State funds going toward neglected Main Street and North Clinton intersection

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — One of Rochester’s least-loved intersections is the focus of a new multi-million dollar shot of aid money coming from the state.

Thursday Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin announced the city is being awarded $10 million for downtown redevelopment.

Charles Molineaux reports Thursday’s announcement emphasized one word and one place: The word is "blight" and the location is the intersection of North Clinton Avenue and Main Street.

Benjamin got together with county and city leaders to make the announcement.

The state’s "Downtown Revitalization Initiative" has decided to award Rochester $10 million, with another $10 million going to the Village of Newark.

In Rochester, incoming mayor Malik Evans said the money will go to the intersection of Main and Clinton, which he describes as a blemish in the middle of parts of downtown that the city has been trying to improve

Benjamin said the city stood out in the region with work it’s already doing to improve downtown, like Roc the Riverway, and the upcoming arrival of Constellation Brands.

Of that $10 million, the first $300,000 will go to develop plans for the location.

"Downtown Rochester primarily looks very attractive,” Benjamin said. “And then you have this really, this big eyesore. And, for us it’s a matter of what can we do to invest. We have been hearing that some folks are nervous about that intersection and we want to attract more people to live downtown. We want downtown to be more vibrant."

"That is the epicenter of downtown,” Evans said. “It is a corner that is seen everywhere. So that really is an area of Rochester, Downtown Rochester, that is so critical and so important, and you have to make sure that that is built up and strong because it affects what happens in the rest of the corners of the city."

Newark Mayor Jonathan Taylor said his community has been working to bring in business and opportunity by improving quality of life to attract people to the area and $10 million will go a long way.