ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The high-rise building formerly known as Chase Tower, distinctive in the Rochester skyline for its white, vertical fins, is the latest multi-million dollar redevelopment project transforming downtown living.
In March 2015, Gallina Development bought the 26-floor building from JP Morgan Chase. It soon announced that it would transform the former Chase Tower into The Metropolitan: a mix of condos, apartments, offices, restaurants and shops. For tours, you can contact Gallina through its website.
Apartments start on the 14th floor. They're expected to cost in the neighborhood of $1,100 up to $2,500 a month. Those will be completed by the fall.
As you go up, the apartments get bigger and more expensive. The top floors will be condos. There's no word yet on how big those will be or cost. Construction on those begin in a year and a half.
"You have a chance to own a slice of the sky, and in Rochester, New York, that's a rare thing."
The views are incredible, and through the windows that you can see the kind of development going on around the city.
"You can stand on the corner of Main and Clinton and point in every single direction and say, '$100 million dollar project, $20 million dollar project, $50 million dollar project, $40 million dollar project," said Patrick Dutton, developer.
"There is so much investment going on down here. Residential is a huge part of it, but we also think the demographics support true retail."
At the Concourse Level, all that's left is a barber shop and convenience store, but the floor used to house a lot of different shops and restaurants. The goal is bring those back, and more.
Jerry Vorrasi, a long time and well known restaurateur, already lives in Rochester, but is interested in this kind of high-rise city living.
"Being older, I would want to downsize a little more, but still live in an area where I feel that you can walk around and it's a healthier lifestyle to me. Walking to get your groceries, walking to get an amenity or walking to a show," Vorrasi said.
"And as more and more people come downtown, which they are, the amenities show up."
Local artists Nate Hodge and Cordell Cordaro have transformed the top floor, once a top bank executive dining space and board room, into a pop-up art exhibit. That opens at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and will also be open to the public on June 20, 22 and 24 from 2-7 p.m. The exhibit is free to attend.