History meets contemporary in Riedman’s The Neisner at East End

Listen to this article

For nearly 70 years, the five-and-dime variety store founded by Abraham and Joseph Neisner was a staple of the downtown Rochester retail.

The first Neisner’s store opened at 200 East Main St. in 1911, and by 1967 company had 192 stores across much of the U.S., plus its corporate offices at 49 East Ave.

Like many no-frills department stores, however, changing consumer preferences led to a decline in sales, and eventually the closing of stores, bankruptcy and a takeover by another retailer. By 1980, the East Main store was shuttered.

But the Neisner name has been revived. Riedman has transformed the Neisner Building at 49 East Ave. into the newest downtown apartment community. It’s where history, culture and modern style meet, the developer says.

The Neisner at East End features 54 units within the five-story building, along with amenities such as a first-floor coffee lounge, huddle room, outdoor patio and pet spa. Residents also have access to a workout room and social lounge in the basement of the adjacent Riedman tower.

Re-creation of the Neisner Building was Riedman’s first foray into adaptive reuse through the use of historic tax credits. While maintaining the building’s character and architectural features was critical, so, too, was reviving the Neisner name.

“They were probably one of the best-kept secrets in the country,” Riedman president David Riedman said. “At their peak there were more than 190 stores. They were more than just a five-and-dime, though. They were known as a center for community.

“We are very excited to resuscitate the name. There’s a natural connection. It helps us remember our past when we’re plotting our future.”

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans agrees.

“Downtown will never be what it used to be,” Evans said at Monday’s ribbon-cutting, “but with the Neisner name, we are able to look back at our past.”

Riedman has owned the Neisner Building since 2008, and it has been vacant for at least 15 years. When the real estate development firm bought the property, there were no specific plans. It just made sense from a logistics standpoint to own the building since it sits next door to their offices.

Once a plan was put in place for redevelopment, the project progressed at a lightning pace. The Riedman team began delving into the possibility of refurbishing the building during the summer of 2023, demolition began in the summer of 2024 and construction was completed in 15 months.

“Speed to market is a good thing but it puts an awful lot of pressure on our team,” Riedman said. “To get where we are today is remarkable.”

He said city officials were very helpful. They, of course, wanted the building generating tax revenue.

“Entitlements in our world can take years to obtain; these took months to obtain,” Riedman said.

They also needed to put together a financing package. San Francisco-based Foss & Company helped secure historic tax credits. Community Bank and regional president Chris Humphrey provided lending.

“This is exactly what we need, partnerships and developers willing to invest in Rochester,” Evans said.

Said Riedman: “A lot goes into making a project like this a reality.”

That includes the building itself. Not every old building can be rehabilitated, especially as housing. And even if historic tax credits may be available, that doesn’t mean a project will make sense.

“That’s very much a part of the feasibility analysis,” Riedman said. “Some buildings are better suited to historic reuse than others.”

There are studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, with a variety of layouts depending on building features. All units feature the high ceilings of early 1900s architecture with modern stylistic touches of quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Each unit also has a full-size washer and dryer. Rents range from $1,390 to $2,403.

While the flooring, walls and lighted unit numbers are new, there are reminders of a bygone era. For instance, the peach-colored ceramic tile was retained on walls of the stairwell.

“We found some features that we were able to preserve, some plaster detailing and ornamental steel that were unique,” Riedman said.

And they made sure the Neisner name remained prominent while blending historic charm with contemporary design.

“We’ve got a lot of experience in developing communities,” Riedman said, “and we think we have a deep understanding of what’s important to residents.”