New life for vacant Main Street, Canandaigua lot?

CANANDAIGUA – Could this be the plan that transforms the vacant lot at South Main and Saltonstall streets to another destination business site in downtown Canandaigua?

Members of City Council appear to think so, recently taking a straw vote in support of what they heard from developer Fred Rainaldi Jr. and his ambitious $6 million idea for the former Tom’s Mobil site.

Mayor Bob Palumbo said Rainaldi is a good developer with a good track record with a great project.

"Finally, something will be done with that space," Palumbo said.

What’s proposed for the vacant Main Street lot?

A climbing wall? That’s just one of the ideas brewing for a proposed three-story building that includes a mezzanine with about 19,000 square feet for specialty retailers and professional office users. The project includes the purchases of 11 and 14 Saltonstall streets and 256 Center St., which are necessities in order for the plan to work, according to Rainaldi, who recently spoke of the project to City Council’s planning committee.

Rainaldi, who is the owner of Canandaigua Sailboard, is a principal in Rainaldi Brothers Inc., which is behind a number of high-profile projects in Rochester and Victor. They include the Culver Road Armory in Rochester, the North Face in Victor, and others.

Rainaldi told city officials this proposed building in Canandaigua will be something retailers will have pride of ownership in. Also, a lot of "amazing things" are happening within the community and "we want to be a part of that," Rainaldi told city officials at City Council’s recent planning committee meeting.

"The building has an opportunity to provide an incredibly marketable environment for a new category of businesses and retailers," Rainaldi said.

Why is a plan for this vacant lot important?

Years ago, the city took over the former gas station site because taxes had not been paid. The gas station eventually was demolished and contamination of the site was cleaned up as part of a deal involving the state and city.

Several ideas for the property were proposed, but for a variety of reasons, none came to fruition.

Besides its prominent Main Street location, city and business leaders have sought an elusive transition from the historic downtown business district to Canandaigua Lake.

Denise Chaapel, manager of the Downtown Canandaigua Business Improvement District, said she and members of the BID are incredibly excited about this plan.

"He will be a phenomenal partner in the downtown district," Chaapel said. "I’m just impressed with everything he does."

And, of course, a boost to the local economy is a plus.

The plan calls for "an incredible mix" of specialty retailers and office uses as well as the potential for multi-use, pop-up seasonal events there, Rainaldi said. The building itself would sport a nautical theme while carrying this downtown block, also providing a transition to neighborhoods off Main Street.

The intent is to provide visitors and residents with the same experience of viewing the structure from Main Street as from the back.

"We want this building to feel like it had been here for a long time and we want this building to be there for a long time," Rainaldi said.

What are the next steps?

Several approvals need to happen before this gets set in motion.

At its July 7 meeting, City Council may schedule a public hearing date to hear what residents and other business owners think about the idea.

Then, City Council would have to give the OK for the developer’s conceptual plan for the site and approve the sale of property contingent on planning and zoning review and approvals, according to City Manager John Goodwin.

Depending on the approval process and other factors, work could begin in the fourth quarter of this year and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.

"It’s very exciting that we’ve got light at the end of the tunnel to finally not only have it remediated but have it redeveloped and go from what was a blight on the community to an asset," Goodwin said.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: What's happening to the empty Tom's Mobil site on Main Street?