Gov. Kathy Hochul says she is committed to starting construction on High Falls State Park this year.
Hochul is expected to highlight the park Tuesday during her State of the State address.
The project is in final design but lacks construction funding. Asked if the commitment comes with additional dollars attached, a spokesperson for the governor said she would lay out her overall financial plan for the state next week.
“That’s the biggest open question to getting it done, but that’s all part of the process,” said Vincent Esposito, senior vice president for regional economic development at Empire State Development, commenting on the park during a recent appearance on WXXI’s Connections with Evan Dawson.
Esposito could not be reached for comment Monday. He has said the park will be financed, built and opened in phases, starting at the falls and moving north. Once opened, the park will be free to access, the governor’s office said in a statement.
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— HFSP_OLIN_Island Overlook Perspective.jpg
An "island overlook" near the base of High Falls, south of the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge, would provide visitors a close-up view of the 80-foot cascade.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_Beebee Station Walk Perspective.jpg
What is labeled the "Beebee Station walk" in the proposed High Falls State Park would extend along the west wall of the Genesee River gorge north of the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge, overlooking the west lawn and playground.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_West Lawn Perspective.jpg
The west lawn in the proposed High Falls State Park, in this rendering looking north, shows the smoke stack of the old city incinerator and Smith Street bridge in the distance. This would be on the west side of the river gorge in a recently remediated area at the base of the former Beebee Station just north of the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— High Falls State rendering west bank
A rendering of the proposed High Falls State Park shows the west bank of the Genesee River with people gathered along a terraced riverfront and the Smith Street bridge (Bausch Memorial Bridge) in the background.
TWMLA, a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture studio
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— HFSP_OLIN_Incinerator Plaza Perspective.jpg
A rendering shows remnants of brick walls with large window openings partially enclosing a seating area amid large rocks and vegetation with the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge seen in the distance.
The proposed High Falls State Park could include a plaza where the old city incinerator sits today at the base of the Smith Street bridge on the west side of the Genesee River gorge. The "Incinerator Plaza" name shown in this rendering is a placeholder but reflects the planners’ goal of incorporating old and new and maintaining some remnants of old industrial uses in the gorge. / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_Pedestrian Bridge Perspective.jpg
The pedestrian bridge connecting the western and eastern sections of the proposed High Falls State Park would extend from beneath the Smith Street bridge on the west side, north to the eastern Genesee River bank.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_Relic Garden Perspective.jpg
The proposed "relic garden" is shown in the planned High Falls State Park. The rendering is looking southwest toward the Smith Street bridge from the east bank of the river. The garden would be near a large "east lawn" and south of a woodland grove and a playground, with a nearby boardwalk-like pedestrian bridge connecting to the west riverbank.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_Woodland Grove Perspective.jpg
A rendering of the woodland grove envisioned to be part of the proposed High Falls State Park. The grove would be on the east side of the river, north of the Smith Street or Bausch Memorial Bridge near the base of the Running Track foot bridge toward the northern edge of the park. This is roughly where the B+L glass plant was once located. The grove would be near a playground.
Provided rendering / OLIN
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— HFSP_OLIN_Terrace Overlook Perspective.jpg
The "terrace overlook" in the proposed High Falls State Park, as shown in this rendering, would provide a view of High Falls looking southwest from the east side of the gorge. The overlook would be located at what is currently High Falls Terrace immediately south of the Genesee Brewery off St. Paul Street.
Provided rendering / OLIN
The site would be the first state park in Rochester and span some 40 acres at the base of High Falls. The state has previously offered financial support for the park, including $8 million for design work. An environmental cleanup of the former Beebee Station coal-fired plant and a gas manufacturing plant in the designated park area has been completed. That effort was the first of four cleanups needed to clear the site for development.
In a provided statement, Hochul said her administration is dedicated to getting the park done.
"As Governor, I recognize the importance of creating spaces that allow people to improve their mental and physical health by getting offline and getting outside," Hochul said. "High Falls State Park will be Rochester's first state park and will transform downtown while celebrating the area's rich ecological, cultural, and industrial history. I am incredibly proud to help make this long-held vision a reality for the Rochester community."
It’s unclear what kind of support the governor’s office will be offering to the park. Hochul is slated to release her budget proposal next Tuesday, which could provide those details.
High Falls State Park was initially announced by Hochul in 2022 as part of the Roc the Riverway, a downtown waterfront revitalization initiative first launched under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
In October, Hochul released a vision plan for the future of the park, featuring trails, lounge areas, and playgrounds spanning both sides of the Genesee River at the basin of the falls.
The model shows a portion of the Genesee River gorge that is slated to be part of High Falls State Park.
