Happy New Year from Destination Medical Center
2024 was another exciting year for Destination Medical Center and Rochester. From extraordinary investments in housing and historic preservation to federal support for Link Bus Rapid Transit, it was a year to be thankful and inspired for what’s to come.
As we look to a prosperous 2025, please join us as we review some of the highlights from 2024.
- Support was granted for Historic Downtown Properties in partnership with the City of Rochester.
- In May, nearly $12 million was committed for housing and historic preservation.
- The City of Rochester received a $84.92 million federal grant for the Link Bus Rapid Transit project.
- The Destination Medical Center Corporation board of directors approved the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan which included funding for Link Bus Rapid Transit, West Transit Village development, and public infrastructure improvements related to Mayo Clinic’s Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester project.
- Discovery Walk officially opened, connecting the Heart of the City with Soldiers Field Memorial Park.
- Improvements to Soldiers Field Memorial Park were completed resulting in a significant increase in attendance.
- Rochester’s thriving, post-COVID downtown was featured in a MinnPost opinion piece authored by Bill Lindeke.
- DMC celebrated progress at its Annual Meeting, which was themed Healthy Community, Healthy City at Two Discovery Square. The meeting featured artist Sophia Chai speaking about her installation on Discovery Walk, Punctuated Asymptote.
- The promise of unprecedented demand and opportunity was featured at the 2024 Real Estate Development and Investment Summit, a collaboration between DMC EDA and ULI Minnesota.
- Over 100 community members attended “Paved Paradise: Henry Grabar Live” at the historic Chateau Theatre.
- Rochester hosted the Thermal Energy Network Symposium, an opportunity for the City and DMC to learn and network about where geothermal technology is heading.
- The Equity Alliance hosted an in-person session of the Equity Series titled Pathways to a Vibrant, Just, and Equitable Rochester.
- Local high school students participated in the 2024 Downtown Pitch Day competition through a collaboration with Workforce Development, Inc., the City of Rochester, DMC, and Equity in the Built Environment.
- $3 million was pledged to connect a proposed mixed-use housing development to a geothermal network and improve public spaces at the North Civic Center lot on East Center Street.
- An affordable senior housing development was proposed for the site of the West Transit Village. The 94-unit apartment complex will be at the terminus of the Link Bus Rapid Transit system allowing future residents direct, fare-free access to downtown Rochester.
- Rochester’s profile with life science companies was raised throughout the year through partnerships with MN DEED, Greater MSP, and the Global Institute for Innovation Districts.
- Germany, Singapore, Denmark, and Norway were just a few of the countries DMC team members welcomed to Rochester to spread the word about opportunities with Mayo Clinic, Medical Alley, and Minnesota.
- A 3-day familiarization tour saw four location consultants come to Minnesota and Rochester with the goal of bringing awareness of our area as the place to be for life sciences in the United States.