So we’re beginning to sound like a broken record over here, but we really want to do our part to spread the word about the future of the building at 13 Cataract Street before it’s too late. And Wednesday is the deadline for too late. The preservation board meets Wednesday (tomorrow) to decide whether the building will be given landmark status. If the building does not receive that designation, the building will head for demolition.

Wanna do your part? Send a quick email of support before the Preservation Board meeting tomorrow. Here’s how.

If you are just joining the 13 Cataract conversation, the city already gave permission for the historic building to be demolished. But it put a 30 day suspension on that to give those who support saving the building time to come up with a plan. It is important to note that those that want to save the building support having a cool new brewery development that will attract visitors from the area and outside the area to our great city. That issue is not in dispute. What is in dispute is whether to save the building or not. The brewery wants to demolish it to put 27 parking spaces in. You heard that right. Parking spaces. Not a neat parking garage or outlook that pays homage to the history of the High Falls area, but a flat parking lot like you see in front of malls everywhere. A flat parking lot perched on a dramatic overlook that most cities ache to have.

I know a lot of our friends who live both in the city and in the surrounding areas don’t really know the details or that the building was even on the chopping block. We’ve been informing them every chance we get. So we thought it would be helpful to provide a little insight to the possibilities if the building were saved. The building is in such disrepair right now and has a metal attachment on one side that it makes it difficult to picture how groovy the building could be. The good people at RochesterSubway let us borrow some images of possibilities. And, if you get a chance, take a peek at their December 2011 feature on the possibilities for Brewery Square. It really will get you excited about spending an afternoon or evening having a beer overlooking the falls.

Or you could have this:

Send an email in support of saving the building now before the Preservation Board meeting tomorrow.

Written by: Renee
Tags: rochester, rochester ny, 13 cataract street, north american brewery, genessee brewery, historic buildings, landmark society, 13 cataract, 13 cataract st, rochestersubway, walkability, high falls, preservation, historic preservation,

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  john

  I cant seem to post a comment about the waterfront development so Im leaving it here. Whenever I stand on the High Falls bridge looking down, I always think how nice it would be if there was a park down below on that green lawn area. It may flood from time to time, I dont know, but something like a wall or if not that, just access to the area somehow would be good, so I could stand at the bottom of the falls and look up. A trail along the waters edge if possible might be nice as well. Maybe some other development on the hillside linking the upper level to the bottom could be done too.

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  Adam

  I agree John. I often think the same thing. “Why don’t we have a park down there?” Seems like an obvious one to me.

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  Renee

  Thanks for your comment and for reading, John! We’ll look into why you couldn’t comment on Adam’s waterfront development post.

  We too would love to see some more public park features around the High Falls area. It’s such a unique asset that most cities do not have. We love Brown’s Race and are hopeful that businesses too will continue to seek out that area to make it a fun destination. Many people already bike around the area and over the bridge. With the brewery set to establish a new visitors’ center/restaurant/etc (and hopefully save and incorporate the building at 13 Cataract), it could spark a renewal of High Falls as a great place to hang out both in public spaces and in restaurants and businesses there.

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  Carolyn Hughes

  I just found this site. Grew up in Rochester…left in 1985. I have never forgotten the abandonment with which Rochester tore down some of it’s architectural landmarks during the 60s +. This one is probably already gone, but it shouldn’t take a George Eastman to have enough vision to restore and re-vision this old touchstone of the city. (Does the beer smell still linger in the building?) 🙂

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  Adam

  Yes. It’s gone. We drive by every now and then to see how the construction on the visitors center is coming.

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  Renee

  The new brew house opened on September 8. It is in the smaller/less grand of the two buildings that were originally on the property. The big old one everyone was trying to save came down the end of June (see our post Cataract Comes Down.

  See photos of the new brew house on Genny’s site: Grand Opening

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  Carolyn Hughes

  Thank, Adam. I’m spending October in Rochester and looking forward to seeing everything new!

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  john cannon

  how about the old train station at Central Park and N. Clinton…..or the RKO Palace theater….or the Loews Theater which gave way to Xerox…..I could cry!!!

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  Renee

  Yes, John. We could cry too. The latest on the chopping block is the Westminster Presbyterian Church (built in 1859) at 660 W. Main Street. The Susan B. Anthony neighborhood has put together a petition in an effort to save it from being torn down and replaced with a Dollar General (yes, you heard that right — a Dollar General store). Here’s the petition if you wish to get involved: Help Susan B. Anthony save Westminster Presbyterian Church

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  Adam

  I read that they started demolition on the HoJack Bridge today. Seems like we are taking our city apart brick by brick!

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  Carolyn Hughes

  I couldn’t believe what they have already done to Westminster Pres…whitewashing it or something. It had a fascinating interior…don’t know who the architect was but as I recall it was kind of a church-in-the-round. Also, the Paramount theater, John, tho I think the other 2 were more impressive. Where is the HoJack Bridge? I am in town till the end of the month…what else should I run out and see, either before it is torn down, or because it has been preserved or restored? My niece showed me the old Ionia (sp?) buildings by MCH today. Were they part of the WPA architecture projects? They were quite beautiful…now totally abandoned. Having said all that, still good to be home and seeing the beauty that remains in Rochester.

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  john cannon

  I support the Westminster cause ….wish I could get involved but too many other commitments at this time. I have a feeling that Dollar Store won’t win this one!