Soon, there may be long-awaited movement on a plan to develop the former Tom's Mobil site in Downtown Canandaigua.
Developer Fred Rainaldi Jr. is seeking Canandaigua City Planning Commission approvals that would allow the consolidation of three properties into one, the primary lot being the former gas station site on South Main Street.
The plan includes demolition of the former Beverage Center drive-thru business on Saltonstall Street and a home now owned by the developer behind it. City Manager John Goodwin said a request for a demolition permit has been submitted.
That all leads up to a building that is expected to house three eateries as well as specialty retail stores.
Commissioners, some of whom expressed concerns about drainage and the proximity
to neighbors' homes, may decide on the plan at its meeting in October. The city Zoning Board of Appeals also must weigh in on the plan for parking.
Rainaldi said there are some changes to a plan for the site that was originally approved in 2023 and at the time carried a $6 million price tag. The approval came before the home was able to be purchased.
The look of the proposed building will remain largely the same, but now two stories are proposed instead of three. The site will offer just over 21,000 square feet of retail space.
"Our intent is to basically extend the downtown center business district," Rainaldi said during a September commission meeting, adding there will be landscaped and walkable areas around this high-profile site at South Main and Saltonstall streets.
Here's what we know now about the Canandaigua plan
"The tenant makeup is designed to support and celebrate a strong four-season patronage," Rainaldi said.
Many have seen the "coming soon" sign for Canandaigua Bagel Co., which Rainaldi said will be a "very cool" operation. Attempts to reach the owner for comment have been unsuccessful.
A boutique sandwich shop and fine-dining restaurant that offers "specialty cuisine" are also in the mix, but Rainaldi declined to name the businesses publicly at this stage of the approval process. Two other specialty retail operations could potentially be part of the plan.
The upper area would be used for offices.
Why so much interest in this Canandaigua plan?
The site is considered a key spot for development, beyond filling a vacant space in a highly visible location on Main Street. In seeking approval for the original plan, Rainaldi and team said they would be "redoing" this corner.
Rainaldi, who is the owner of Canandaigua Sailboard, is a principal in Rainaldi Brothers Inc., which is behind a number of high-profile projects such as the Culver Road Armory in Rochester and the North Face in Victor.
Years ago, the city took over the former gas station site because taxes had not been paid. The gas station eventually was demolished in 2019, and contamination of the site was cleaned up as part of a deal involving the state and city.
Several ideas for the development of the property were proposed for the site over the years, but for a variety of reasons, none came to fruition.
Similar to the vision Rainaldi has in mind for the property, city and business leaders also have sought a cohesive yet so far elusive transition from the historic downtown business district to Canandaigua Lake.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New restaurants, stores planned for former Tom's Mobil site in Canandaigua
