Project History

A Brief History of the Second Street Planning Project

The Second Street Planning Project is a community-led effort to study Second Street SW from Highway 52 to Sixth Avenue SW. Below is a brief history of the genesis of this project with web links where appropriate.

• 1999 - The Rochester Area Foundation launches the First Homes initiative with a goal of creating 875 starter homes for working families. Initially, many of these homes were built in new sub-divisions on the outer edges of Rochester and in surrounding communities.

• 2003 - Launched with a donation from the Mayo Clinic, First Homes creates the Heritage Homes program-purchasing and rehabilitating existing homes in Rochester's core neighborhoods.

• 2004-5 - With help from the Rochester Area Foundation and First Homes, the Kutzky Park Neighborhood creates Imagine Kutzky-a long-range visioning and planning effort for the Kutzky Park Neighborhood.

• 2007 - With help from First Homes and the City of Rochester's Planning and Zoning Department, Imagine Kutzky begins to formally pursue new a new zoning ordinance for the Kutzky Park Neighborhood. This ordinance aims to encourage infill development as well as preserve the existing character of the neighborhood.

• Summer 2007 - Recognizing the importance of the Second Street Corridor not only to the Kutzky Park Neighborhood, but also to the Folwell and Historic Southwest Neighborhoods, the business owners on the street, the Mayo Clinic, and the community as a whole, the Rochester Area Foundation's First Homes initiative pledges $45,000 and staff resources to a Second Street corridor study provided that the City of Rochester match this contribution. The City agrees, the Rochester Area Foundation hires planning consultant Bonestroo, and the Second Street Planning Project is born.

• Fall 2007 - Rochester Area Foundation and City of Rochester staff assemble a group of community leaders to form a Steering Committee for the project. These leaders are chosen based on their past leadership, involvement, technical expertise, and stakeholder and geographic representation.

• November 2007 - Bonestroo conducts interviews with the individual business and property owners along the Second Street corridor-letting them know about the project and asking for their input on the future of the corridor.

• November/December 2007 - The Steering Committee begins to meet. Initial meetings provide background information on existing conditions-City/County land use and traffic plans.

• December 2007 - In the first of three workshops, the community is invited (via fliers, newspaper articles, and direct mailings) to learn about the Project and give input to create a vision for the future of the corridor. The Project Steering Committee members, Bonestroo, City of Rochester, and Rochester Area Foundation staffs are all in attendance to listen to public input on various elements of the Project.

• January 2008 - All of the many comments and ideas presented at the workshop will be collected, collated, and published on the Second Street Corridor website. These comments and ideas will be used by the Steering Committee to shape the final recommendations for the corridor.

• March 2008 - At a second open house, the community will be invited to provide input on more developed options for the corridor.

• May 2008 - At a third open house, the community will be invited to review and give input on a preliminary series of recommendations from the Steering Committee.

• Summer 2008 - A final draft of the Project recommendations will be turned over to the City of Rochester for implementation.

  Agenda, presentations, and minutes of Steering Committee meetings will be posted on the Steering Committee page on the Second Street Planning Project website.

  Additional data, research, and reports will be posted on the website as they become available.

  Comments and ideas are always welcome by phone, mail, or e-mail. Contact information can be found on the Project Contacts page.

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