New York Construction Report
A long-vacant downtown office building is set to be reborn as affordable housing through a $72.3 million redevelopment that will convert the seven-storey structure into 129 homes at Gateway Apartments.
Christa Construction is serving as general contractor for the $72.3 million adaptive reuse project, which will convert the former office structure into 129 affordable residential units with ground-floor commercial space.
The full rehabilitation of the building will include a complete modernization of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, structural reinforcement, interior reconfiguration, and the replacement of the aging exterior envelope. The scope also includes reworking an existing escalator shaft to support the new residential layout.
A key feature of the project is the reconstruction of the building’s exterior. The existing deteriorated glass façade will be removed and replaced with a new energy-efficient system designed to reference the structure’s original white brick character while meeting modern performance standards.
“The new façade will be energy-efficient and architecturally significant, drawing inspiration from the building’s original white brick character,” Christa Construction said. “Our goal is to honor the building’s past while ensuring it performs to today’s standards of sustainability, durability and resident comfort.”
The Gateway Building has undergone several transformations over its history. Originally built in 1905 by A. Friedrich & Sons as the five-storey Cornwall Building at 156 Main St., it was later combined with the adjacent seven-storey Central Building at 158 Main St. after being acquired by E.W. Edwards & Son. A two-storey addition was subsequently constructed to unify the complex.
In the 1970s, a glass façade was installed that modernized the exterior but removed much of the building’s original architectural detail. As part of the redevelopment, Christa Construction will remove that façade and reconstruct the exterior to better reflect the building’s historic character.
The work will take place in a constrained downtown environment, requiring detailed logistics planning and coordination with city partners to manage safety, staging and sequencing.
“Working within a tight urban footprint, our team will manage all site logistics, safety planning and coordination with city partners to ensure the project progresses efficiently and responsibly,” the company said.
Once complete, Gateway Apartments will add new housing and commercial activity to East Main Street and support ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown Rochester through adaptive reuse of underutilized properties.
Christa Construction said the project reflects its focus on preserving historic structures while delivering modern, energy-efficient housing.
The development is expected to be completed following full buildout of residential units, commercial space and building system upgrades.
