DMC Corporation Board Chairwoman Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, with support of the attending members, suggested devoting an entire meeting to discussing and refining direction for the proposed “Heart of the City” sub-district surrounding Mayo Clinic and Peace Plaza.
Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede said he supports the initiative and looks forward to connecting Mayo Clinic, the Chateau Theatre, and Peace Plaza.
“Chateau Theatre has captured many of our hearts in the Heart of the City, but there are many more things to consider,” Brede said. “How does it all blend together with the Peace Plaza and the Heart of the City?”
Board member Bill George put things a bit more directly:
This is the thing that’s going to connect Mayo to the city, itself … We’ve been at this for a year-and-a-half, 2 years. And I think it’s important for the citizens of Rochester to see something in place … that’s a mark that means people understand ‘Ah, now I understand what they mean by Destination Medical Center.’
— Bill George, member, DMC Corporation Board of Directors
Board member R.T. Rybak urged the board and its Economic Development Agency to put as much of the public space as possible into public ownership.
“Much more of the places we gather is becoming privatized, and I think there’s a real opportunity to bring as much as possible truly into the public realm,” Rybak said. “The public should own, both in a real and a figurative sense … areas that are in the public space.”