Say Goodbye to the Barrels This Week in Downtown Rochester
Here's what you've been waiting for, Rochester: the end of the Main Street Makeover. To mark the occasion, we're taking a look back.
Photos
Videos
Just in time for Small Business Saturday, the barrels blocking most of downtown Rochester's Main Street are scheduled to be moved out of the way this week.
The road is set to fully re-open to traffic on Friday, though at a recent Rochester City Council meeting, city leaders hinted that the event could happen as early as Wednesday.
Benches and trash cans were installed last week; streetlights are set to be installed this week.
The re-opening is more than seven months in the making: the Main Street Makeover began in April. It involved the removal and rebuilding of the road from the Paint Creek Bridge north of University Drive to the Clinton River Bridge south of downtown. The project was budgeted at about $5.6 million.
Here's a look back, in photos and in stories, at the highlights of the project. What has most surprised you during the work? Leave a comment and tell your neighbors about it.
- What Will Happen to Prehistoric Human Bones Found Under Rochester? Rochester’s Main Street redevelopment has something in common with similar projects under way across the country: workers and on-site archaeologists discovering prehistoric human remains while digging far below the road.
- Century-Old Streetcar Tracks Uncovered Below Rochester's Main Street The photos of the evidence of railroad tracks under the road will are proof of more history being unveiled.
- School Community Shows Its Support for Downtown The McGregor Elementary School community took to Main Street to shop and dine in support of the local merchants.
- You've Never Seen A Cash Mob Quite Like This, Rochester A cash mob with a twist had a pilot run in our construction-filled downtown.
- Video of the Day: Now That's What We Call Heavy Machinery Inside most Downtown Rochester businesses, you've had a front row seat to the most talked-about show in town.
- Will Ewe Never Mind the Construction and See the Flock Downtown? Surely ewe have heard the news. There were more than two dozen colorful and creative fiberglass sheep on display around downtown Rochester as part of the Ewe Revue 2.
- Video of the Day: Patch Reader Takes a Last Drive Down 'Old' Main Street Ride along with Patch blogger and Rochester resident David Gifford as he takes one last farewell drive down the old Main Street.
- City to Metal-Detecting Sleuths: Be Patient — Or Be ArrestedMetal detectors at midnight — or any time of day — will not be tolerated. That's the message Rochester officials want you to hear amid downtown's Main Street Makeover.
For more news about the Main Street Makeover, see our special section on Patch.
Erin
3:23 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012
Can. Not. Wait.
Scot Beaton
6:42 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012
Kristin...
Some of my friends that work downtown made an interesting observation about all the new benches -- that is why I posted your photo of a bench. Why would you want to sit on a bench and look at a wall... they're all facing the wrong way...? -- would you not rather sit and look out, and watch the traffic/pedestrians go by?
Kristin Bull
9:17 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012
Hmm. Good question, Scot. I guess maybe the other side of the story is that if the benches are turned around, you're most likely looking at a parked car. I think the way the benches are positioned is great for people-watching - or waiting for your name to be called if you have your name in for a table at a restaurant.
I have seen comments, too, about the trash cans being too close to the benches. The deputy city manager stated during last week's city council meeting that everything can be moved once the lights, landscaping and everything else gets put into place. "We'll look at every single one and decide what can be moved," Nik Banda said.
Scot Beaton
2:22 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
Kristin...
Thanks for your comments... I did not want to come off sounding like a nitpick -- just passing on a few comments from friends that work downtown. Overall great job to all those involved and I wish all our downtown merchants all the best this holiday season.
P.S. Having a background in graphic and urban design... I do give kudos to the designers who designed all the new features for the downtown.
Anne
1:21 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
Very excited for the reopening. Looks Great except for the traffic lights. Why did the city leave the traffic lights strung on wire? It looks so much cleaner to have the traffic lights extended from a pole. At the intersection of 25 mile and Van Dyke they installed the poles and it looks so much nicer. Wish they would have done that.
Jen Anesi
2:19 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
I didn't notice that, but I sure do like the bigger street signs! Maybe the poles would have taken up too much space on the street corners? Just a guess...
Betty Jane Cole
1:40 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
Hats off to everyone involved with this great venture! Truly a job well done - I do not know the names of everyone involved but from the beginning of the planning stage to all the extra persons - equipment - utility companies - merchants - police - traffic rerouting - it was well worth the wait - I know of Nik Banda whose planning was outstanding - and all of the many others. With all the traffic constantly streaming through Rochester - this was some sort of a Miracle to accomplish. Just in time for the Holidays! Kudos to all, including the drivers of the cars who had to go out of their way! Thanks to all! Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!
Lisa Hook
10:00 pm on Monday, November 19, 2012
Scot I saw a bench turned around and it looked dangerously close to the curb. The previous benches didn't have backs, so you could sit either way. Interesting observation!
Bob Lytle
10:27 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
One major issue remains: parking. If the City's proposal to allow unrestricted parking on Main Street, every downtown resident and office worker will shout "Whoopee," and take up spaces which merchants must have for their customers. The "blue bags" that we're meant to encourage people to come Downtown and park for free only managaed to frustrate customers when they arrived to find there was no available space within two blocks of their destination. The new agenda must have the means to restrict the length of time a car may be parked or the entire business district will suffer long term problems.
Peter Griffin
11:49 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
When will this project be 100% complete? Busted curb (by Paint Creek Tavern) still looks bad, orange barrels btwn bridge and First Street now fitted with white slip covers (does this disguise the fact that they are still not done?), street lamps still missing.....come on people. I thought this was supposed to be 100% complete by Nov 23rd???????????
Frank D.
6:46 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
During the X-Mas lighting ceremony, I noticed that all the side walk light posts power outlets on the East side of Main Street had the waterproof cover not installed..Wires were exposed, this is a code violation and they get away with it ...I hope this has been resolved by now...
Similar unfinished conditions on the intersection of Avon and Livernois (bridge replacement project). Yesterday, the traffic flow was restricted because some one decided to replace and rehang all the traffc light fixture...The RH turn lane coming North on Livernois and turning to East bound Avon, is still not finished..etc..etc..etc..
This is your efficient and well paid government at work...
Bob Lytle
5:06 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Have you noticed there is no signage restricting overnight parking on Main? My experience in Michigan is there may be some snow during the winter. How will the DPW handle that task with cars which are legally entrenched and may not be ticketed by police.
Meredith McCutcheon
5:24 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
My husband and I just had lunch downtown today for the first time since Main Street reopened. It looks great!!