Brian Sharp

@SharpRoc

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano has committed $25 million toward construction of a performing arts center in Rochester, the project's chief organizer said — giving the project new life after more than two decades of deliberation.

The pledge is not site specific, though Arnold Rothschild, chairman of the Rochester Broadway Theatre League, remains partial to Midtown's Parcel 5.

"He wants the best location for the community," Rothschild said. "I am waiting to hear from the city."

Golisano's commitment was part of RBTL's proposal back in September. Rothschild declined to identify the Paychex founder at that time, but Golisano's identity leaked after recent briefings with lawmakers in Albany and first was reported by WHEC-TV on Monday.

City spokesman James Smith confirmed that Golisano had contacted the city with such a pledge. As for how that factors into the city evaluation of proposals for the Midtown parcel, Smith said it was "significant" but also that the city was looking at the complete project.

"This is about looking at the whole project, looking at what dollars have been committed, which dollars haven't," Smith said, "... which (proposal) will have the best benefit to our city — first and foremost is job creation."

RBTL's Midtown proposal is for a $75 million facility with a $10 million endowment. Rothschild estimates RBTL could "comfortably raise" $15 million, then would seek the remaining $45 million in equal installments from the governor's office, state Assembly and Senate. Other potential sites in Henrietta and Brighton would be far less expensive. Said Rothschild: "We believe that for the same dollars we could build two maybe three venues in a suburban site."

Doing Parcel 5, he said, RBTL expects it could continue operating the Auditorium Theatre a few blocks away, moving staff back and forth to both do education programs and booking events and shows to both venues. Going to the suburbs, he said, would not be as accommodating, casting serious doubt on the future of the Auditorium Theatre, which RBTL has argued is under-sized.

"We can't let it exist as a competitive venue," Rothschild said. "We could not let it be competitive to what we are doing."

The city received four proposals for Parcel 5, with general consensus being that a residential and commercial plan put forward by the Gallina/Dutton development team was the front-runner. That $30 million proposal, as initially offered, called for a 14-story tower with condominiums, three levels of restaurants, retail and commercial space and a park-like area on the interior of the East Main Street lot.

A city decision on what should be built was expected in December. Now? "I think we're close," Smith said. "We are certainly within weeks to a month of a decision."

►Parcel 5 and our theater problem

►Last Midtown proposal seeks high-rise, open space

BDSHARP@Gannett.com