Renaissance Square Theater Moving Forward

By Rachel Ward and Peter Iglinski

Rochester, NY – The board of directors for Renaissance Square got a positive forecast for the theater component of the project. Renaissance Square is a community college, transit center and performing arts center complex, slated for the corner of Main Street and Clinton Avenue in downtown Rochester.

The theater component of the downtown hub had previously been in question, because of the difficulty of recruiting funds for it. But today, a consultant from the Strategic Advisory Group laid out the financial facts for community leaders; specifically, that a newer, 2,800 seat theater downtown would bring in about $11.4 million a year, compared to the 2,500 seat Auditorium Theater's $4.7 million a year, in economic impact.

Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy is on the board of Renaissance Square and has been skeptical about the possibility of getting the theater built. But he says after seeing the presentation today and meeting with the county executive last week about private fund raising, he's more confident.

"I don't doubt the impact of the performing arts center ... I really don't. I think with the first presentation about the economic impact in Rochester, and then on the actual structural presentation, I think both [are] good. I think the issue comes down to can we actually raise the money ... especially in tough economic times to build it."

It's been estimated that $55 million is needed to build the theater, but who would run it, and how much it would cost to operate, cast doubt on the viability of the theater throughout the planning process for Renaissance Square.

Speaking to the board Thursday, Jeffrey Sachs, a consultant with the Strategic Advisory Group, suggested the theater would be owned by a municipal entity like the city or county, and be operated by a nonprofit entity, like the Rochester Broadway Theater League (RBTL). If run by a nonprofit, Sachs says the performing arts center would be able to fundrais more effectively, and better meet the estimated annual operating deficit of $1.3 million dollars annually. Currently the Auditorium Theater loses about $275,000 annually.

One advocate for giving the RBTL access to a bigger theater has been promoter Albert Nocciolino. He said at the presentation Thursday that Rochester is the only city in New York State without a theater in the heart of its urban core.

"If we want to maximize the opportunity when these shows come to our towns, if we put them in a place where people can use the other services - the other vendors, the hotels, the restaurants, they can park their car and walk - we will be able to take advantage of that as a community and it'll manifest itself more so than it ever has before."

In the coming weeks, the Renaissance Square board will confirm an operating plan for the facility, and a capital funding plan will be presented to the board in December. The Federal Transportation Agency (FTA) is expected to give its findings on the environmental assessment for the site in January.

The board is under a crunch to get the Ren Square planning process - particularly that of the theater - wrapped up in January, so that Senator Charles Schumer can continue to advocate for the project's federal funds.

Earlier this year Schumer had threatened not to support a reallocation of the funds for Renaissance Square. Those funds have sat largely unused through two budget allocation cycles, and are in danger of being returned to the FTA's budget.