October 14, 2021 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester and Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency (DMC EDA) are pleased to announce the acceptance of the award of $3.12 million dollars from the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) as a part of their recently created Main Street Economic Revitalization Program. The grant dollars will be used to help central business districts rebuild and reposition themselves in the face of a substantially changing downtown economy. Rochester was one of eight communities receiving funding, with a total investment of approximately $40 million being invested across the state.
“Minnesota’s main streets are key drivers ofgrowth, and so many of them have suffered in the last 18 months,“ said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “These grants and loans will create jobs, and they’ll help spark investment in key commercial corridors across the state.”
“Following the initial shock of the pandemic, Rochester’s downtown business community responded with innovation, creativity, and determination. This grant program is yet another tool to support Rochester’s recovery,” said Patrick Seeb, Executive Director of Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency. “Think of this as an economic booster shot.”
Rochester’s program will provide capital investment for downtown businesses and property owners who do not have sufficient capital to open, adjust or expand operations. Formal grant criteria will be established, including the prioritization of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) participation. DMC will serve as the administrator of the grant.
“We believe deeply that Minnesota must fully recognize, mobilize, and support every business in the region if we are to realize a vital and sustainable economy. Part of our commitment is to the development and stabilization of minority businesses, which build and diversify our economic capacity,” shares Dee Sabol the Executive Director of the Diversity Council.
Before the pandemic, Rochester was already taking steps to diversify and improve the resiliency of its central business district. The program will provide distinct benefits to diverse populations in Rochester.
City Administrator Alison Zelms shares, “Rochester has a strong history of organizational partnerships, which have collectively worked together to best serve the community. This grant will support our work to assist our local businesses in their recovery from COVID-19 impacts. We know that we can move forward together in a way that will make Rochester even stronger and more resilient in the future.”
More information about the grant opportunity will be shared in the coming weeks.
During the September 30, 2021 Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) board meeting directors approved additional accessibility enhancements to Discovery Walk as a result of the Community Co-design process. Additional enhancements include a snowmelt system and three community spaces with weather-protected seating.
On Monday, Sept. 13, officials from the City of Rochester and Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency (DMC-EDA) toured an installation built to demonstrate how bus rapid transit (BRT) will be a major part of the future of public transit in Rochester.
