New York Construction Report staff writer
The City of Rochester was awarded three Project of the Year Awards by the Genesee Valley Branch of the American Public Works Association.
In the Structures category, the Austin Steward Plaza and Sister Cities Bridge projects were honoured.
Formerly known as Major Charles Carroll Plaza, the $20 million Austin Steward Plaza project was renamed in 2024 after one of Rochester’s first prominent Black business owners, Austin Steward. The redesigned plaza showcases scenic views of the Genesee River and serves as a pedestrian hub along the Genesee Riverway Trail.
The Sister Cities Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that connects the Austin Steward Plaza and Genesee Crossroads Park Downtown. The renovations, at a cost of $6.6 million, included the creation of a fully ADA accessible link across the Genesee River along with new lighting, flagpoles, railings, and structural upgrades.
The city of Rochester was also recognized in transportation projects for improvements on South Avenue and Elmwood Avenue including reconstructing two city of Rochester streets and building a new cycle track along Elmwood Avenue.
In the Historic Restoration/Preservation Projects category, the Aqueduct District Street improvements project received top honours. Renovations included street reconstruction, converting Aqueduct Street to a one-way southbound roadway, and Bank Place to a one-way westbound. Improvements also included new sidewalks, curbs, hydrants, and lighting. The design team included Bergmann, Lu Engineers, WXY, Urban AC, and The Light Practice.
Two projects were a part of the ROC the Riverway program that includes more than two dozen transformational projects along the Genesee River.
