Launch of the Downtown Commercial Historic District Public Realm Vision Plan
Launch of the Downtown Commercial Historic District Public Realm Vision Plan
July 16, 2025 – Rochester, MINN – On January 22, 2024, Rochester’s City Council approved the designation of the Downtown Commercial Historic District due to the importance of this original central business district’s value in contributing to the development, heritage and cultural significance within Rochester.
The City and Destination Medical Center have since then initiated a planning process to create a Vision Plan for the Historic District with a specific focus on the public realm. This new project aims to envision a future for the outdoor public spaces in the district. This plan is important for improving the public realm - it will provide a roadmap for creating cohesive, inclusive and well-designed spaces that reflect the community's needs and aspirations for the Historic District. This Vision Plan will guide public realm priorities for the future of the district, including mobility, culture, placemaking, historic preservation and more!
A project website is now open where community members can receive project updates, find dates and information for upcoming community discussion events, download project information and participate in online input activities. The project website can be found by visiting: https://engage.mendcollaborative.com/downtown-historic-district-vision
The community’s voice is integral to the vision for the Historic District, and everyone is encouraged to share project awareness with their neighbors.