The flood-prone waterway of the Zumbro River in Rochester, Minnesota has mainly served a utilitarian function as little more than a tightly contained stormwater pathway running through downtown, with the buildings along its banks oriented away from it. In short, the Zumbro has not been seen first and foremost as an attractive and vital natural resource for Rochester’s quality of life.
Now, however, the City of Rochester and Destination Medical Center (DMC) are soliciting ideas from private developers for Riverfront Re-Imagined, in which they are seeking a broad range of redevelopment proposals on how to build out 2.5 acres of key riverfront property now owned by the city.
The site along the Zumbro’s west bank couldn’t be more strategically located to accomplish the goal of providing a vibrant new role for the river in Rochester’s future. The northerly end begins just across 2nd Street SW from the Rochester Public Library, then hugs the river as it curves to the southwest and finishes up at the 4th Street Bridge.
It currently holds a city-owned parking ramp and a retail building which could be razed as part of any redevelopment effort. The site was previously considered for a massive mixed-use project which ultimately failed to materialize; it’s indeed a spot that presents some difficult and costly challenges for most private builders.
City leaders, however, have remained optimistic about its potential partly because of its location within the DMC’s Waterfront Sub-District. This designation gives potential developers access to unique financial assistance tools which can in turn be leveraged to elicit a truly transformative project for the Zumbro riverfront.
Rochester is home to a growing network of entrepreneurs, and this month, four days of events will highlight the successes of the region’s innovators. 
One Discovery Square
