Chateau proposals met with lukewarm response from council

The Rochester City Council heard three pitches Monday afternoon for the use of the Chateau Theatre, but was unable to develop any kind of consensus on what to do next with the 94-year-old building.

“My sense is we are still a ways apart,” said Council President Brooke Carlson, following council discussion on the item.

The three groups that submitted proposals for operations of the Chateau were given 10 minutes to present their vision for the space. Each made the pitch of why they are uniquely qualified to bring programming back to the building, which has been vacant for much of the past year.

None of the groups, however, were able to generate enough enthusiasm from the council to advance to the contract stage.

“They didn’t fall short in quality or quantity — they fell short in honoring the facility, the venue, the deep craftsmanship, the history, the people of this city,” said Ward 4 Councilor Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick.

The proposals

The first group to present, dubbed the Community Enrichment Team (CET), is led by the directors of three city departments — Civic Music, Parks & Recreation, and the Public Library.

By having the city take over management of the space, the group believes they could activate the building 180 days a year with a variety of events from their departments, as well as from other local organizations.

The CET plan would require a one-time investment of $650,000.

“By combining all usage types, CET envisions a highly activated building with a full calendar of events,” said Chris Alcott, interim general manager of Rochester Civic Music.

The second group, led by Rochester businessmen Steve Barlow and Daniel Van Hook, seeks to make the space “a vibrant entertainment, education, and cultural hub” for residents and visitors. That could include hosting art exhibitions, concerts, movies, and pop-up events, they said.

Their presentation also emphasized the need to constantly try new programming and “raise the bar” on what the Chateau offers.

“You do it once, you like it, you keep doing the same thing — what was once cool becomes lame,” said Barlow. “We’re not going to do that.”

The Barlow/Van Hook group is not seeking any upfront investment.

The third proposal is led by Threshold Arts, a nonprofit that has experience putting on events in the nearby Castle (old Armory) building.

Naura Anderson, the organization’s executive director, said their vision is to turn the Chateau into a community gathering space — similar to the one it operated on the second floor of the Castle prior to the pandemic.

Anderson said she envisions the Chateau being a place “where people could grab a coffee, a bite to eat, hang out [and] have a meeting, view local art or a local-themed exhibit in the gallery.”

Threshold would also work with community partners to put on events at the Chateau, such as concerts and theater performances.

The organization is asking for $106,000 in city funding to get the space up and running. If accepted, the Chateau would become its primary venue.

Sell it?

While the RFP was intended to find a group wanting to lease the space, one idea being floated by some members of the council is to sell the Chateau, which the city purchased in 2016 for $6 million.

“I think from a long-term investment, if you want people to invest in it, ownership would make sense,” said Ward 5 Councilor Shaun Palmer. “This is not just getting someone to be [in the Chateau] — there’s a long-term cost to owning this building.”

At least one potential buyer, according to the city, has come forward to express their interest in the building. Because the council did not consider the proposal, their identity has not been made public.

Carlson, however, argued the proposal should not be entertained unless the council agrees to take action to put the property on the market.

“[It] seems sort of unfair to me,” said Carlson. “If we really are going to consider inviting proposals for bids, that should be a formal process and we should vote on whether to approve such a thing.”

With the council at an impasse, the next step is for city administration to come back with a recommendation on the future of the Chateau. From there, the council will continue its discussion on how to proceed.

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.