The spate of recent articles in the D&C regarding local construction projects also means that there will be a great amount of demolition of older buildings and historic properties. Take, for example, the recent decision to demolish the Cataract Brewery buildings in High Falls. The cost to demolish the properties alone—estimated at $800,000 to $1 million—is more than twice the amount for which Genesee Brewery was recently selling the two Cataract Brewery buildings and a large parking lot. That same amount could be used to install a new roof and windows, “button up” the building, and abate the lead paint, within the older “gem” brewery building. Although the oldest Cataract building is currently a “liability” in the words of a developer who recently toured the property, it could actually act as the driver for redevelopment. Historic Preservation Tax Credits, coupled with city, county, state, and federal monies, could pay for at least 30-40% of construction costs, and potentially way more if the City took on the lead abatement costs and Genesee Brewery and its owner, KPS Capital, acted as an investor or partner in redevelopment.
Rendering of renovated buildings and GardenAerial trail
I realize that sometimes it’s a bit difficult to see the potential in something. Especially when that “potential” is hidden beneath layers of mustard yellow paint, rusty corrugated siding, and 25+ years of plain old tired…
The way things look now (click for larger views)
Why, just the other day Howard S. Decker, FAIA said, “” Mr. Decker is former Principal of DLK Architecture (Chicago) and former Chief Curator of the National Building Museum (Washington DC). He knows a thing or two about buildings, and places that are worth saving for future generations. His highly experienced eyes see the potential in 13 Cataract Street and the neighborhood it lives in.
But what about the rest of us? How can we be sure this building is worth the money and effort it will take to bring it back to life? What is the alternative to demolition? And will we lose our Brewery Visitor Center if we don’t tear this other building down??
Let’s start with an excerpt taken from a document filed by the Landmark Society in 1984 with the New York State Parks and Recreation Division for Historic Preservation…
On Friday officials at the Genesee Brewery unveiled plans they say will “create a destination for beer lovers that anchors development on downtown Rochester’s Northeast side.” Before we get too excited, let’s think.
Firstly, did you know Genesee Brewery is owned by a New York City investment firm called KPS Capital Partners? KPS Capital Partners established North American Breweries, Inc. in 2009 to manage its brewery acquisitions. One of those acquisitions was our beloved Genesee. They will tell you North American Breweries is headquartered in Rochester. But Genesee Brewery is no longer a locally owned company.
North American Breweries says their planned “Genesee Brew House…will celebrate the storied history and experience of the Genesee brand” and that they want to “tell the story of [this] resilient company with a rich history that dates back to 1878.” But to do this they will demolish this building; the centerpiece of Rochester’s historic brewing district, built 1899.
The following press release was issued today by North American Breweries, the NYC investment firm that owns Genesee Brewery.
In brief, they plan to renovate an old packaging building, turn it into a visitor center, and level two of the last remaining original buildings in the heart of Rochester’s historic brewing district. The press release claims that the new visitor center “hinges” on the demolition of these historic buildings – not because the new visitor center is being built on the land, but because the old buildings impede the view of High Falls.
What the press release doesn’t mention is that one local group, the people behind the Garden Aerial Project and the Greentopia Festival, expressed interest in these buildings three months ago. They want to renovate the old buildings and turn them into office space and a visitor center in partnership with the brewery. I was told North American Breweries turned them down because the money wasn’t right. So it looks like they will spend $600,000 to demolish the buildings instead. ??
This press release comes at the perfect time for North American Breweries. I learned today that they are planning to submit their application on Monday to demolish 13 Cataract St.
RochesterSubway.com will be 3 years old this January and recently it welcomed it’s 100,000th visitor. While the bulk of this web traffic is local, the website gets a fair amount of visits from every corner of the country. And those visitors are very important. Case in point, Norm from Baltimore, Maryland. Norm read our story about Genesee Brewery wanting to demolish the old Standard Brewing Company Building and he sent us some inspiration from his home town… (more…)
RocSubway has word from good sources this afternoon that Genesee Brewery will submit an application today to demolish this building at the eastern end of the High Falls pedestrian bridge at 13 Cataract Street. This will likely be going to the Zoning Board hearing on Dec 15. Obviously, if true, this would be a great architectural and historical loss for Rochester. If you know anyone with deep pockets, now is a great time to buy!
A much anticipated documentary on the prohibition era will air Sunday night on WXXI. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick tell the story of “the rise, rule, and fall of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution” which outlawed alcohol and tossed everything we thought we knew about America upside down.
The following is an excerpt from a 1992 edition of Rochester History magazine, edited by Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck, City Historian…
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![Genesee Brewery. [Flickr Photo: _Yoshi_]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-brewery-sign-yoshi.jpg)
![A view of what could one day be Rochester's Historic Brewery Square and entrance to the GardenAerial trail (right). [RENDERING: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/cataract-rendering-empty.jpg)
![The original panorama photo set used to create the rendering of Brewery Square. [PHOTO: RochesterSubway.com]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/cataract-rendering-original.jpg)
![The building as it was in 1899. [PHOTO: Rochester Public Library]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-brewery.jpg)
![The recently renovated and beautifully restored American Brewery building in Baltimore, Maryland. [Flickr Photo: Prêt à Voyager]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/american-brewery-baltimore-1.jpg)
![Genesee Brewery getting set to demolish this building. That would be a great loss. [Flickr Photo: Zeus-the-Ferret]](https://www.rochestersubway.com/images/photos/genesee-brewery-Zeus-the-Ferret.jpg)
![The Doud Saloon on Front Street in the late 1800s. [PHOTO: Local History Division, Rochester Public Library.]](http://rochestersubway.com/images/photos/doud-saloon-rochester.jpg)
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