Task force issues recommendations to improve downtown Rochester

ROCHESTER - To help downtown grow, businesses have to get better at working together and letting people know what's available.

That's part of the recommendations a coalition of organizations has unveiled as they seek public input on ways to improve downtown Rochester.

The Downtown Rochester Task Force's recommendations were crafted from community ideas at public meetings last month. More than 30 suggestions remain, from short-term goals such as event calendars, parking tools and better downtown signage to longer projects including market demand studies, streamlined permitting, business incentives and pilot programs.

"There's really a lot of energy around how do we work together," said Patrick Seeb of Destination Medical Center (DMC).

The task force, composed of several groups ranging from DMC and the city of Rochester to the Rochester Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Alliance, held the first of three public meetings Friday morning to gauge community interest in various projects geared toward the downtown's economic development.

Like other major cities, Rochester's downtown has suffered over the past few years as office workers do their jobs from home, reducing foot traffic. The downtown lost more businesses than it gained in 2022, a reversal from the year before.

Mayo Clinic shifted about 2,900 officer workers to work-from-home at the start of the pandemic. Mayo officials said in December there were no plans to bring those workers back to the office, but the medical center is looking into expanding into office spaces downtown.

Many of the recommendations boil down to improving communication — among businesses, with the city and Mayo, even with residents and tourists.

Louise Hanson, owner of the Nordic Shop, questioned why Rochester tourism officials haven't stressed the city's draw as a regional attraction.

"We're the largest city in a 100-mile radius," Hanson said. "We should be telling people in La Crosse, in Winona, to come shop here in Rochester."

Others hoped businesses could work together to keep one another informed of larger events. Michelle Fagan, co-owner of Fagan Studios and Studio 324 gallery, said she unsuccessfully tried to help five different groups of people downtown on Thursday looking for places to eat.

"They couldn't find anything," she said. "Every door they tried to open was locked and the place was closed."

Residents and business owners largely supported streamlining city regulations and permitting for smaller businesses, as well as ideas to help fill vacant storefronts. Others said Mayo Clinic could get more involved in helping people find events, hotels and places to eat downtown.

"When people come to Rochester, their whole experience is not just the care they get at Mother Mayo," Matt Hogan said. "It's what do they do outside of that time."

Biking and environmental advocate Eric Noonan points to Rochester's booming restaurant scene as something other businesses can build on, suggesting more mentorship opportunities like the ones that established restaurants give pop-ups that eventually find their own spaces.

Seeb said the feedback sessions over the next week will help the task force craft a final plan and determine which projects to start on right away. From there, groups will work on other issues such as construction planning and public safety concerns.

That will mean more collaboration within the city, business owners say.

"We've got our work cut out for us, but it has to be together," said Nora Anderson, executive director of Threshold Arts. "We can't be pointing fingers."