ROCHESTER — Owners of properties in
Rochester’s downtown historic commercial district
could be eligible for up to $500,000 in Destination Medical Center financial support for repairs and upgrades to preserve the historic building they own.
The grants would cover up to 50% of approved projects, using up to $5 million in state funding through the DMC initiative. The cost would be spread over the next five years.
“In the end, in a five-year period, we believe this will resource our community in a way that will generate preservation, rehab, reuse and reanimation of the entire historic district … parallel with the tremendous investment going on in new construction,” DMC Economic Development Agency Executive Director Patrick Seeb told the state’s DMC Corp. board on Thursday, May 23.
The proposal received full board support and will be presented to the Rochester City Council, which is expected to consider additional financial support during its June 3 meeting.
DMCC Board Chairman Pamela Wheelock cautioned against creating a system that would cover the full cost of any work in the historic buildings without owner participation in covering the costs.
“I do think having some skin in the game is important,” she said.
Board member Paul Williams agreed, pointing out that the personal financial commitment will make sure property owners put enough thought into the work being done.
While the program will be new for the DMC initiative, board member R.T. Rybak said it’s not completely breaking new ground. He pointed to the DMC EDA work that helped distribute state grants to a variety of businesses in the city to assist with pandemic recovery.
“I think this is a continuum of that,” he said.
Jamie Rothe, DMC EDA’s community engagement and experience director, said the new proposal took lessons learned from the earlier efforts into account. She said the work also included discussions with downtown property owners, who were asking for support in connection with the City Council’s Jan. 22, 2024, decision to designate roughly three blocks of downtown as a historic district.
She said the proposed financial support will be available for adaptive reuse projects, system upgrades, safety and preservation efforts and work to meet modern building codes in the historic building considered to be contributing to the historic nature of the district.
With final details unfolding, Rothe said the first grants could be awarded in September with DMC board and City Council approval, but she added that the DMC funds are expected to be part of a larger effort to support investment and upgrades in the downtown district.
“We really see ourselves working with the city and others,” she said.
Rochester Community Development Director Irene Woodward said the Rochester City Council will be asked to approve proposed efforts in June, which are expected to include contacting for a streetscape study of the district to see what changes could help draw more people to the area to support local businesses.
Other options discussed when the historic district was approved include the creation of a revolving loan fund for property owners and potential tax abatements.
City of Rochester
Rochester’s downtown historic commercial district includes approximately three city blocks, largely sandwiched between Broadway Avenue and First Avenue Southwest. The northern border includes buildings just north of Second Street Southwest, and the southern line primarily runs along Fourth Street Southwest.
A single property south of Fourth Street Southwest — the Riverside Building at 400. S Broadway Ave. — is included in the district.
Buildings considered contributing to the district are identified based on their use during specific periods of downtown development, which ranged between 1870 and 1962. Most of the buildings were built in a 50-year period starting in the 1870s.
The properties considered contributing to the district are:
• 195 S. Broadway Ave., Dayton’s Department Store
• 307 S. Broadway Ave., Clausen and Adler Hardware
• 309 S. Broadway Ave., F.J. Paine Co.
• 311-313 S. Broadway Ave., F.J. Paine Co./Palace Block
• 315-317 S. Broadway Ave., Bach Music Company
• 318 S. Broadway Ave., A.J. Bjerring Barbershop/Bjerring Hotel
• 319-321 S. Broadway Ave., Baker and Hanson/The Council Saloon
• 320-322 S. Broadway Ave., Rochester Egg and Poultry Co.
• 323 S. Broadway Ave., Black’s Lunch
• 324 S. Broadway Ave., C.J. Morrill and Son, Wholesale Grocer
• 325 S. Broadway Ave., F.A. Poole Building Contributing
• 326-328 S. Broadway Ave., Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.
• 330 S. Broadway Ave., Columbia Hotel
• 400 S. Broadway Ave., Riverside Building
• 202 First Ave. SW, C.F. Massey Co.
• 210 First Ave. SW, Blakeley Building
• 212 First Ave. SW, Rochester Commercial Club Building
• 216 First Ave. SW, Holland’s Food Shop Contributing
• 220 First Ave. SW, Stebbins Building
• 224 First Ave. SW, former City Hall
• 304 First Ave. SW, William’s Block
• 7 Second St. SW, Olmsted County Bank and Trust Co.
• 15-21 Second St. SW, Northwestern National Bank of Rochester
• 23 Second St. SW, I.O.O.F. Lodge #13
• 4 Third St. SW, Union National Bank Building
• 10 Third St. SW, Kennedy Building
• 17 Fourth St. SW, Hotel Francis
Three properties within the district boundaries are listed as non-contributing: 318 First Ave. SW, 324 First Ave. SW and 14 Third St. SW.
Joe Ahlquist / Post Bulletin
