[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY WXXI]
>> Coming up on "Need to Know."
more people want the urban life.
We will look at what can be done in downtown Rochester to take advantage of that trend.
Also, steps are being taken to make the arts more accessible for people with disabilities.
And finally, we take a look at what is new in business.
This is "Need to Know."
>> Thank you for joining us, Julie Philipp is on vacation.
I am radio news director Peter Iglinski.
Earlier in the week, Bruce Katz was in town to share his ideas for rebuilding the core of downtown.
He says there has been a demographic shift in the country with more people looking for the urban life and says more people need to do more to take advantage of that shift.
With me now is Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, the president of Rochester downtown Development corporation.
Specifically, are you seeing a growing demand for housing in downtown?
>> Absolutely.
I think the demographic picture and the public appetite, pop culture, if you will, has driven it.
We are definitely seeing it.
Mr. Katz says we must stop the subsidizing of outsourced migration.
>> I think he's talking about transportation policies, for example, that have fueled road construction and pushed the centrally people moving outward and outward and that has taken the form of housing, much of our retail has followed and changed the whole shape of the way regions are structured and how they operate.
I thnk we're beginning to see a bit of a reversal of people starting to move back to the city.
>> There's been a lot of development housing in downtown Rochester the last few years.
It seems when the housing is construction, it is snapped a right away.
Where does that stand and how much of a waiting list is there?
>> Not so much in the form of a waiting list, although I'm sure it is true project by project, but where the investors are putting their money.
We're checking -- tracking 18 housing projects downtown, already under construction and nine more that have been announced an waiting to start hopefully this spring.
There are more behind that.
What we are seeing is a lot of investors are taking the temperature of the market and deciding it is worth putting the investments in for either conversions of buildings that used to be office or other use or new construction projects.
Then when the projects hit the market and are open for occupancy, they have all absorbed quickly.
I think where it will be interesting to watch the next few years is the balance between rental and owned housing.
I think that balance is probably off kilter for what the demand seems to be building up.
We expect to see more units where you can actually purchase than we have in the past, which has primarily been rental.
>> Who is the housing for?
>> The mix of people moving downtown, ours is particularly interesting because you see young professionals, creative class types, students and people often interested in an edgier housing choice.
In Rochester, we see many people that are middle-aged and middle-career, empty nesters.
We see that whole population that is very strong in our downtown, which is a surprise.
>> According to Bruce Katz, the cornerstone of Rochester resurgence is the shift to a knowledge based economy.
Is that correct?
>> I think that is part.
Our perception has been the same.
Part is also about pop culture and what often we do not predict adequately.
You have "friends" and "sex in the city" and those sorts of glorifications of the cool, the urban lifestyle.
You find that sort of view has perpetrated the way many people think.
Again, not just young people looking for a cool lifestyle, the people that have the means to live anywhere in the region that they want.
One thing we do not find as much downtown is families.
I think in part people often say it is the school system, but I think even more a function of the fact most units do not have a yard.
In this region if you're going to raise kids, you generally want green space.
>> Let's look at the city assets.
What tops the list?
>> One of the words interesting that came up from Bruce Katz and some of the other national level speakers that we of recently is the concept of density.
The fact you have a lot more in a much tighter space as a different kind of appeal.
I think that of the is what drove people out of cities and parks back in the 1950's and 1960's and 1970's.
I think that desire to reconnect to the sort of feeling of space is what is part propelling people back in.
If you want an example, go to gibb street and get a feeling for what it is like to be there.
It is that feeling that seems to be attracting people.
The more we can create that in our environment downtown, I think the more successful we will be.
>> Being in the center of the Arts and Cultural District, leave the symphony and just walk home.
>> It is the way the space is constructive.
I think we ought to look it European cities and older cities like Boston, San Francisco, where you have that kind of tight-built urban environment.
It is very close together.
There is a feeling of energy you get from that period where we have felt in our particular downtown is where it does not work well.
Opportunities like the midtown block are where we can rethink how we build things to greet the kind of an arm of the draws people and keeps them coming back.
>> Mr. Katz says the city does not doing enough to leverage the river.
What does the river into the city?
>> A funny thing.
When you look at Providence, Rhode Island, that covered over parts of its river with parking lots and roads for decades and is just in the past few decades been uncovering that and creating a whole different feeling about itself, we view the river is committed to like a workhorse for industry.
We have given away large sections to uses that do not make much sense.
I think a lot of people are rethinking its a value in terms of housing and parks and getting down to it.
Again, the built environment and how we do that in the future has a lot to do with how we're going to be able to use that and leverage that as an economic asset for the region.
I think we have a lot to do on the riverfront.
You get a guy like Bruce Katz who comes in from out of town and he sees it right away, but it has taken as a generation or more to figure out this is really a tool and we have to do something to create its luster again.
-- is really a jewel.
>> How in the river be put better to use?
>> Cornell landing.
It has a mix of more public space meaning there's a whole wall along the river that has shops and restaurants that you can take advantage of and it is connected to a city park.
And you have a market rate housing on it, too.
He had a whole mix of uses and also commercial spaces, too.
It does what cities do best in denser and garments, but takes advantage of an asset like River in a way that you get this incredible view of the skyline.
You look the other direction and it is absolutely gorgeous.
You can sit and have some Asian food or whatever you choose to do.
There is a reason to go down there.
>> You brought up the mistake of the 1950's, the interlude.
I use that a lot.
What would be accomplished by doing away with it?
>> I think the Inner loop discussion is fascinating.
I think we're moving in that direction.
The was a public hearing with the State Department of Transportation this week where it is very clear a lot of the pressures statewide are going to mean projects like the inner loop may end up getting put off longer than we would like locally.
I do not think we will see any refunding movement on that until the next decade.
But what it would do is it would take the southern portion of it, which is much less traveled the northern portion, and would reduce what is now 12 lines of traffic -- indeed, I might add.
And it would bring it up to the street level.
It would narrow to say five lines maximum and cripples what redevelopment land, reconnect streets a ripped apart by the construction and it was put in in the 1950's.
It would be Park Avenue, Alexander, and everything that is purchasing and development around strong Museum and the whole section of downtown up to the east end.
I think it will cripple different feeling about the city and a lot of vitality through -- I think it would add a whole new field into the city and a lot of vitality.
>> What about something significant being done?
>> I think the money is already being spent.
We're attracting $700 million invested downtown this year.
That includes Renaissance Square.
Parts are being re-evaluated and others are fully funded.
It also does not include what I will ultimately be the investment that ends up going to the midtown block.
I think those numbers will skyrocket.
It includes a low estimate for the PAETEC building and no estimate for the redevelopment that will be put on top of the $65 million from the state.
Much of the money is coming in.
Many housing projects under way.
I think our next foray into what is going to have to happen to Blue will this together has to do with the connections between neighborhoods, the condition of Main Street which is appalling and we need to do something about it, the conversion of some of our two-way streets -- 1-way streets to two-way streets.
Those pieces need to be added and we also need to reexamine parks.
Others have said we do not have enough green space.
We have all this residential activity growing in the population will be getting 5000 in the next five years, pretty significant.
Retell will follow.
You have to have public spaces and park spaces to service those areas as well.
Those of the kind of big pieces that will be to be put together in the next few years.
>> We know people are not flocking to the county from census data.
In downtown be revitalized without hurting the towns?
>> I think we will all start hitting a brick wall the cannot grow this nine-county area.
We have many people working hard on growing the economy.
Our universities are becoming a huge economic interests.
Many other sectors showing potential for growth.
That is the backdrop against which all of our future success has got to be weighed.
Downtown becomes part of the Regional asset package, ironically, that will help us grow the region.
In parts of the country, cities that have experience significant growth in managed to keep young professionals and people of the stage of their lives from a strong and vibrant downtown is part of what they're able to offer.
We have got to keep at the issue of making sure our downtown delivers.
We're definitely on that path and there's been a lot of good news.
We have many things to still work on, but it is all connected.
We do not want to just be robbing from some suburban garden apartments to build a downtown building, because ultimately hurts the region.
We have got to be about building a whole pie.
>> The good news is PAETEC moving to downtown, it has an impact on perrinton and Irondequoit where esl is leaving.
>> It does.
We have got to be about growing the whole regional economy.
I think it is absolutely critical.
Again, I think part of that is having a great downtown offer, but we have to be understanding that we need strong suburbs as well and that includes office complexes and retail malls and the like.
All of it has to be strong.
We're a big part of the country that has been struggling.
In upstate New more, we may have the most help the economic, but that does not mean we have an easy path in front of us.
It will take the whole community to make this work.
We have to be creative and think about how we protect our image to the outside world.
All of that is connected.
>> To what extent can the resurgence of downtown be orchestrated as opposed to leaving the for entrepreneurs?
>> It has to be blunt.
Orchestration comes from the responsibility of the municipal side.
You have to have streets that work from a parking system that works, green spaces, the infrastructure deserves not only business of residents.
We have a 4 million visitors that come here.
You have that population as well.
It has to be a balance of both.
If the public sector makes decisions that do not end up attracting private investment, then we have made a mistake as a community.
The dialogue has to be strong and that is something our organization is very involved in.
Efforts like the Charette are critical to put the design elements, what makes a beautiful city, with excess space you want to be in.
But if that does not attract investors, all of this -- you have to bring all the pieces together.
I think this century will be marked by collaboration.
That is true and Urban Development and certainly true in downtown development.
If we do that badly, we will fail.
>> To the major parties shared the same vision?
>> I think to some extent they do.
What I perceive is the key cornerstone has been housing development in the creek that 24/7 population downtown, you take back the environment.
Alternately, you attract offices and ultimately will attract retail.
I think that is the way the equation works.
If the pop culture is driving people to live in downtown, the rest of it will follow.
The PAETEC announcement and the esl announcement, with more to follow, are how that formula seems to be working.
>> Exciting news going on right now that ESL and PAETEC.
What should the next that be?
>> I think we have to focus on infrastructure downtown, focus on what it takes to make the environment work for all of the uses.
There is a municipal side and a state funding and federal funding side.
Downtown, and ours is no exception, the downtown belongs to the whole region.
It belongs to everyone because it is used by everyone.
It has to be loud and strong.
We have to think about downtown as a signature for what kind of place Rochester is.
>> Thank you for being with us.
You can go online to listen to this interview and other segments of "Need to Know."
wxxi.org and click on the link for audio podcast.
Most people do not think twice before attending arts events.
But those same performances and exhibitions pose numerous obstacles for people with disabilities.
I welcome Christy Post and the Kevin Indovino from the Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester.
How did the Committee come about?
>> It came out of our diversity initiative which is a broader initiative in the community.
The initiative was launched in 2005 and intended to address issues of access and inclusion.
The committee's specific purpose is to have awareness and diversity.
We do this by holding organizing these events.
Which create dialogue and look at how Arts and Cultural organization's reach diverse artists and audiences.
Part of the initiative, with a cultural diversity needs assessment which we launched this year, which will involve with a consultant who pull together a number of focus groups and launched an online survey that asked the question of how are we reaching and attracting diverse artists and audiences?
The committee feeds into the initiative.
Kevin is part of the committee and we have a broad representation in the community.
>> One of those events was a panel discussion last Wednesday about accessibility, which hosted, Kevin.
When we talk about accessibility in the arts, what are the issues?
>> When you talk about accessibility particularly with people disabilities, you think about people in wheelchairs.
Is the location wheelchair accessible?
Obviously, accessibility issues go way beyond that.
What we're trying to do is really get some insight and information out there and also created dialogue within a community between patrons of the arts who may be dealing with disability issues as well as the proprietor of the arts of the people heading of these organizations.
We want to really increase awareness of what the issues are.
There's a lot of wrong the formation out there and misperceptions of what disabilities are.
To give you a prime example, the need for a deaf person at a theater performance are vastly different than the needs of a hearing-impaired person.
A deaf person is a sign language interpreter or hearing-impaired people do not know sign language, so an interpreter would not be useful.
>> Are there false assumptions that people with certain disabilities do not go to certain parts events?
Did you hear about that on Wednesday?
>> In example of that, on behalf of people visually impaired or blind, you think, they have no use of going to an art gallery, but they do.
Their experience to be vastly different than yours or mine, but they do have experienced none the less.
It is not any less important.
What I found interesting, going to and art gallery of the visually impaired person and try to describe a painting to that person.
Your experience of that painting becomes different because through their perception of that painting, you may see something that you have never seen before.
It is really a two-way street.
It is about making sure that you as a community organization are really addressing the needs of the entire community.
>> How costly it is it to make the arts more accessible?
>> It depends on what kind of accessibility your looking at.
One of our panelists from the college during a massive renovation right now, so those kinds of costs are huge.
They have to accommodate wheelchairs, assisted listing technology -- a single device costs $700 that could accommodate a large number of hearing impaired individuals and a fairly large space.
It is not something that can be used for a theater performance because all participants have to be miked.
They're different ways to address it and the costs range from minimal expenses to astronomical expenses.
>> Cultural organizations are nonprofit, working on tight budgets.
If you look to the 326 page guideline for the American disabilities Act, there is much information about what you should and should not be doing.
As a nonprofit organization, you're obligated to address these issues unless you're able to prove undue financial burden.
That it would be a struggle free to make your theater wheelchair accessible because of the cost.
>> Their small things that can be done right away?
Were there some by opening moments Wednesday?
>> I think so.
I think one thing that came out from an organizational standpoint was making sure you have procedures in place at your organization to address these issues.
The prime example that came up with some to was hearing impaired spoke about going to a production at the local theater where they're using a hearing assisted device that was available there, but three minutes into it, the device died because the batteries died.
Where was the procedure to make sure there were fresh batteries?
>> Quickly, can this make a difference in employment opportunities, performance opportunities for people with disabilities?
>> I believe so.
>> The renovations they're doing right now, they are installing an elevator in the backstage portion of the theater so that people performers -- performers with disabilities can get up to the stage area.
>> Thank you for being with us today.
Time now for a look at the business section with the democrat and chronicle.
Joining us is business reporter Matt Daneman.
Welcome to the show.
This week, the state attorney general announced an agreement for the closing of RG&E Russell Power station.
What is behind it?
>> This dates back to the 1980's, Russell Station did some upgrade work and did not put in at that time some pollution-control.
The state maintaining they need to do it and there's been a legal fight for a long time.
Basically, a disagreement with RG&E saying it will close the plant.
There will be a natural gas power plant in its place instead.
Supposedly, cleaner-burning.
>> There was a fine involved.
They seem to take it well.
>> $700,000.
>> RG&E parent company was in the news, assuring for the proposed takeover for the parent company.
Where does that takeover stand?
>> These public hearings, six going on across the state, Rochester was the fifth of the six.
It is one of the last big hurdles.
There's always paperwork to be done, but this is one of the last six steps before the Spanish company can buy Energy East for something like $4.5 billion.
Public Utilities Commission has quite a bit of say in this.
It is not a done deal by any means, but the fact we're up to the stage is a pretty good indicator this is proceeding along a pace.
>> What does it mean for consumers?
>> Quite a few people at the Rochester public hearing this week raising the question -- we pay so much money in utility costs compared to the rest of the country, is this new boss wanted to the same as the old one?
Are we going to see any change in rates, rate reduction or are rates going to be even more free to go up in the future?
What does this mean for the pocket book?
That is the question that has not really been solidly answered.
>> A new terminal looker market, e 85.
Rochester has the second ethanol gas station appeared to be expect more courage of the most definitely.
This is obviously a big trend going on.
If you walk around a new car lot, easy vehicle after a vehicle that takes e085.
>> What is going on with the construction of the new PAETEC headquarters downtown?
>> Citizens Bank, which is right at Clinton is moving over to East Avenue, basically because the development has bought the building on speculation that there'll be something to be done with these properties here.
We are single and many people have predicted, which is the first and number of real estate activities.
Thank you for being with us.
That is it for this week's edition of "Need to Know."
I am Peter Iglinski.
Thank you for joining us.