During a stop in Rochester on Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo committed $50 million in state funding to help redevelop the area along the Genesee River in downtown Rochester.
Speaking at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Cuomo noted that other cities around the U.S. have seen great success in taking advantage of their waterfronts and he wants to see Rochester do the same.
Cuomo had also talked in general terms about that development when he delivered the State of the State address in January, and at that time, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said she was glad to hear Cuomo talk about the state supporting the “ROC the Riverway” proposal.
That idea includes several projects near the Main Street Bridge and Andrews Street and also in the Cornhill Area.
During his stop on Thursday, Cuomo also said that the redevelopment effort will be guided by a ‘ROC the Riverway Advisory Board’ which will be led by Chamber of Commerce President Bob Duffy and MCC President Anne Kress.
The redevelopment program will consolidate up to 30 development projects along the Genesee River under a single concept.
"Redevelop the riverway. Reestablish the Genesee River as the centerpiece of downtown revitalization. Leveraging public dollars, to leverage private sector investment and private sector growth," he said.
Prospective projects include the completion of the Genesee Riverway Trail through the center city; re-watering of the Broad St. Aqueduct; and a redesign of Charles Carroll Plaza and Genesee Crossroads Park.
The plan also envisions significant upgrades to facilities such as the Blue Cross Arena and War Memorial, the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center and the Rundel Library.
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren says that the ROC the Riverway Program will “bring an unprecedented level of targeted investment along the Genesee River and open our riverfront to new possibilities and opportunities for growth.”
She says the state investment is more than welcome.
"This project is millions and millions of dollars. But that's over a ten year period. Whatever we need to get started, $50 million is more than I expected to get started, so that's why I'm so excited," she said.
Warren says they're still determining how much the city will invest in the project.
The state funding comes from the Upstate Revitalization Initiative Finger Lakes Forward.
