Rump Group endorses Renaissance Square Project

A group of prominent local business and higher education leaders, known as the "Rump Group," is throwing their support behind Rochester's Renaissance Square project.

Renaissance Square is a community development project that would integrate a downtown college campus with a transit center and performing arts complex in the heart of downtown Rochester.

In a letter sent to Monroe County's state and federal delegations, the Rump Group pointed out the economic impact that this project will have on the region as well as the support the project has received thus far:

"We believe that a downtown performing arts center will foster the growth of the already significant cultural activities and groups in the area and provide a regional attraction. We are encouraged by the bipartisan support from leaders of both the County and the City and their consideration of combining facilities to decrease costs and multiply benefits of the projects."

The letter was signed by the following individuals: Ursula Burns, Xerox Corporation; C. McCollister "Mac" Evarts, University of Rochester Medical Center; Brian Hickey, M&T Bank; Susan Holiday, Rochester Business Journal; David Hunke, Democrat & Chronicle; Thomas Judson, Jr., The Pike Company; Katherine Kehoe, St. John Fisher College; David Klein, Excellus BC/BS; R. Wayne LeChase, LeChase Construction; Norm Leenhouts, Home Properties, Inc; Michael Morley, Eastman Kodak Company; Richard Sands, Constellation Brands; Robert Sands, Constellation Brands; Albert Simone, RIT; John (Dutch) Summers, Jasco Tool, Inc.; Thomas C. Wilmot, Wilmorite, Inc.; Danny Wegman, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.; and Ronald Zarella, Bausch and Lomb, Inc.

Renaissance Square would combine a transit center with a new MCC downtown campus and a performing arts center. The integration of these elements allows federal transportation funds to be utilized for some design and construction costs of all three components.

The Renaissance Square project has been gaining momentum since Governor Pataki mentioned it in his State of the State Address in January. Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and Rochester Mayor William Johnson have been working together to lobby the state and federal delegations for funding for Renaissance Square - a project that many community leaders see as key to the revitalization of downtown Rochester.

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