Rumors have been circulating for weeks now that the Strong museum is considering an expansion. It makes sense, given the land that will be available once the nearby section of the Inner Loop is filled in and ready for development.
Strong Director of Development Shane Rhinewald says that an expansion is possible, but that the museum hasn’t decided whether it’ll respond when the city starts soliciting development proposals this month.
Strong representatives met members of the Park Meigs Neighborhood Association, area landlords, and other interested parties recently to discuss the Inner Loop land, says Thomas LaDuca, president of the Park Meigs group.
LaDuca says that Strong seemed to be trying to take the neighborhood’s temperature on a possible expansion.
One issue that LaDuca and others raised is the “asphalt city” that surrounds the museum. An expanded museum would obviously need even more parking, he says, which would exacerbate the issue.
Meeting participants also brought up the perils of crossing Monroe Avenue and Chestnut Street on foot to get to the museum. It’s dangerous, LaDuca says, and something needs to be done.
This article appears in Feb 10-16, 2016.
Typical Rochester. No one has a plan. How are WE supposed to make this city great when there is no leadership at the top?
“One issue that LaDuca and others raised is the “asphalt city” that surrounds the museum. An expanded museum would obviously need even more parking, he says, which would exacerbate the issue.
Meeting participants also brought up the perils of crossing Monroe Avenue and Chestnut Street on foot to get to the museum. It’s dangerous, LaDuca says, and something needs to be done.”
As I have been saying for years–Yes, do the Inner Loop project, but just cover it. Don’t fill it. By covering it, it could have been done long ago, and left many options, including public transportation utilities, etc. Also, as in this instance, there would have been built in underground parking.
Guess what they are going to do with the rest of the project when it get’s developed? Dig it up again. I guess we really are paying people do fill in holes and dig them up again. Stupid.