City working with developer to transform iconic Riverside Hotel into mixed-use property

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The City of Rochester is working with the property owner of the old Rochester Riverside Hotel to convert the once thriving hotel into a mixed-use property with hotel rooms and apartments.

“We are working closely with the owner of the property who is also the developer. And a mixed-use property simply means that a portion of it will remain a hotel. A portion of it will be a convention or meeting space,” said Dana Miller, Neighborhood and Business Development commissioner.

While the specifics of the plan for the Rochester Riverside Hotel are under wraps, Miller says the city is committed to the project.

“Without that hotel, it is really difficult to book larger conventions in. And currently when the convention center, when it gets a large convention, is busing people from downtown to Henrietta or Irondequoit or other areas,” Miller said. The hotel is across Main Street from the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

The city is working closely with the developer Angelo Ingrassia to transform the building into a combination hotel and apartment building.

“It is a high priority for us as we have helped to really bring the Main and Clinton area back to life. That is solidify moving forward,” said Eric Frisch, deputy commissioner.

Frisch says the timing of completion depends on when money is available.

“So once they bring their financing together, it will start to come through our formal site planning process. At that there we will be more that we can look at. Right now I wouldn’t venture to guess when that would be,” Frisch said.

But Miller says the hope is to have plans in place by the end of the year.

“We are absolutely looking for, within the next six months, the end of the year. Having some real solid movement on this, ideally some, if not some construction start, have some very solid plans,” Miller said.

The high-rise on East Main Street has been closed and boarded up since 2020. Since the Riverside Hotel closed, the Hyatt Regency has been the main hotel serving the convention center.

A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.