Council: Legends site not a historic landmark
The Rochester City Council has decided not to designate the Red Owl/Time Theater building a historic landmark under the city’s preservation code.
By a 4-2 vote, the council rejected the guidance of the Heritage Preservation Commission, which had recommended the 1930s building be designated a landmark due to its “embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style, period, form, or treatment,” among other criteria.
Instead, the majority of council members agreed with the independent consultants, who determined that while the property does have historic significance, alterations to the facade and interior have resulted in the building lacking enough “historic integrity to support designation.”
“As we look forward in terms of our downtown and our other parts of the city, and looking at landmark designation, I think we have to make sure we are following good state level and national standards, and not just being emotional,” said Council Member Parick Keane.
The building, located at 11 Fourth Street SE, has sat empty since earlier this year when the city terminated the lease with the most recent occupant, Legends bar. The city has long sought to demolish the building as part of an expansive plan to redevelop the downtown waterfront.
No demolition, for now
In a separate vote on Monday, however, the council opted not to demolish the property — at least not yet. Some members argued the structure should stay in tact while the city works to figure out its plans for the area, noting the possibility of a plan that incorporates an adaptive reuse of the building.
“To tear it down prematurely — before we have even heard from our community, or proposals, or anyone that might want to step in to use those buildings as a facade … to incorporate some larger, more grand design that may highlight that time period that we don’t have any architecture from — would be really sad,” said Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick, one of two council members who opposed the original motion to reject historical designation.
Moving forward, the council will pay approximately $18,200 in utilities to keep the building up through April. The second motion also allowed for up to $20,000 be used to remove signage and awnings from the building.
Mayor Kim Norton cited those costs in her criticism of the council motion not to immediately move forward with the demolition of the building, which she said, has been the city’s intent since purchasing it in 2013.
“My fear of this is we are leaving a piece of property there that you have just determined does not meet historic significance, that is going to be drug out and politicized; rather than — and I have been through this before — building something that is designed for its need; rather than trying to protect something for non-historic reasons that will cost a lot of money and not give us the product we could have for that area,” said Norton.
The city recently inked a $195,000 contract with consultant Gamble Associates of Cambridge, Mass. on a plan for the 2.5-acre waterfront area, which includes the Legends building and other city-owned parcels. That work is expected to continue through next summer.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
