In 1823 the Erie Canal ran through downtown under what is now the Rundell Library and crossed over the Genessee River where Broad Street is currently located. But by 1920 the railroads were gaining in popularity for the shipping of large freight, so the canal had to become more competitive. A decision was made to relocate it to the area where the Dinosaur Barbecue is today. Broad Street was reused first as a subway tunnel in 1926 and later, with the support pillars still intact, built over to create a street.
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Old Erie Canal, photo courtesy of Thomas Grasso. |
Jumping ahead to 2007, those support pillars are starting to deteriorate. A decision needs to be made to either fill in the aqueduct and repave the road, or return it to its original status as a canal. A downtown canal would have direct access to the Genesee River, High Falls and the rest of the Erie Canal system that crosses the entire state. It would also be a short water taxi ride to Frontier Field, the Blue Cross Arena, PAETEC Park and many other downtown attractions.
Other cities, some of which did not even have water to start with, have created canals, and are reporting astounding success in attracting visitors to previously decaying downtown areas. Sales tax revenue has increased, tourism numbers are up, and businesses are lining up to relocate there. In Oklahoma City, eight to ten million people visit the Bricktown Canal District every year, and according to Roy Williams, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, "Everyone wants their business down there. It's the magnet-the electricity that that's brought it all together."
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Bricktown, photo courtesy of Thomas Grasso. |
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Providence Rhode Island, photo courtesy of Thomas Grasso. |
Spearheading the effort in Rochester is Chair Emeritus Tom Grasso of the geology department at Monroe Community College. Currently president of both the Canal Society of New York State and Inland Waterways International, he is in an ideal position to address both the challenges and benefits of the project. After visiting downtown canal sites all over the world, he did some initial measuring and planning with architects Timothy and Rory Zimmer. They project a cost of over $100 million to rebuild the canal, while the city estimates the cost to fill in the aqueducts and repave would be $25 million. All involved are very excited that the city is funding $300 thousand to study the downtown canal proposal along with several other ideas including:
›› Return the area to a subway system
›› Convert it to a mushroom farm
›› Create underground parking
The key to eventual success for the project may lie in the hands of local developers who see the potential in the stone warehouses and other buildings that currently line Broad Street. And one needs to consider the huge potential tax revenue from increased tourist traffic once the area is up and running. If Oklahoma City is seeing eight to ten million visitors per year and they all spend an average of $100, that's a whopping $800 million to $1 billion in revenue. Even if one cuts that in half considering Oklahoma City is twice the size of Rochester, that is a substantial amount of revenue to fund and maintain the project.
"A canal in downtown Rochester has the potential to blow San Antonio out of the water," believes Grasso. "It could be the westside bookend complimenting the eastside Rennaisance Square, resulting in a huge revitalization of the area." The canal was one of the main reasons the city grew to its original prominence, so perhaps it will once again help achieve prosperity for the future.
For more information on the downtown Erie Canal project, visit www.canalsnys.org. Below is a photographic presentation of the entire proposal, with examples from other cities throughout the world.
BSM