Month: December 2014

Big Week for DMC

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And we’re off… Last week we got our first look at the complete proposed DMC development plan, and we liked what we saw! Now it’s a race to spring, when the DMCC Board aims to break ground on infrastructural improvements in late March/early April.

Aerial Rendering of DMC
An aerial rendering looking from east to west of downtown Rochester 20 years from now. An intermodal transit station accommodating light rail service can be seen in the upper-right corner. The Gonda and Mayo Buildings of Mayo Clinic appear at center-top. The proposed city improvement project makes dramatic use of the Zumbro River and capitalizes on existing landmarks, like the Chateau Theater on Peace Plaza

The proposal calls for spending nearly $205 million in the first 5 years of a 20-year plan, with the largest spend ($79.2 million) going toward construction of a shared parking system that would serve all of downtown Rochester, including Mayo Clinic. Plazas, parks and cultural spaces constitute the second-largest investment at $36.3 million. For a more detailed breakdown of spending, check out one of Wednesday’s posts from the DMCC Board meeting.

In printed form, the plan is a bear. It’s 694 pages of visual renderings, proposed investments and timelines, backed by detailed market research, economic forecasts, and design strategies–not exactly something we can drop in the mail for everyone to read. Even the digital version is a bit unwieldy at 101 MB. It’s too large to post here (we tried really hard), but you can view online or download as a pdf from our consultant Hammes Company.

There’s an elf in Rochester!

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From the Peace Plaza to the Rochester International Airport, there has been a small elf named Buddy touring the city. He travels throughout Rochester to learn more about its amazing people, places, and future. Dubbed “Buddy’s 20 Days of Adventures” on Instagram, he has visited quite a few key locations and met many community members.

Santa will be happy to know that Buddy is reporting the entire community of Rochester deserves to be on the nice list!

Have you seen Buddy around town?There are only a couple days left, check out his final adventures on the DMC Instagram.

 

 

A Major Milestone for Rochester

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DMCC Community Engagement Session 2
Visitors to the DMC community information session examine an artistic rendering of what downtown Rochester may look like 20 years from now.

Calling today’s unveiling of the 694-page draft for development of Destination Medical Center “a very important milestone” for the City of Rochester, DMCC Board Chairwoman Tina Smith congratulated the consultants who helped create the plan and the public who helped shape it.

“Today was a very important milestone … for Rochester, which is going to be a global destination for health and wellness,” Smith said. “This is the product of a lot of hard work, and that includes your input.”

Smith was speaking at today’s community information session, hosted by the DMC Economic Development Agency, where the public could discover and discuss the first formal draft of the DMC development plan. Rochesterites and the public got their first look at the plan today, during a 1-hour presentation from planners and project managers.

$204,650,000 Proposed for First 5 Years of DMC

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Like we shared earlier, the development plan proposed at today’s DMCC Board meeting is a BIG PLAN (694 pages) in support of a bold vision. And what everyone wants to know is: What’s going to happen and how much will it cost? Well, Amy Supple, a DMC project manager with Hammes Company, took about 45 minutes to step through the plan and link developments to the money question.

Over the first 5 years of DMC implementation, Supple proposed spending $204,650,000 on capital investments–by far, the largest portion of DMC expenses.

For starters, this is an incremental plan, Supple said. DMC can’t get a dime of state money until $200,000 in private investment has been secured. In other words, the state tap turns on when DMC shows progress.

Introduction of DMC Draft Development Plan

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Calling DMC “an exciting vision for Rochester and the State of Minnesota,” Dr. Patricia Simmons of Mayo Clinic gave her last address to the DMCC Board. She thanked the planners and encouraged all board members and the public to take their time with the plan.

“This draft is intended to guide–not prescribe or proscribe–but GUIDE development of downtown Rochester for the next 20 years.” — Dr. Patricia Simmons, EDA Board Chair

You’ll probably need all the time you can get. It checks in at 694 pages! Not exactly a light read, but this is a big plan in support of a bold vision.

“This is such a thriving community, and we want to keep that authenticity.” — Lisa Clarke, interim director, DMC Eceonomic Development Agency

Highlights from Today’s Public Comments

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Public Comment at today’s DMCC Board meeting just wrapped up. Topics addressed ranged from preservation of existing landmarks–think the historic theater on Peace Plaza–to transportation and housing concerns throughout the DMC district.

One commenter stated simply: “I really want a symphony hall.” The arts are important, she said, The Rochester Symphony Orchestra needs a home, she said, and we should support it.

Live Coverage Today, Unveiling of Draft Development Plan

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Can’t make this afternoon’s Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) Board meeting but still want to know what’s happening? Visit our blog for live updates throughout the event, and follow us on Twitter @dmcmn and #dmcmn.

Today’s big-ticket item is a first look at the compiled draft of a comprehensive development plan, including some stunning new visual concepts, for various areas within the DMC district. (We’ll post it on the DMC website for you as soon as the DMCC Board gets a peek.) The draft plan outlines private and public investments and strategies to help guide the planning, financing, marketing, and construction of DMC initiative.

Last DMCC board meeting of 2014

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The Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) Board meets this week at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17. The board will review DMC’s 2015 funding, and the latest proposed version of the DMC development plan. You can view the agenda and additional meeting information on the DMCC website. The plan will be made available the day of the meeting on the DMC website.

This meeting is open to the public, and we encourage you to attend either in person or by watching a live web stream here. Additionally, you can follow and join in a live tweet chat using #DMCMN.

Immediately following the meeting, community members are welcome to attend a separate community information session and reception, scheduled from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Mayo Civic Center. Attendees will have time to further review the DMC development plan and ask questions. All community members are encouraged to participate.

We hope you can attend in-person or virtually. Together, let’s shape our future!