Good Question: Updates on Cadillac and Richford Building redevelopment

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — This good question is about the former Cadillac Hotel and the Richford Building next door. The Cadillac Hotel has been vacant since 2018. The former Richford, since the late 1990’s.

The last time we reported on them, it was because the siding was falling off the Richford Building into the street. It has been 8 months since then. Here’s a look at where the buildings stand now.

Kevin writes to us asking: “What happened to the projects to redevelop the former Cadillac Hotel and the old Richford hotel next door? They have been such blighted buildings downtown for a long time.”

Long story short, they’re waiting on funding.

As you may recall, in April, the siding fell off the 107-year-old building that used to be the Richford Hotel. The city shut down Chestnut Street with security on patrol for months.

We requested more information under the Freedom of Information Law and learned that it cost more than $26,000 for that security. The city says the building’s owner is required to pay that amount.

Over the summer, we saw crews out there again doing work on the building. Now six months later, the city of Rochester says “the owners of the Richford building continue to work with partners on plans for a future of the building. As for the Cadillac Hotel, CSD housing is planning to renovate the building into 42 affordable housing units with an arts component. The building will again be known as the Fine Arts Building which is its original name. Pending financing, construction would begin in summer 2023.”

I spoke with CSD housing about that “pending financing” for the former Cadillac. Right now, it’s waiting to learn if it will be getting funding through the New York State Office of Homes and Community renewal. t’s expecting to learn more about that by the spring.

It’s also waiting on a tax credit to preserve the historic character of the building. So, it will still be a while before we see changes on the buildings. Keep in mind – the two buildings are owned by different people, and their re-development projects are separate.

The developer of the Cadillac – CSD housing – says it is expecting to get about $800,000 in funding from the City of Rochester. The Cadillac redevelopment project is expected to cost more than $20 million.

If you have a good question, send it to us at goodquestion@whec.com