the High Falls historic district, which allows it to develop naturally as an office and residential neighborhood," he said.

Creating a housing and office district was the directive from an initial city-commissioned financial and market study in 1990. R. Carlos Carballada, the city's commissioner for economic development, said that despite the city pushing in another direction, "the market has sort of evolved itself."

The report praises the city for preserving and improving the district, but it notes that public areas have been neglected as officials sought to limit ongoing subsidies. Trash and debris litter the waterwheel and streets, kiosks are outdated, and information panels are in disrepair.

"Neither the laser show nor the interpretive museum have undergone any significant updating since they were opened in 1992," the report states.

Duffy points to the lack of housing options as the largest impediment for High Falls, while Carballada adds poor marketing. According to the report, marketing — largely the responsibility of Cordish — has become venue-driven rather than district-driven and often failed to link with nearby events at Frontier Field and elsewhere.

BDSHARP@DemocratandChronicle.com

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I agree whit_x with your comment about the inner loop. It absolutely has to go, imo. Downtown is easy enough to navigate without it and it completely shuts off downtown from the rest of the city. Making it a street level boulevard and adding parks and perhaps mixed-use space along the corridor would go great lengths to strengthening downtown and would be well worth the cost.