State park coming to Rochester's downtown area
WHAM
Wed, October 9th 2024 at 3:03 PM
Updated Wed, October 9th 2024 at 3:07 PM
State park coming to Rochester's downtown area (13wham.com)
Rochester, N.Y.— The area around the Genesee River waterfront in downtown Rochester will soon be a state park.
New York State has announced a contract with OLIN, a national landscape architecture and urban design firm, to design the space, which will be called High Falls State Park.
Work along the 3/4-mile-long stretch of the Genesee Gorge is already underway, but construction on the new park isn't expected to start until 2026 or 2027.
The project is part of the ROC the Riverway initiative, a collaborative effort aimed at revitalizing the area along the Genesee River through several projects.
“As we steadily work towards the creation of High Falls State Park and ROC the Riverway projects continue to be realized, we are transforming Rochester’s connection to the Genesee River and its rich history," Mayor Malik Evans said in a statement. "This state park will be a new centerpiece for our downtown, offering residents and visitors a place to gather and celebrate Rochester’s natural beauty."
MORE: New $4M investment to revamp historic Erie Canal Aqueduct and Broad Street Bridge| ROC The Riverway: First phases projected to have a soft opening this summer |A legacy of freedom: Rochester park renamed in honor of abolitionist Austin Steward
The state has committed $8 million to assist with the transformation.
Project leaders will hold an open house Nov. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. at MCC's downtown campus, where they will update the public on the process and ask for input on park design, which currently has the High Falls waterfall at its center.
