West River Wall work to complete 'waterfront gateway' to downtown Rochester

Brian Sharp
Democrat and Chronicle
Design and reconstruction is being planned for a section of the West River Wall approaching downtown Rochester.

Design work soon could begin to provide a "uniform waterfront gateway to downtown," while improving flood protection and access to the Genesee River.

The focus is on a crumbling, 6,400-foot-long west river wall extending south from Corn Hill Landing. Plans are to replace the flood control barrier with an earthen berm at least to Ford Street, relocate the trail on top, improve sight lines by removing overgrown vegetation and restore the natural river edge.

"You'll be able to go right down and touch the water," said City Engineer Jim McIntosh.

Mayor Lovely Warren is seeking City Council approval to hire Bergmann Associates for $1.5 million to handle design services beginning this fall. The state would pick up half the expense. Construction on the first segment, roughly 2,400 feet, could begin in winter 2018. Council members are expected to vote on the matter when they meet Tuesday.

New York State Canal Corp. owns the wall and is expected to fund $4.2 million of the estimated $5.7 million to reconstruct the barrier to Ford Street, records show. The city, which owns the abutting property that runs parallel to Exchange Boulevard and includes the Genesee Riverway Trail, will borrow the rest.

The east river wall and a section of the west wall along Corn Hill Landing were previously reconstructed, removing obsolete flood control walls, adding lighting, landscaping, a trail or promenade and other features.

But the remainder of the west wall has gone untouched, a "forgotten link ... (that) prevents the full realization of the public and private economic development potential of this picturesque setting," the city wrote in seeking preliminary study of the section back in 2013. 

The design work, and ultimately the improvements, will stretch as far south as Utica Place at the far end of the Vacuum Oil site, nearly to Riverview Apartments.

BDSHARP@Gannett.com