Midtown Estimated to cost taxpayers $90 Million
May 2010
Rachel Barnhart
13-WHAM.com
(Rochester, N.Y.) ö City officials estimate the
Midtown Plaza project will cost $90 million, including
demolition and infrastructure installation. The city is
tens of millions of dollars short.
Tearing down Midtown is only a first step. The city will have to build streets, sewers, and sidewalks. The tunnel that runs under Midtown and services much of Main Street will also have to be shifted. The state pledged $55 million for demolition, but the city hasnât secured the rest of the money. Mayor Robert Duffy said he is looking to tap state and federal resources. The city capital projects plan may also include Midtown work. City officials added they do not need the infrastructure money all at once, as the project will take at least several years to complete.
ãThere's a variety of ways we'll fund this. There's no doubt in my mind we'll get this done,ä said Duffy.
Senator Charles Schumer held a news conference announcing he is pushing for $5 million in federal funds. He said the city must clear the site to make way for private developers. Schumer also said the city cannot wait to have all of the funding in hand to begin the work.
ãTo say you have to each thing in place before you start any of them, we'll be waiting chicken and egg, chicken and egg, chicken and egg, and downtown will languish for another 15 or 20 years,ä Schumer said.
Officials from the city and Empire State Development could not say exactly how much money the project will cost and how much money is in hand. They did not know if the approximately $13 million the city has already set aside to acquire Midtown and relocate tenants is included in the $90 million estimate. Nailing down exactly how much the project will cost taxpayers has been difficult. The city and state admit they do not know the final cost on their Midtown Rising website. LaBella Associates is putting together a plan for revitalizing the block that will include more specifics on cost estimates.
A consultantâs study that is part of the projectâs environmental assessment estimated that infrastructure would cost $26-$28 million. When asked about the consultantâs report last year, the city estimated the infrastructure would cost $18 million.
ãI can assure you one thing. We are not going to be at a point in this project where it stops,â said Duffy.
PAETEC Communications has committed to building at Midtown, but the company hasnât signed any contracts. The city, state and company are negotiating incentives, and PAETEC may want to see more progress on the site before committing further, said Empire State Development Chairman Dennis Mullen. All sides say they are still on board with working out a deal and are optimistic PAETEC will relocate to Midtown.
No other firms have publicly expressed interest in building on the 8-acre site.
Workers are removing asbestos from Midtown. Demolition is expected to start this summer.
The mayor said the project is on schedule and under budget.
