Nursing a Beer

Some of you may be wondering how we are doing in our efforts here to try to save two historic brewery buildings on Cataract Street. Herewith, an update.

The matter went before the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) on January 19th. After almost three hours of testimony, the Board retired to consider and vote. At dinner time, we learned that the vote was 5 – 1 in favor of the proposed variance, thus allowing demolition. But read on.

The barrels roll out?

Here’s how the struggle unfolded. Preceding the ZBA deliberations came a report, required by New York state law, from the city’s Director of Zoning. The Director was required to examine the environmental impact of the proposed demolition. Astonishingly, amazingly, pathetically, unbelievably, the Director decided that there would be no impact. Let ‘er rip….

This in spite of the fact that the city’s Environmental Commission, in a non-binding finding, ruled exactly the other way, saying that the impact was not sufficiently mitigated by the applicant.

Of course the testimony and the deliberations on the 19th had almost nothing to do with the zoning ordinance governing the application. One ZBA member did note that she thought the brewers were looking for relief from a self-created hardship (neglect of the poor old buildings, and then a claim that they were “abandoned” and too far gone to save). But otherwise, their vote was remarkably free of meeting the letter(s) of the law.

Just so that you have a sense of how ridiculous these proceedings have become, the beer guys got a bunch of neighbors (legitimately concerned about the neighborhood) and a couple of brewery employees to testify that crime, drugs, lurking, and illicit sex takes place near these buildings. Of course, as we all know, buildings do cause all sorts of misbehavior, so tear them down and poof! No more crime. Right?

The ZBA did rule that the demolition must be postponed for 30 days, in the hope that some kind of deal to sell and save the buildings could yet be arranged. At the 11th hour, before the hearing, we were close to having something put together that could work. But by the time of the hearing, the dollar gap between a local developer and the brewery could not be closed. As I write, the work of trying to secure a willing partner in the preservation and reuse of these buildings goes on.

But here’s the mystery: the fact that a deal here is so difficult is because the beer guys would rather pay nearly a million dollars to demolish the historic landmarks than sell them at a lesser cost and get out from under the liability they seem to represent. Now this really seems like self-created hardship. Can they do math?

Anyway, a bunch of folks are still toiling away trying to forge some kind of alliance that can salvage this mess. The clock ticks – the work goes on.

But let’s back up a minute. Nobody is opposed to having the beer guys create an Ale House and Visitor’s Center in the one landmark building they propose to reuse. Great idea – full speed ahead.

BUT THIS IS A CITY WITH A BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL AND CANYON IN ITS MIDST!

The Cataract Street buildings should join all of the other works near the gorge – the preservation of what’s left of the Gorsline Building adjacent to the Falls, the redeveloped High Falls Neighborhood on the river’s western banks (near where our city began), the soon to be reused Beebee power plant, and GardenAerial’s redesign of the old Platt Street Bridge (now called the Pont de Rennes), slated to become a local version of Chelsea’s High Line, as pieces of a redeveloping and reviving central city.

A simple rule in city life: build on value, capitalize value, capture value. Do not demolish value.

The High Line in Chelsea, which we visited last weekend, has created a tidal wave of economic development in that west side Manhattan neighborhood, and recaptured miles of public realm in the process. And it all started with a simple idea – reuse a 20 block long segment of elevated tracks as a public promenade. The Saturday morning we visited, the place was packed and the views were astonishing. Equally astonishing were all the new galleries, businesses, and residential buildings popping up all over the place, and the restorations of slews of wonderful old adjacent landmarks. The High Line has become an armature of economic development generating hundreds of millions of dollars in value (the NY Times says $2 billion in economic impact, 8,000 construction jobs, and 12,000 permanent jobs – not bad). Look and learn.

The High Line, Chelsea.

Rochester has a couple of real legacy mistakes in the works at the moment (such as a $50m bus barn that will allow us to avoid fixing our transit system, and a $100m expressway interchange that is at best a sad band-aid). But we may be awakening from a long and dangerous era of plundering our city for all sorts of regrettable and indefensible reasons.

Neighbors and friends: support the beer guys and their plans, but do not destroy the value that sits right in front of us. We will instantly regret missing this opportunity.

Save the Cataracts!

Postscript: Perhaps the most pathetic of all in the ZBA determination was a negotiated deal with the beer guys requiring them, as “mitigation,” to save part of the bottom 5 feet of one of the building’s stone base, and then adorn it with steel outlines of a portion of the building’s windows. Like this:

Better nothing, we think. This does not mitigate a thing. Even though the beer guys have promised us they will build a model of the landmark buildings for their new Ale House (isn’t that just terrific?), and take lots of pictures before wrecking the place, we think the leftovers are cynical and rude. Basta. 

Onward, ever onward.

Read Full Post »

Much More Brewing at Rochester’s High Falls

As we continue in our efforts here to save 13 Cataract Street, things are really brewing. First, an article written by Rochester activist and urban advocate Joel Helfrich, which you can find at the always extraordinary Rochester Subway site, produced by my intrepid and tireless colleague Mike Governale. Here’s a link:

http://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2011/12/genesee-brewery-they-paved-history-and-put-up-a-parking-lot/

If you haven’t already, you might want to take a closer look at Mike’s site to see his Photoshop magic, as he gives us a few glimpses of what’s possible at this essential location at High Falls.

And then today, in our local paper, the Democrat and Chronicle, came this piece, by Rochester historian John DeVolder:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20111210/OPINION02/112100302/Don-t-destroy-another-treasure?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|s

Now we know who designed 13 Cataract, Philly brewery architect A. C. Wagner, and we hear again why we must save this building. Thanks, Mr. DeVolder.

And in very late breaking news (late this afternoon), our local community college, Monroe Community College (MCC), voted this afternoon to move the long considered expansion of their downtown campus (they moved to the suburbs decades ago) to vacant space at Kodak HQ. This is bad because they are now housed in the historic Sibley’s department store downtown, and their large presence there, near the Eastman School, would have really given a boost to that part of downtown. I pray we don’t end up having to rally to save this artifact of our downtown’s past. Our mayor wisely urged them to stay at Sibley’s, but they chose otherwise.

Sibley, Lindsay & Curr, on the left in 1948.

But the good news is that their decision will now put thousands of (beer drinking?) MCC students two blocks from the High Falls, and three blocks from 13 Cataract Street. Genesee Brewing – opportunity knocks even more loudly.

More as news develops. Onward.

Read Full Post »

We’ll Have a Big Picture of Beer

As the fate of 13 Cataract Street is brewing, perhaps a step back to look at all of the possibilities is worth a moment. Join us for an afternoon stroll in our High Falls neighborhood.

The High Falls here, on the Genesee River. At the Falls on the left, the wonderful Gorsline Building in a much edited version, thankfully saved and reopened in 2000. It was once a much larger building, but between neglect, collapse, and fire, only the portion abutting the Falls remains. In the old days, during some spectacular weather, the building looked like this:

In the middle of the panorama, and in the distance, is Kodak Tower. Immediately right of the tower, and on the riverfront, is the RG&E Beebee Station, where the last turbine will take its last whirl in February. The station will then be shuttered pending some future redevelopment. Something will happen here.

That’s the Pont de Rennes bridge (nee Platt Street bridge) crossing the river in the middle of the view. This is the bridge that a group here wants to convert to a Rochester version of Manhattan’s High Line. They call it the GardenAerial, and you can learn more at www.gardenaerial.org.

It once looked like this in 1917 (note the Gorsline building behind the bridge next to the Falls):

And at the right in the panorama below is the Genesee Brewery, and the historic structures at the foot of the Pont de Rennes bridge. 13 Cataract Street – threatened with demolition – is the ochre colored, taller building.

Here’s a view of the brewery from the bridge.

The masonry building on the left is proposed to be the new brewery visitors center. On the right is the threatened 13 Cataract Street. Please note that the brewery folks say that they selected the building on the left  for their center because it has views of the Falls. Hmm. Stay with me on this one.

It’s hard to see 13 Cataract because of the much more recent metal buildings which surround it to the west and south, and which should be removed. But the original building is pretty spectacular, and dates from the late 1880s.

Remember what 13 Cataract looked like once upon a time. Yes, there are windows at the gable end at the right side of the building that look right out on the High Falls.

The Library image was printed backwards. Thanks to a reader, now corrected.

 

On the left of the image above is another building on the brewery campus, also designated as historic, built probably in the 1930s, and also slated for demolition. “Cataract” is carved in the limestone portion of its parapet.

So let’s recap. First there is the spectacular High Falls themselves - a place we Rochesterians take visitors for a stroll, and stroll ourselves. Then there is the High Falls district, with its offices and restaurants and residences in all the old restored mill buildings and new construction:

Just further west of the district (a couple of blocks) is Kodak HQ, and Frontier Field, home to our AAA Red Wings.

Then there is the RG&E campus, now no longer used for power generation and to be redeveloped for….?

Then there is the bridge, which may yet become Rochester’s Hanging
Gardens, with its attendant proposed trail around the gorge at the High Falls.

Then there are the precedents set by the Potosi Brewing Company in Potosi Wisconsin, the American Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland, the Pearl Brewing Company in San Antonio Texas, the Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Tivoli-Union Brewing Company in Denver, Colorado, the Brooklyn Brewing Company in Brooklyn, New York, and others. Some of these historic breweries still make beer. Some don’t. But all have been restored, and are playing important roles in each of their locales. Look them up.

So let’s not tear anything down here. Let’s figure out how to make the whole big picture work. So much energy and vision and money has been spent in this part of our town, and so much more will be spent. Tearing buildings down – especially really significant ones – is worse than a damaging, destructive waste. Demolition now robs us of our history, it’s true, but robs us of real future value as well. We are awash in the heady foam of possibility.

Perhaps we can recall the now banned watchwords of British brewer Courage and Company (the Brits banned the motto because they were worried about the implied connection between drinking beer and having courage – you decide):

I’ll have another, now, I think.

Read Full Post »

A Million Bottles of Beer on the Wall

I’ll keep this short. Honest. (Stop laughing).

But I do want to offer an update on the ongoing conversation here about the fate of the landmark 13 Cataract Street building.

From Albert Stone, 1917. To the left of center, with the steam, is 13 Cataract Street. On the right, immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks, is the former packaging center.

I have been in an email exchange with the staff of the building’s owner, North American Breweries (NAB). They have indicated that they have for some time intended to restore one building on their beer campus, that they assessed various possibilities based on size, space, cost, and location, and they did not select 13 Cataract Street, but instead chose another old building, the former packaging center. I am not sure why they decided to select just one building to save, but they did. NAB, the 8th largest brewing company in the U.S., decided that they would only preserve one of the historic structures on their campus. Seems a bit parsimonious at first inspection. But onward.

The lovely old packaging building.

13 Cataract Street, a historic landmark.

Having made their selection, they put 13 Cataract up for sale, and “dozens” of developers toured the hapless building.

They tell me that “serious” buyers concluded that the rehab costs were prohibitive. They peg these costs at $2 million to stabilize and $5m to $8m to adaptively reuse. I have not seen estimates or drawings of any kind, so I can’t assess whether this is right or wrong. But remember, there is a 40% tax credit for rehabbing historic properties. This would certainly reduce the project costs, by millions.

Then their explanations get a bit problematic, I think. They say that the reuse of the former packaging center “hinges on the abandoned buildings being removed.” Hmm. Not sure why – I suppose to make way for a parking lot. Why does their project “hinge” on the demolition of 13 Cataract? Have they asked the city about using a bit of the adjacent park to help them with their plans?

And the use of the word abandoned is odd. They are the ones who abandoned 13 Cataract. It’s their building, not an absentee landlord’s. If they think of the “abandoned” building as a liability, they might consider donating it. In an instant, the building would be saved, their liability would disappear, and the costs associated with stabilizing and reusing 13 Cataract Street would vanish.

And finally they tell me that they have a budget of $2.6 million, and that is the end of that. Okay, then.

They have also let me know that the brewery staff are folks of good will, trying to do a good thing for themselves and the larger community.

Okay again. Even people I admire enormously have made wayward decisions. I don’t know the beer folks at all, and I have no reason to doubt that they are good citizens. But I say again – tearing down 13 Cataract Street is not a good idea.

Another reason demolition, instead of the creation of a broader beer campus and area plan, is not a good idea surfaced Tuesday morning in our newspaper, when we learned that our gas and electric utility, RG&E,  is decommissioning their facility immediately across the river, in preparation for some as yet unspecified future redevelopment. For this entire portion of our city, this is a moment rich with possibilities.

Finally, NAB suggests that we should not think that they are rushing to get this done, rushing to demolish 13 Cataract Street. Well, I wonder.

They filed an application Monday to tear down 13 Cataract. In the Tuesday paper was the usual threat: if we don’t get immediate approvals, “then it’s a different question altogether.”

But I have a solution, I think. I invite NAB to really reach out to the entire community, the city, the county, RG&E , and others for help in shaping a larger vision for the beer campus and High Falls. And let them ask us all for help in finding funding for a phased stabilization and adaptive reuse of both buildings.

And to find immediate extra dollars to get this done I propose something simple. They seem quite set on a budget of $2.6m. But if we could help them raise a few million more, we might be able to assist in saving 13 Cataract too. You know, a kind of beer version of a region-wide pass-the-hat bake sale for NAB and their landmarks.

All of you go along to your local pub this long weekend. Have a Genny or a Labatt’s Blue or a Magic Hat (NAB owns all of these). No, have several (designated drivers, please). The increased revenue from all this jovial beer drinking goes to the 13 Cataract Street Fund. We should be able to raise a pile of dough with just a little effort – bend an elbow or two, or three.

Save the Cataract. No, save both Cataracts. This blindness is curable.

Read Full Post »