‘Riverfront Talks’ Virtual Community Engagement Series Concludes

March 17, 2022 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester and Destination Medical Center (DMC) are concluding the five-part community engagement series, Riverfront Talks, with an in-person event on Thursday, March 24 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Historic Chateau Theater, 15 1st SW. The focus of this final session will be on Urban Design and Programming. Design concepts for the space will be on display. The interactive session will bring forward community-based planning and design principles that will enable the Rochester community to evaluate alternative options for the space.

The conversation will be driven by a series of questions, including:
• What community-based themes have emerged in the first four Riverfront Talks?
• What is the spectrum of options for both development and open space?
• What are the programmatic and economic opportunities?
• How do east and west riverfront sites differ from one another?

A virtual option will be available for those unable to attend in person. Please visit riverfrontsap.com to register for the virtual session. Recordings of the first four Riverfront Talk sessions are also available for viewing on the website.

“The riverfront site is a major piece of downtown Rochester’s landscape,” shared City of Rochester Project Manager Jaymi Wilson. “Because of its importance, we wanted to ensure the renovation process is community driven. The feedback we have received so far has been incredibly valuable and informative, and we cannot thank the community members who have participated enough.”

The Riverfront Talks series is one of several engagement tools to gather feedback from the community to help inform the development of the small area plan for the central waterfront property. This space links together several civic, cultural, and government assets to the heart of downtown Rochester. The conversations will focus specifically on the area between Broadway Avenue and 2 Street SE and 4 Street SE. The goal of the site’s transformation is to establish a people-centric place that leverages natural and cultural resources and supports multi-modal connectivity to adjacent areas including the downtown.

“It’s exciting to see Rochester work to reclaim its relationship with the Zumbro River,” said DMC Executive Director Patrick Seeb. “Cities around the country are rediscovering their waterways as an extraordinary asset.”
An informal Open House will be held on Friday, March 25 at Fagan Studios, 324 South Broadway Avenue, from 8 to 10 a.m. This will be an informal gathering for those interested in reviewing the plans. The design team will be present to answer any questions.