The Beat Monthly, Ed. 6, Nov/Dec 2022

BY SEAN BAKER

NICK POMPEIAN REMINISCES about the heydays of the 1990s when downtown Rochester was a destination for families like his, with a Gap store, movie theater, and arcade.

He also recalls how, after a period in which those same types of businesses left for suburban shopping centers, downtown went through another renais sance — this time in the mid2010s — with a burgeoning arts scene, new restaurants, and the feeling that downtown was a place to be.

“I remember high school class mates coming back and being like, ‘man, Rochester’s pretty cool. Holy cow, how lucky are you,’ ” said Pompeian. “We had really good times for four or five years.”

Pompeian, the co-owner of a com mercial real estate firm, is not alone in conjuring up images of the downtown of the not-so-distant past. Up until a couple of years ago, Rochester had reason to feel enthusiastic about its downtown. The city and Mayo Clinic, boosted by the Destination Medical Center initiative, had begun investing

millions into the area and the market was responding accord ingly. Apartments and hotels were popping up; major com panies like Google and Boston Scientific were announcing new Rochester offices; and, what would be a surprise to anyone who ventured down First Avenue on a Saturday now, there was nightlife downtown.

But then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, downtown took a downturn — one it has yet to come back from. Part of the blame, of course, falls on the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to restrictions on businesses, kept people home, and funda

how people shop, what types of experiences they are looking for, and how they view the need to come into the office.

"These headwinds were hap pening, they were just more subtle — and then they really blew up with Covid and acceler ated people's behavior changes,” said Patrick Seeb, executive director of the DMC Economic Development Agency.

The challenge for downtown Rochester, not unlike many downtowns across the country, is that those headwinds appear unlikely to shift dramatically. Notably, Mayo Clinic, the city’s largest employer, has said it will continue to let 2,900 employ ees who previ ously worked downtown to work remotely indefinitely.

weather these forces? What should DMC do to support small businesses? What impact will the influx of downtown residents and students have on the down town economy?

Most importantly, though, it raises the question: In an age when people no longer have to come downtown, what can a community do to create a place people want to visit?

"Relying on people who had to come downtown because they were being paid to come downtown for work is not a sus tainable model, especially in this new world we are in,” said Seeb. “So we have to make a downtown that is attractive and appealing, that people will make a point of getting in their car and coming into the downtown."

WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?

mentally changed the nature of work. The change in behavior was especially evident in a city that prioritizes health.

Still, Pompeian and others interviewed for this story say the trends hampering downtown today were set in motion before the pandemic began; things like

There are no signs that pol icy will change anytime soon; nor is it likely that the convenience of online shopping will become any less so; or that DMC-induced commercial real estate costs will drop dramatically.

All of this leaves downtown Rochester in a state of uncer tainty. Can downtown businesses

From a skyline view, downtown looks like a booming place. Large cranes tower over the construc tion of new research facilities and parking ramps.

But shift your lens to the street level and you will get a much different perspective. On build ings both old and new, “for lease” signs have become an all-toocommon sight.

While DMC was not able to

provide figures on the amount of empty space, Pompeian, the commercial real estate agent, estimated that there is now more than 180,00 square feet of available office and retail space downtown.

That includes a number of spaces that Mayo had leased before allowing more of its staff to work remotely, a move that has had ripple effects throughout the downtown.

"Companies all across the country are trying to figure out what is the best way to deploy their workforce,” said Seeb. “And so it's not just Mayo; many com panies are trying to understand what is in the best interest of the employees, what is in the best interest of the company, and what is in the best interest of the community and really trying to balance all of those things at once."

In the meantime, many small businesses downtown are trying to strike a balance of their own — between their optimism for the future and their current reality.

Photos by William Forsman

ELECTION TAKEAWAYS

A FRESH TAKE ON AN OLD IDEA

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Proudly serving Rochester, Minn.

MEET THE TEAM

SEAN BAKER — Editor

SARAH RICHARDSON — Creative Director BRIANA BEYERSTEDT — Designer BRYAN LUND — Writer WILLIAM FORSMAN — Photographer

Minnesota’s First Congressional District gave Republicans in the U.S. House a boost in the party’s path to a majority. GOP Rep. Brad Finstad, who won the special election for the position in August, defeated DFLer Jeff Ettinger by a more than 11-point margin — giving him his first full term in office. Prior to redistricting, Ettinger had come within four points of Finstad to fill the seat held by the late Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn.

Rochester Mayor Kim Norton defeated challenger Britt Noser by 16 points to earn a second term in office. While Norton’s margin of victory was decisive yet again, she did fall short of her 2018 election finish in which she won every precinct in the city and was elected by a two-to-one mar gin. During her first term, Norton dealt with challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, a downward down town economy, and concerns over racial equity.

PRODUCED

FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SHIFTS RIGHT NORTON RE-ELECTED TO SECOND TERM

Rochester voters sent a strong rebuke to a conserva tive bloc of candidates vying for the Rochester School Board. In the four races on the ballot, the incumbents (and one candidate backed by an incumbent) sailed to victory — notching double-digit wins over their coun terparts, who had banded together under the moniker “4 Your Children.” The only race separated by less than 20 percentage points was for Position 5; School Board Chair Jean Marvin defeated Kim Rishavy in that race by 14 points.

In the new Senate District 25, DFLer Liz Boldon was elected to replace Republican State Sen. Dave Senjem, who is retiring from the seat and turning his attention to county politics. In the new Senate District 24, longtime GOP State Sen. Carla Nelson benefited from split-ticket voting along with a redrawn district that includes more rural voters. In the Minnesota House, three of the four Rochester area seats were won by Democrats. Come 2023, Democrats will hold majorities in both the House and Senate along with the governor’s office.

beer shop that will have you jumping

card shop that borrows a local reference to the La Crosse, Wis. area

Rhyming skyway spot for Monopoly, Risk, and checkers

The starting point to finding local art

craftsman; also a pun for a poorlybehaved picidae

shop with nearly a hundred ways to make you laugh

Was it fate that brought you to the home decor consignment shop?

clothing retailer; or where to find a medieval soldier

Buy these by the dozen at Jerry, Renning’s, or Sargents

Community gifting service with an emphasis on local

and art store that goes over the top to stand out

outdoor sports shop; also the name of a popular ski region in the Alps

Women's boutique on Peace Plaza; or to touch up before heading out

BOARD

Due to retirements, there were four open board seats on the ballot this fall. In Districts 1 and 2, two familiar names came out ahead: Laurel Podulke-Smith, the daughter of incumbent Stephanie Podulke, and Dave Senjem, the longtime legislator. The other two open seats were won by Brian Mueller (District 4), a former Rochester Township board member, and Michelle Rossman (District 5), an executive for an agricultural trade group. The four newcomers will join two incumbent board members who won election this cycle: Gregg Wright (District 3) and Sheila Kiscaden (who ran unopposed in District 6).

SCHOOL BOARD INCUMBENTS PREVAIL BOLDON, NELSON WIN STATE SENATE SEATS

FOUR NEW COMMISSIONERS ELECTED TO COUNTY

Cook

Workman

Nathan Mueller

Podulke-Smith Senjem

Rossman

Boldon

Marvin

The Landing opens new day center in downtown Rochester

BY BRYAN LUND

THE LANDING MN’S FOUR-YEAR journey into its new day center at 426 3rd Ave SE is marked by a series of lives changed for the better as a result of their relationship-centric approach to assistance.

The organization opened the doors of its new day center to the city in mid-November, providing a larger ‘soft landing’ for people experiencing homelessness in Rochester. Operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, the facility provides immediate assistance from an array of services for those in need, with an emphasis on humanity, love, and trust.

“We've spent the last four years building trust-based rela tionships with this population, so that the services are well uti lized, because they're provided by people they know and trust,” says Holly Fifield, co-founder of The Landing MN.

The center features a day room for rest and recovery. Its commercial kitchen provides three meals a day, and guests can avail themselves of showers, bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a resource room with cloth ing, toiletries, and other neces sities. On-site social services aid with application processes, encompassing things like gov ernment assistance, housing, and insurance.

The center also has on-site medical care, thanks to partnerships with Mayo Clinic and Winona State

University-Rochester’s nursing program. A medical provider is on site six days a week, and nursing students provide health education, screenings, haircuts, and nail and foot care.

Location was also a consid eration when selecting the site; when the center closes for the evening, guests can walk across the street and down the block to the Rochester Community Warming Center, 200 Fourth Street SE, which is open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. The center is also just half a mile away from the Salvation Army, 20 First Avenue NE.

That connectivity does not come cheap, however. The property cost $1.8 million, and another $800,000 to renovate. Monthly operating costs run between $50,000 and $60,000. According to Fifield, roughly 70 percent of The Landing’s funding comes from pri vate donations, while the rest is from corporate and govern ment grants.

In an effort to boost client out comes, The Landing has culti vated collaborative relationships with other community entities including the Rochester Police Department, The Salvation Army, and Channel One Food Bank. Much of the organization’s work is performed by volunteers, though, which the day center increases the need for. The good news is Rochester seems to be rising to the occasion — nearly

100 people registered for the training sessions on November 10 and 11.

go

to need a lot of volunteers to help with cooking,” says The Landing’s day center manager, Shawna Bowman. “So right now, we are all learning how to run a commercial kitchen.”

Community-via-food is some thing that The Landing can trace back to its origins; one of the first programs they launched was “Saturday Suppers,” a sidewalk potluck served on folding tables. Other tasks include sorting and folding clothing donations,

maintaining the facility, and socializing with guests.

Every bit helps, as daily vol unteer Bruce Stolpe can attest. Stolpe and his wife felt com pelled to move back to Rochester after learning about The Landing from his sister. The two had

spent the last 16 years minister ing to the needs of their “friends on the streets” in southern California out of a catering truck. Volunteers do not need to have the same depth of experience as Stolpe, though, “It's more their heart that we look for — anyone

Photos by William Forsman

“We're definitely

ing

who has love and compassion and wants to show our clients love,” says Bowman.

Even something as simple as a haircut provides many benefits — any positive interaction “can really help [our guests] boost up their ability to think outside of their current situation and look forward to something better,” says Fifield.

The center’s capacity is roughly 110 people, and staff anticipates being able to seat and serve 60 guests at a time — the organi zation’s daily average number of guests in a day is between 60 and 80 people.

In 2022, according to Alex Hurlebaus, The Landing’s director of social services, the

organization served 882 unique individuals in Rochester. The organization gathers data with a check-in and intake process.

“Before we're even moving in, we know that our current cen ter is too small. So it's going to need to be expanded at some point or moved to a bigger loca tion,” says Fifield, who suspects the pandemic’s full effect on homlessness has yet to be seen, considering a continued lack of affordable housing and the end of eviction moratoriums.

To learn more, or volunteer, visit www.thelandingmn.org. For monetary donations to the day center, check out the Building Blocks fundraising campaign.

The aid rendered by the day cen ter is invaluable to those who need its help. A written account of homelessness by an anonymous previous guest of The Landing details just how perilous things can get, while highlighting the importance of community.

“One night I walked for many hours until finding a house under construction and hid inside it for the night… I cut open a bag of wall and attic insulation and crawled inside the very itchy and uncomfortable substance in order to stay warm until morn ing. Survival mode kicked in from that day forward and for many months ahead. I had nothing but a cellphone with no service in my pocket and the clothes I was wearing… and had abso lutely no money. The feeling of

immense hunger had struck me by day two,” they wrote.

The writer’s hunger led them to steal food, which led to jail time, which led to a search for community. They encoun tered a remarkable spectrum of people: an elderly woman in a wheelchair who slept in sky ways and spent her days at a Holiday gas station, relying on generous strangers for food; a war veteran, wounded physically and emotionally from his ser vice, living in his car; a men tally-ill woman left alone and without support after the last of her family died; teens feel ing safer on the streets than in abusive homes.

One day, while the writer of the account was camping under a bridge in NW Rochester,

co-founder of The Landing MN Dan Fifield appeared in his van, bring ing bags of food, clothing, and other supplies. For Fifield, it was part of his regular outreach patrols; for the anonymous writer, a turning point.

“The biggest game changer for me personally was how I was treated by Dan and everyone else at The Landing. To them I wasn’t just another name on a computer screen or just another wristband upon check in. I was a human being… a person who was struggling… a per son who they cared for… everyone at the landing became… not just friends… but a second family… they showed me love… something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.”

The anonymous writer is now employed and moving into stable housing with their family.

Photos by William Forsman

Among those who find them selves in this situation is Seamus Kolb, owner of Carroll’s Corn in the downtown subway. In 2019, Kolb said his business would see anywhere from 300-400 guests per day. Today, the cur rent average is about half that.

To compensate for the slower foot traffic — not to mention the increased costs of doing busi ness — Carroll’s Corn has added new revenue streams through e-commerce and wholesaling to retailers in the region.

“We remain optimistic on the long-term success of small business in Rochester's down town space,” said Kolb. “But the decisions made today are going to determine how our down town rebounds. We want to see small businesses prioritized and included in these decisions.”

Not every business, however, is as confident in the trajectory of downtown. A few blocks to the south, Lizzy Haywood, CEO of the People’s Food Co-op, said she is concerned that there is not enough critical mass downtown to sustain businesses through the short-term.

The co-op, like many other businesses outside of the core medical district, has bounced back from the pandemic slower than they anticipated, due in part to workforce trends.

“We moved to this location to be close to Mayo Clinic and [University of Minnesota Rochester] and all of the adjacent neighborhoods,” said Haywood.

“UMR has not expanded into the south-of-6th area as expected, and the pandemic has changed the daily in-and-outflow of traffic

during the weekday. While it brings more residents in the trade area, we are con cerned that closures of downtown busi nesses and the lack of great public transpor tation will limit the growth opportunities of the co-op.”

In a statement, Mayo spokesperson Ginger Plumbo said the clinic contin ues to individually review leases as they come up, adding that its “need for physical space is continually evolving to meet the needs of the practice, education, and research.”

Plumbo also noted that, despite the reduction in office space, Mayo continues to make sizable investments in the downtown, including a $200 million expansion of the Proton Beam facility and the construction of the new Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen research building.

“These new facilities will add more staff who will be located downtown and in the case of the Proton Beam facility, serve the needs of over 900 additional patients each year,” said Plumbo.

A CHANGING MODEL

For decades, down town Rochester has been shaped by the demands of those who frequent the area the most: workers and visitors.

But according to Pompeian, whose commercial real estate firm RGI, Inc. has been active in the market for nearly 40 years, it may be time to rethink that model.

“The days of relying solely on Mayo Clinic

visitors, in my opinion, to sup port these businesses — that’s gone,” said Pompeian. “And I think we are going to continue to see that because medical tech nology is advancing so quickly. Think of the online visits Mayo is doing now; of course they are doing that, it’s easier for every body. But what it then does is affect the number of people who are going to be down here.”

Evolving from that model, Pompeian said, will require creativity as well as a shift in mindset. He pointed to other cities, such as Minneapolis, that have worked to fill vacant storefronts with nonprofits and early-stage entrepreneurs, often by incentivizing them to take on the space for a discounted rate with the hopes they will eventu ally become permanent, paying tenants.

“It’s been that mind set for so long that ‘Mayo will just con tinue to rent from us and it’s going to be all good and it’s go ing to be very easy.’ No one had to be creative,” said Pom peian. “So, it’s no knock on a landlord, I just don’t think they ever had to think that way.”

Seeb, DMC’s director, sees lessons from other cities as well, particularly when it comes to housing and the impact it could have in reshaping the down town. He referred back to the 1990s when older cities worked to convert warehouse spaces into affordable housing. He said similar opportunities could be available today when it comes to empty office space.

“We see a lot of opportunity — and momentum — around housing and the appeal of liv ing downtown,” said Seeb. “And it's happening slowly, but the downtown residents are going to reshape what retail looks like, especially when there are fewer downtown employees."

Building out new housing, however, is expensive and Pompeian said it will take con cessions from both private and public stakeholders to make it happen. Still, he believes market forces — along with the determi nation of the community — will ultimately prevail.

“We will see a revitalization. I know we will start seeing some changes — because it has to be done,” he said. “We can’t have vacant buildings that just sit there. Landlords don’t want that. The community doesn’t want that.”

Photos by William Forsman

THE NUTCRACKER

The Nutcracker returns to Rochester with three shows in November at the Civic, presented by the Rochester Ensemble of Dance. The next month, the Rochester Dance Company takes on the classic ballet with three shows on December 10 and 11 at the Mayo Civic Center’s Presentation Hall.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ROCHESTER TURKEY TROT

THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO

GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMAS

Mick Sterling’s Grand Ole Opry Christmas fea tures a lineup of top Twin Cities musicians per forming Christmas songs from the legendary artists of the Opry, including classics by Johnny Cash, George Strait, Roy Orbison, and Loretta Lynn. The show is presented by Rochester Civic Music. Tickets are $30.

Start Thanksgiving with a 5K (walk or run) and burn some calories before the feasting begins. The sixth annual Rochester Turkey Trot benefits Red Drop Resources, a local nonprofit that sup ports individuals affected by blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

Set in December 1939 during Hitler’s invasion of Poland, this holiday comedy/drama follows an upper-class Jewish family in Atlanta, the Fri etags, as they prepare for Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Mixed in are themes about family, identity, and romance.

NORTHERN LIGHTS FESTIVAL

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS

TRIBUTE TO HEART

The Northern Lights Festival features a 25,000-square-foot indoor light park with in teractive features, a Christmas market, and opportunities for food and drink. The event is being put on by Fight For Something and made possible through the support of Experience Rochester.

Dates include December 2-4, 9-11, 16-18.

Santa rides his sleigh around the world, careful ly sliding down chimneys and making dreams come true for millions of children. But getting off Old City Hall proves to be his kryptonite. Come see Santa get rescued, and stick around for entertainment and a tree light ceremony in Peace Plaza.

Coming out of the pandemic, North Star Bar is among only a handful of Rochester establish ments hosting live music every weekend. On the first weekend of December, that includes “Crazy on You - A Tribute to Heart,” featuring Dianna Parks and Mary Liese.

TROLLEY LIGHT TOURS

NYE AT FORAGER

Aboard festively-adorned historic trolleys, pub lic and private tours are treated to a carefully curated 90 minute route through the city’s most dazzling outdoor light displays. On Friday and Saturday nights, public tours launch from the Civic Center, where the Northern Lights festival is taking place, acting as a cheer-multiplier.

For some, NYE is an excuse to stay up past midnight. For the rest of us, Forager Brewery is offering up a way to ring in the New Year and still get to bed at a decent time. The daytime celebration features local music from Calling Dinosaurs and My Grandma's Cardigan.

ROCHESTER AREA RACES

MN SENATE DISTRICT 24

Aleta Borrud (DFL) … 15,530 … 43%

Carla Nelson (R) … 20,991 … 57%

MN SENATE DISTRICT 25

Liz Boldon (DFL) … 19,673 … 58%

Ken Navitsky (R) … 13,251 … 39%

MN HOUSE DISTRICT 24A

Keith McLain (DFL) … 6,760

Duane Quam (R) … 12,016

MN HOUSE DISTRICT 24B

Katrina Pulham (R) … 7,660 … 44%

Tina Liebling (DFL) … 9,922 … 56%

MN HOUSE 25A

Kim Hicks (DFL) … 9,797 … 55%

Wendy Phillips (R) … 7,938 … 45%

MN HOUSE 25B

John Robinson (R) … 5,634 … 36%

Andy Smith (DFL) … 10,040 … 64%

ROCHESTER MAYOR

Kim Norton … 26,809 … 58%

Britt Noser … 19,314 … 42%

OLMSTED COUNTY BOARD DISTRICT 1

Laurel Podulke-Smith … 4,450 … 68%

Loring Stead … 2,126 … 32%

OLMSTED COUNTY BOARD DISTRICT 2

Gabe Perkins … 2,726 … 42%

Dave Senjem … 3,753 … 58%

OLMSTED COUNTY BOARD DISTRICT 3

Karl Johnson … 2,319 … 34%

Gregg Wright … 4,571 … 66%

OLMSTED COUNTY BOARD DISTRICT 4

Brian Mueller … 5,365 … 58%

Kindra Ramaker … 3,844 … 42%

OLMSTED COUNTY BOARD DISTRICT 5

Catherine Davis … 3,178 … 43% Michelle Rossman … 4,119 … 56%

OLMSTED COUNTY ATTORNEY

Karen MacLaughlin … 22,108 .. 39% Mark Ostrem … 34,572 … 61%

ROCHESTER CITY COUNCIL WARD 1

Patrick Keane … 5,616 … 70%

Andy Hemenway … 2,367 … 30%

ROCHESTER CITY COUNCIL WARD 3

Vangie Castro … 2,460 … 37%

Norman Wahl … 4,241 … 63%

ROCHESTER CITY COUNCIL WARD 5

Saida Omar … 2,174 … 27%

Shaun Palmer … 5,791 … 73%

ROCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD SEAT 2

Justin Cook … 29,133 … 62 %

Rae Parker … 17,597 … 38%

ROCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD SEAT 4

John Whelan … 18,134 … 38%

Julie Workman … 29,087 … 61%

ROCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD SEAT 5

Jean Marvin … 27,175 … 57%

Kim Rishavy … 20,231 … 43%

ROCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD SEAT 6

Cathy Nathan … 28,914 … 62%

Elena Niehoff … 17,953 … 38%