An historic building in Rochester was named this week in honor of City Council President Loretta Scott, who is retiring after this year.
Scott was first elected to Council in 2009, and is now in her third term. She was elected Council President in 2014.
Prior to her time on Council, Scott was Commissioner of Parks, Recreation, and Human Services which made her the first Black woman to head a city department. Prior to her time in elected office, Scott was a city employee for close to three decades.
Mayor Lovely Warren announced that the city’s Department of Recreation and Human Services on St. Paul Street downtown will now be known as the Honorable Loretta C. Scott Center for Human Services.
Warren called Scott “an unwavering champion for the children and families of Rochester,” calling her “a committed servant, who has guided transformative change from City Hall to the community, especially in the areas of criminal justice, racial equity, employment and education.”
The building at 55-57 St. Paul Street was constructed in 1916 and 1917. It was commissioned by George Eastman and designed by architect Claude Bragdon to serve as the headquarters of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce (which is now located on State Street).
The building also has served as home to the SUNY Brockport Metro Center and the Rochester Economic Development Corporation (REDCO).
