Midtown demolition to start in July
Demolition of 1.5 million square feet of empty office and retail space in the heart of downtown Rochester could start as soon as mid July.
The Empire State Development Corp., the state’s economic development arm, today approved hiring a Buffalo company to do the demolition and site preparation of the Midtown complex.
The state will spend up to $9.6 million on the job, which includes taking down three skyway bridges and six buildings and partial demolition of Midtown Mall, Midtown Tower and the Seneca Building.
“This project has been referred to as a heart transplant, and that’s what it is,” Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy said. “It’s vital to changing our city.”
The actual work won’t start, however, until the state passes a budget and that budget contains money for the project.
Empire State Development CEO Dennis M. Mullen said he had “100 percent confidence” the state budget, when passed, would contain the cash.
The company hired for the job, Ontario Specialty Contracting Inc. of Buffalo, also had been involved in demolitions and asbestos removal at Kodak Park in 2007.
