Wegmans "Dedication to City" Puts Residents in Danger
Today's Democrat & Chronicle had a quick blurb about a large steel antenna falling onto East Avenue from the historic but now abandoned Doyle Security building (the news brief follows this commentary). This structure is one of many on the block between Probert Street and Winton Road that were purchased by Wegmans in their continuing attempt to force-feed suburban retail design into a city neighborhood. Prior to Wegmans' purchase, this was a well-maintained and fully-occupied building housing a responsible local business. Now, as Wegmans continues to struggle with the concept of adjusting their suburban big box model to meet the realities of serving the City of Rochester, and despite the building's historic significance and the fact that Wegmans has not yet been granted any approvals for building here, this building and others around it are being allowed to fall apart.As is the case with any other landlord that fails to keep up his or her property, Wegmans should be given notice that they must maintain these buildings in a state of good repair or risk hefty fines. As far as I'm concerned, most of these buildings deserve to be saved from the wrecking ball. Wegmans can work around them or incorporate them into their new store design. Clearly though, the powers that be at Wegmans headquarters are more interested in seeing these buildings decline to the point of no return. Once they're gone, there will be little reason to fight their ill-conceived store expansion. That may please many of the 20-somethings in the Park and East Avenue neighborhoods, who can continue their typical suburban lifestyles for the few years that they live in the City before moving to the suburbs to raise their children. But to any of us who have chosen to raise a family in the City, this is a disaster. We do not want to see our City turned into a playground for suburbanites nor do we want any one of our City business districts turned into a sick caricature on suburban America. We do not want to see one of our grandest boulevards (East Avenue) turned into a high-speed, drive-through, big box suburban thoroughfare. One need only look at Mount Hope Avenue south of Elmwood to see the negative effects the imposition of suburban design has on a City street. If this City gives a damn about its future, it will hold Wegmans' collective feet to the fire and not allow this important business district to collapse.Steel antenna falls on roadNo one was injured when an 80-foot steel antenna came loose and fell from a building on East Avenue Monday evening, but the road was closed for more than an hour as the debris was cleared. The antenna, which once was used by the Doyle Security Co. at 1806 East Ave., near North Winton Road, fell from the 40-foot building onto the street below about 7:15 p.m., said Battalion Chief Mike Dupra.
Although there was heavy rain and lightning in the area, Dupra said it doesn't appear the antenna was struck. Some cables holding the antenna in place apparently failed, he said.
Crews from Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. removed the antenna, which belongs to Wegmans Food Markets since it purchased the building.
Hyatt Regency Rochester: 15 Years and Still Unfinished
I know I'm a little late with this post, but as the old saying goes, late is the true path of the righteous. Okay so I made that up, but it sounded good, right? Moving on... Last week's Rochester Business Journal featured a nice article about the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Hyatt Regency Rochester. Like many other high-profile projects in Rochester, the development of the Hyatt was a fumbled mess. The Hyatt began construction in 1987 but ceased after two years for a variety of factors that you can read up on somewhere else. The unfinished shell of the 27-story tower marred the downtown skyline for three years and was the butt of jokes then as the ferry is the butt of jokes now. All good things come to an end of course, and the Hyatt opened to the public in 1992 as the luxury convention hotel that downtown Rochester lacked.
The Hyatt is currently in the midst of a multi-million dollar renovation that is bringing updated rooms and common areas as well as an improved restaurant. Unfortunately, I think they plan on keeping Palladio rather than bringing in a new dining concept, which is certainly disappointing to any loyal downtowner. Regardless, the Hyatt will be returned to its original lustre of 15 years earlier and should please hotel-goers and the convention crowd. That being said, there is one aspect of the Hyatt that was never built and as such, the building should be considered to remain unfinished. The original design by architects Gruzen Samton Steinglass incorporated a crown on the top of the Hyatt. Take a close look at it next time you're in view of the building. It does seem a bit short and stubby, no? Now picture a brass-tinted shiny pyramid-shaped crown atop the hotel. To me, that missing crown is a glaring example of the Rochester area's inability to get things right the first time. While probably exorbitantly costly, the psychological benefit of completely finishing this building as it was intended would be priceless.
