This year, three Rochester-based startups were finalists at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management’s esteemed startup competition, the MN Cup. All three of these startups won their respective divisions, and Nanodropper took home the top prize for the entire competition.
“Rowing in the Same Direction:” DMC leaders share reflections on progress, future plans at Annual Meeting
Bookended by immersive riverfront experiences, the commentary at the 2021 DMC annual meeting imbued audience members with messages of civic pride, optimism, and hope for the future.
Speaking to the masked, socially-distanced group of stakeholders and community members were DMC Economic Development Agency (DMC EDA) Executive Director Patrick Seeb, DMC EDA Board President Dr. Clark Otley, Rochester City Council President Brooke Carlson, and DMC Corporation (DMCC) Board Chair R.T. Rybak.
Seeb began the evening by voicing gratitude to those present, a conglomeration of representatives from all levels of government, neighborhood leaders, community organizations, businesses, and individual citizens. All of them, he joked, are “rowing in the same direction (if I can use a river metaphor) to build a stronger, more vital community that lives up to the authentic brand of America’s City for Health, America’s Med City.”
DMC’s Annual Meeting Provides a Walk Along the Future of the Riverfront
Rochester caught a glimpse of its potential future at the 2021 DMC annual meeting, thanks to a large-scale, interactive prototype of a reactivated Zumbro riverfront. In the late afternoon, information booths dotted the pathway between 4th Street SW and 2nd Street SW and sparked thoughtful, educational interactions between attendees and stakeholders from every facet of the community.
Everything from nature to transportation, from history to diversity, was up for discussion.
The Night Market Showcases Rochester’s diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem
On two separate nights this summer, Mayo Civic Center’s Riverfront Plaza was alight with paper lanterns, cheerful reunions, and healthy arrays of international foods and artisanal goods. That vibrance is a hallmark of the Night Market, an event founded by Tiffany Alexandria as a way to bring a bit of Asia to the Med City. The third and final Night Market for 2021 runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 18 at the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Art Center.
Hyatt House Ribbon Cutting Marks Rochester Development Milestone
The recent Hyatt House ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a milestone for Rochester. The event heralded the completion of the city’s first Qualified Opportunity Zone project: a hotel of 172 apartment-style, long-stay suites designed to provide crucial comfort for patients traveling into the city.
“This is really a home away from home for people who need a place of comfort and safety,” said Chris Schad, Director of Business Development for Discovery Square. “People who are staying here become members of our community.”
Return of Thursdays Downtown also marks “rolling reopening” of Heart of the City
Thousands of people returned to downtown Rochester this month to celebrate the return of Thursdays Downtown, a summer staple in the community. Amid the live music, food, and shopping, attendees could also spend time checking out the big changes happening in the Heart of the City Phase 1 project.
DMC Economic Development Agency executive director Patrick Seeb, City of Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, and Rochester Downtown Alliance executive director Holly Masek stopped by the Heart of the City Thursday morning to welcome residents and visitors to the first Thursdays Downtown of the year. They shared that as the summer progresses, parts of the Heart of the City project will re-open as soon as they’re complete.
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
If speaking on behalf of downtowns across America, Mark Twain might have quipped “…the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
In most communities, the downtown is its central gathering place, home to event and hotel venues, a concentration of businesses and their workforce, and the greatest mix of unique restaurants and retail. It is where baby boomers and millennials alike have migrated to live a vibrant urban lifestyle. It is where traveling visitors often begin their exploration of a region.
Green Lights Ahead for Rochester Rapid Transit Project, says Sen. Klobuchar
“My announcement today is that all lights are green when it comes to this important rapid transit bus project for the city of Rochester,” said U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar last Friday at a press conference at the Rochester Government Center.
Senator Klobuchar was joined by Rochester City Council President Brooke Carlson and Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency (DMC EDA) Executive Director Patrick Seeb.
She highlighted the project’s potential impact to the city’s fabric of caregiving, as well as the high-level federal interest in it. In May of 2021 it was announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) had rated the project as “Medium-High.” Her former presidential debate stage mate, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, included $56 million for the project in his proposed $2.5 billion budget for 2022. These “breadcrumbs,” as she called them Friday, are why the senator sees green lights.
A milestone achievement for One Discovery Square
Healthcare innovation building now fully leased
One Discovery Square, Mortenson’s life sciences building which opened in 2019 in the Discovery Square sub-district in downtown Rochester, reached a major milestone this spring: the building is now 100 percent leased. Thermo Fisher Scientific is the latest company to commit to space alongside other tenants, including Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota Rochester, Epic, Philips, Boston Scientific, RION, WuXi Diagnostics, Cytotheryx, Exact Sciences and Café Steam. The Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) Board of Directors at a recent meeting commended the continued momentum in the sub-district.
Five Things to Know about Heart of the City Phase 1
The first phase of Destination Medical Center’s Heart of the City public realm project includes major infrastructure improvements and renovation of the east side of Peace Plaza and surrounding areas. The new design will create active, engaging experiences for residents, visitors and patients in the heart of downtown Rochester. These updates will provide enhanced safety measures, including curbless streets, and provide greater accessibility for people of all abilities. Here are five things to know about the project as it nears completion: