November 16 – Dear Reply Guy: Regarding the former Wonder Bread location, what is the current status of this now vacant site ready for redevelopment? – Fan of historic Rochester.
Dear fan,
As the weather turns from warm to “I can’t find my mitts,” it seems less and less likely that the site of the former Rochester Bread Co. construction will soon begin on the next phase of that property, something called Bakery Flats. , a planned residential building with 210 units and eight floors.
The old building, built in 1928 from a design by Rochester architect Harold Crawford, has survived for almost a century. Some—perhaps including you, dear Fan—had hoped that the building would be declared a historic structure and listed, making its demolition a difficult task. Unfortunately, when reviewed by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, the old building met only one of eight criteria that would place it on the city’s historic preservation register.
So when developers came calling hoping to turn the site — long gone are the days of Wonder Bread and snack cakes being baked in the building — into a multifamily structure with perhaps 20 townhomes and 190 apartments, the City Council approved a zoning change in March. August 6, 2023, paving the way for the project.
Speaking of clearing the road, demolition of the old building took place later that summer. But nothing since then.
No concrete has been poured. No steel beams have been installed. No one is filling out change of address forms to move to apartment number so and so, 300 11th Ave. NW.
What did happen is that The Prow Co., led by Rochester developer Don Prow, sold the site to Regency Multifamily in the fall of 2023 under the name Regency Consolidated Residential LLC. The prize was $5.35 million.
Answer Man reached out to the fine folks at Regency Multifamily, an Illinois-based company with more than 4,500 apartments in several Midwestern states. Assets include The Pines condos near Northern Hills Golf Course and Red44, a 159-unit complex at 839 16th St. SW.
Shane Allen, senior vice president at Regency Multifamily, said building a new multifamily structure is still the company’s plan, but they are currently “still in the design phase with no set start date for construction.”
Many factors have halted construction. Firstly, the plans Prow had for the location are not necessarily exactly what Regency will deliver. While Regency certainly plans to build something similar, the Illinois company wants to develop its own design.
In addition, typical development issues arise. Regency has other projects higher on its priority list, Allen said, including everything from interest rates to seeing what Mayo Clinic does first with its ‘Bold. Forward. Unbound. In Rochester.’ project also ensures that Regency takes its time.
In the meantime, passersby will have to wait a little longer until Bakery Flats becomes a reality.
Don’t wait any longer to build your knowledge. Send questions to Answer Man at answerman@postbulletin.com.
