In the shadow of Rochester’s most iconic employer, a collaborative workforce hub is taking shape. The latest piece of the puzzle was announced on Aug. 4 with RochesterWorks' $14.5 million downtown career center.
The 24,000-square-foot center will be located on the fourth floor of the downtown campus and provide free employment, training and career services for job seekers. The project, which is supported by $1.5 million in federal funding and $5.5 million from the state Regional Revitalization Partnership, involves abating and redeveloping a floor of the former Kodak property on State Street. It’s expected to be completed by fall 2027.
RochesterWorks will relocate from its College Avenue location to the new space, with the move supported by Empire
State Development, Housing and Urban Development, and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.
“This building really is a hub where career exploration, education, training, employment and other social care provider needs will come together under one roof,” said Dave Seeley, executive director of RochesterWorks.
The missions of the building’s tenants like MCC and the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center pair well with its upcoming tenant. Education, workforce development and job connectivity go hand-in-hand, said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.
“This project is a testament to what can happen when you break down silos, you work together as a community and you bring our varied expertise together to build the future workforce,” Bello said.
MCC will also lead the Finger Lakes ON-RAMP center in partnership with RochesterWorks. The center trains future employees in fields like advanced manufacturing, semiconductor development, robotics and clean energy manufacturing.
“Today we celebrate the power of partnership and what can be achieved when government, education, workforce development and philanthropy align those synergies around a shared vision for a stronger, more prosperous community,” said MCC president DeAnna Burt-Nanna.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Construction begins on $14.5M RochesterWorks career center
