Brian Sharp

@SharpRoc

City Council members will interview competing developers for Midtown's Parcel 5, separate from the city's internal process and before Mayor Lovely Warren makes her recommendation on whom to select.

"We're just going to go ahead and review them," said City Council member Carolee Conklin, head of the Finance Committee, which will have a say in any development decision when the city seeks to sell the parcel. "I don't think it is necessary to wait for the recommendation."

The unusual step is not without precedent, Conklin said, recounting how City Council members sat down with competing ambulance companies before then-Mayor Robert Duffy recommended which to hire and ultimately decided not to follow his advice. But it is uncommon — if not unheard of — when it comes to development.

►Public push on Parcel 5 breaks norm

The city solicited proposals for the East Main Street lot, receiving four concepts before last month's deadline. Those included a minimalist approach focused on open space, a performing arts center, a mixed-use commercial and condominium concept with a 14-story tower and proposal to carve up the parcel into smaller lots, to be developed by mid-sized developers. The latter, "bite-sized" plan was offered by Glenn Kellogg, an urban economist and president of Hart's Local Grocers, who has since thrown his support behind the tower concept, a proposal led by Gallina Development, assuming developers can secure financing.

New concept emerges

Meanwhile, a fifth concept has emerged, drafted by local architect Carlton "Bud" DeWolff and marketing consultant Fraser Smillie — a dramatic, 25-story "sculptural glass tower" with a performing arts center, office space, condos, a museum and "sky garden" and observation deck.

The tower would straddle two interior streets (Cortland and Andrew Langston Way) and could cost $156 million to $159 million to build. A developer formerly of Rochester, now with an investment capital firm in Indiana, has expressed interest, DeWolff said; so long as the city and state fund the theater component.

Clausen: Dreaming of what should become of Parcel 5

Among the city's pre-set requirements is that proposals should not rely on public subsidy. None of the proposals meet all of the city requirements, however.

Possibly the biggest hurdle for DeWolff is that the deadline for submitting a proposal has passed. While Conklin said the Council might be open to reviewing DeWolff's plan — "If we are going to be reviewing proposals, why not?" she said — a spokesman for Warren said the process had closed, though the competing developers are able to amend their plans.

Smillie explained that the proposal arose out of disappointment with what was offered for Parcel 5. What they are calling the City Centre Complex, "offers something innovative and unique and creative and beautiful," he said.

"This is the heart of Rochester. This is it," Smillie said of Parcel 5. "All we are saying is, gee whiz, can we try and do something different?"

BDSHARP@Gannett.com

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