• Renaissance Square began in the late 1990s as a project of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority in a quest to build a downtown Rochester Central Station for its buses. It was noted that when one takes the number of people that use:
- Frontier Field
- Geva Theater
- The Greater Rochester International Airport
- The Rochester Train Station
- Blue Cross Arena…
…add them together and DOUBLE IT, you would still have less than the number of people who rely on RGRTA's transportation services every year.

• A local poll in 2000 showed that among many needed improvement in the Rochester area, most people felt that a transit center is the most necessary.

• Studies indicated that more than 75 percent of riders are making route-to-route transfers in downtown Rochester. These customers must often wait outside for the bus, exposed to the elements. It is RGRTA’s goal to give customers a safe, sheltered and comfortable place to access public transportation.Therefore, transit center would consist of:
- Customer platforms for both RTS buses and inter-city buses.
- Strategically located monitors displaying real-time schedule information.
- Concourse lined with retail shops, transit functions and rider amenities.

• The original concept for the transit center was based on renovating the property at Main & Clinton into a both a center and a modern building to house offices, retail space, and even private residences.
It was to serve as catalyst for additional development on and adjacent to the transit concourse to restore and revitalize DowntownRochester.

• In 1999, Monroe County and the City of Rochester jointly commissioned a study that concluded the need for performing arts facilities in downtown Rochester.

• In 2001, RGRTA authorized hiring of LeChase Construction to manage the Rochester Central Station project.

• In 2002, Monroe Community College began plans for an expanded Damon City Campus in downtown Rochester as part of its master plan.

• Recently passed legislation in Congress was noted by all of the parties involved in
these three separate projects.The FTA allows transit authorities to usefederal transportation dollars to fund eachprimary element of a joint developmentproject, so long as they are “physically and
functionally related.”

• It became clear that these projects could be related, and that these obstacles could be overcome by merging them:
• Multiple Central Plants
• Multiple Security Teams
•Multiple Maintenance Staffs
•Multiple Building Management
• Three Building Cores

• Renaissance Square was conceived. Project partners included the County of Monroe,
the City of Rocester, Monroe Community College, RGRTA, and the Arts & Cultural Council which served as an advisor. Together, they formed the Main & Clinton Local Development Corp. to bring Renaissance Square to reality.

• A budget of $230 million was agreed to.

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