City Newspaper Archives - 8/2007

DEVELOPMENT: Rather than at Ren Square, put arts center in Kodak's Building 28

Published on Aug 08, 2007
While some in Rochester are ringing their hands over the lack of suitable theater space, and see only new, multimillion-dollar construction as the solution, others are open to making use of existing venues at a much lower cost. Even the venerable Monroe Avenue theater has been mentioned as a possibility.

I'd like to suggest a gem of a large recreational complex - built to last forever - which more and more is sitting vacant, unused. This building contains an outstanding auditorium seating just over 1,900. In the past, many Rochesterians have attended a variety of programs in this fine facility on the north side of Rochester.

Of course, I'm referring to Kodak's "Theater on the Ridge," located just west of Lake Avenue on Ridge Road, Kodak's Building 28. With Kodak's restructuring to a digital company, it has both been selling and razing unused buildings. Building 28 is rapidly becoming unused.

For people with vision, Building 28 could give Rochester an outstanding theater and recreational complex at a fraction of the cost of new construction, in an-easy-to reach location with acres of adjacent parking.

The spirit of George Eastman still lives at Kodak. So why doesn't Kodak and the city and/or county work to convert Building 28 into a public facility? Sure, Kodak may have some small need for the auditorium a few times a year, but it makes little sense for such grand space to sit vacant 51 weeks a year. With the community's needs so great, this is a waste that neither Kodak nor the community should allow to continue.

Ed Austin, Hidden Valley Road, Gates