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Expanded University of Rochester orthopedic center could save Marketplace Mall

In a couple of years, you’ll be able to buy a sweater, eat a meal and maybe even get your knee replaced at The Marketplace Mall.

Preliminary rendering of UR's proposed orthopedic center to be built at Markeplace Mall. Image supplied.
Preliminary rendering of UR’s proposed orthopedic center to be built at Markeplace Mall.

University of Rochester Medical Center and mall owner Wilmorite announced earlier this week plans to construct a $240 million orthopedic center at the mall, taking over the Sears building and the wing of the mall including it. The former Sears would be reconstructed into a surgical center, while UR plans to build a four-to-six story building next to it to house clinical spaces including imaging and treatment rooms.

If all goes according to plan, including the necessary local and state approvals, the surgical wing would open in 2022, while the tower would open a year later. The timing for additional phases has not been set.

The project is something of a hail-Mary pass for The Marketplace Mall, which has suffered declining attendance and occupancy as shoppers have followed a national trend to move their purchases online.

“The foot traffic that’s going to generate is going to be a kick-start to our retailers and lead to the long-term sustainability of Marketplace,” said Paul Wilmot, president of Wilmorite. He said new retailers and especially restaurants will be drawn to the mall to capture the business and appetites of hundreds of healthcare workers and an average of 1,000 medical visits each day.

The 330,000-square-foot project would be the biggest off-campus building in the University of Rochester’s history, and would be nearly triple the size of the outpatient orthopedic center it maintains at Clinton Crossing right now. Other medical services will be moved into the Clinton Crossing space but haven’t been settled on yet.

University officials said they’ll be expanding current orthopedic services and adding new ones in order to accommodate increasing demand for orthopedic services. Approximately 100 more employees will be added over several years.

Mark Taubman M.D., CEO of URMC, said “We’ve seen a 25 percent increase in orthopedic surgery cases over the past seven years, and a 60 percent increase in ambulatory visits in the same period of time.”

In addition, added Paul T. Rubery M.D., head of UR’s Department of Orthopaedics, demographic changes are suggesting a rising need for services, as the population of 50 million Americans older than 65 is expected to double by 2060.

The center would include wellness services designed to prevent the need for surgery in some cases; sports medicine services, imaging and outpatient surgery.  It would also move to an outpatient setting some surgeries that have typically been done in hospitals.

Mary Ockenden,  UR’s associate vice president for space, planning and real estate, said medical centers around the country have been moving to short-stay surgeries where patients sometimes spend less than 24 hours at a surgical center for a hip surgery.

UR chose the site, Ockenden said, for its easy access by car and bus and the condition of the site that would allow construction right away. “This one suited us for the right type of building we needed and the speed to market was really attractive,” she said.

The orthopedic center would also include a prevention and wellness component, known as the Center for Human Athleticism and Musculoskeletal Performance and Prevention, or CHAMPP.  The approach of that center would be “really understanding the factors that drive injury and aging” and working to prevent or mitigate those factors with the goal of avoiding or delaying orthopedic surgery, Ockenden said.

Wilmorite and UR have signed an agreement to purchase the Sears wing and surrounding property for the project. Wilmot said he expects tenants in that wing will move elsewhere in the mall over the next 10 months, but otherwise shoppers and tenants will see no other impact during the construction period. The mall’s current ring road would remain unchanged, he said.

“This will truly be a ‘transformative’ development for The Marketplace Mall, reinventing the property for mixed-use, and providing retail, entertainment and services all under one roof,” Wilmot, said. “Mixed-use is the wave of the future for many enclosed shopping centers and we are pleased to be able to bring this to The Marketplace Mall so quickly after the exiting of a department store.”

The project still needs the approval of the UR board of trustees, but they’ve already committed $11 million for project design.

“The University of Rochester is proud to be the leading healthcare provider across much of upstate New York and the Southern Tier,” said UR President Sarah C. Mangelsdorf. “We are delighted to be expanding our services with the creation of this innovative new orthopedic facility.”

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URMC proposes $240 million bone center at Marketplace Mall

University of Rochester Medical Center is developing plans to build a $240 million bone and joint center in the former Sears store at Marketplace Mall.

Mall owner Wilmorite and university officials plan to share their plans with the Henrietta Town Board Nov. 25 as they seek the first approvals necessary for building the orthopedic center.

Preliminary rendering of UR's proposed orthopedic center to be built at Markeplace Mall. Image supplied.
Preliminary rendering of UR’s proposed orthopedic center to be built at Marketplace Mall. (Image supplied)

The UR Medicine Orthopaedics & Physical Performance Center is planned to be 330,000 square feet, making it the biggest off-campus building project in UR’s history.

Wilmorite and UR officials said they’ve signed an agreement for the university to purchase the vacant Sears and surrounding property to build the center. The deal still needs to be approved by the UR board of trustees and the New York State Department of Health, but $11 million has been committed for project design. If the various approvals are granted, the project should be completed by 2023.

“The University of Rochester is proud to be the leading healthcare provider across much of upstate New York and the Southern Tier,” said UR President Sarah C. Mangelsdorf. “We are delighted to be expanding our services with the creation of this innovative new orthopedic facility.”

Mark Taubman M.D. and CEO of URMC, said the center will meet growing demand for orthopedic surgery and outpatient visits, as well as increase the range of services available. “We’ve seen a 25 percent increase in orthopedic surgery cases over the past seven years, and a 60 percent increase in ambulatory visits in the same period of time,” Taubman said.

In addition, added Paul T. Rubery M.D., head of UR’s Department of Orthopaedics, demographic changes are suggesting a rising need for services, as the population of 50 million Americans older than 65 is expected to double by 2060.

The center would include wellness services designed to prevent the need for surgery in some cases; sports medicine services, imaging and outpatient surgery. It would be nearly three times the size of an ambulatory orthopedic center UR built at Clinton Crossings 19 years ago.

As shopping malls have been suffering a decline in shoppers due to a migration to online shopping in recent years, Wilmorite has been changing Marketplace Mall’s mix to include entertainment businesses.

“This will truly be a ‘transformative’ development for The Marketplace Mall, reinventing the property for mixed-use, and providing retail, entertainment and services all under one roof,” said Paul Wilmot, president of Wilmorite. “Mixed-use is the wave of the future for many enclosed shopping centers and we are pleased to be able to bring this to The Marketplace Mall so quickly after the exiting of a department store.”

He continued, “We see the University of Rochester project as an opportunity to attract exciting new tenants. The Marketplace Mall currently has nearly 100 tenants and will remain open throughout the process. We hope the community continues to support our retailers and restaurants as we work to transform The Marketplace Mall.”

UR officials said they plan to raise the money to build the center through existing university funds, borrowing and philanthropy.

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After 55 years, Rochester clothing shoppers will miss The Red Barn’s Don Rhoda

Paul “PJ” Wilmot arrived at The Red Barn on a recent morning dressed head to toe in clothing the owner, Don Rhoda, had picked for him during a prior visit.

Don Rota (Photo by Kate Melton)
Don Rhoda (Photo by Kate Melton)

Wilmot, president of Wilmorite Corp. and a Red Barn customer since he was 4 years old, had needed some clothing for a business occasion a while back and had asked Rhoda to put together some selections for him.

“This was laid out on the table before I got here,” Wilmot said, referring to his gray plaid jacket, white Eton shirt, Meyer slacks, Robert Talbott tie in shades of brown that picked up a subtle line in the jacket, and a pocket square that both matched the tie and could supply that burst of color needed to complete the outfit on its own if Wilmot decided to go more casual and skip the tie, Rhoda explained.

“He’s got a great outfit, I’m proud to say,” said the 78-year-old Rhoda, who announced this week that he is retiring and closing his business after 55 years.

The closure will be the end of an era for shoppers – particularly those buying fine men’s clothing – who’ve depended on Rhoda’s selection and taste to make them look handsomely put together.

“Don put me in my first blue blazer as a 4-year-old,” Wilmot said, and he’s been shopping there for nearly 39 years since. Before the store closes by year’s end, he said he would return to outfit his sons for a Christmas photo.

The Red Barn’s retirement sale began this week with merchandise priced between 20 and 50 percent off. Red Barn staff members are managing the sale themselves rather than relying on a liquidator.

Rhoda plans to retire, allowing him and his wife of 20 years, Pamela, time so they can take an actual vacation, travel for something other than buying trips, and spend time with a grandchild who is on the way.

Relationships and even multigenerational relationships like the Red Barn has with the Wilmot family have been the key to a successful business that once flourished with three stores in the area. The original was in a red barn (now painted another color) on Monroe Avenue, across the street and a little farther west than its current location in Pittsford Plaza.

A native of the Jamestown area, Rhoda worked with his father in men’s fine clothing in that city before they agreed he should start his own shop in a property that was available in Pittsford. Rhoda used to accompany his father, Edward Rhoda, owner of Edward’s in Jamestown, on buying trips to New York. “Dad tutored me,” Rhoda said.

The Red Barn operated in its first location for 27 years and for a time Rhoda also had a shop at Marketplace Mall and added a young men’s store next door to the Pittsford Red Barn. But styles changed and casual wear overtook formal attire for both business and special occasions.  The phenomenon was not unique to the Rochester area, as stores including Barney’s in New York and Louis in Boston have also closed. Rhoda entered a market that had 16 local competitors. Now he’s one of the last men standing.

The Red Barn staff of 20 is now down to three full-time people (including Rhoda, his wife, Pamela Rhoda and their tailor) and some part-timers.

“People don’t get dressed up,” Rhoda said. “I had four, five tables of ties, now I have just one.” To widen the Red Barn’s appeal, he added jeans, boys clothing and a coffee bar and television set so men can watch sports while they wait for clothing to be fitted.

Pam Rhoda said things changed when some of Rochester’s larger companies started struggling and the stream of executives began to dwindle. No longer do droves of Kodak employees show up after bonuses are issued. “Xerox was bringing people in here 10 times a week,” she said. Not so much anymore.

What hasn’t changed, however, is the Red Barn’s emphasis on relationships and service.

The Red Barn in Pittsford is closing after 55 years in the men’s clothing business. (Kate Melton)
The Red Barn in Pittsford is closing after 55 years in the men’s clothing business. (Kate Melton)

The Red Barn has been nationally recognized for its service and selection, earning “Best in Class” nods for seven consecutive years on Esquire magazine’s list of the best men’s specialty stores.

“I am fortunate to have worked in a profession I love, within a community that has supported and inspired me for so many decades,” Rhoda said. He counts among his friends many of his customers.

Michael Smith, founder and chairman of The Cabot Group, began as a customer when his wife bought him a sweater from the Red Barn more than 40 years ago. Now he considers Rhoda a great friend. And, he can’t imagine shopping anywhere else.

“It’s an experience,” Smith said. “It’s one thing to look for a quality product. And then when you get spoiled by the ancillary services that came with it, it’s going to be a tremendous loss for people like me.”

Smith described dropping by the store on a Thursday, hoping to find something at the last minute for an occasion on the following Saturday. He finds a jacket he loves, but it needs alterations. “Now I’m not only going to get it altered, but they’re going to find time to drop it off because I’m flying in from out of town,” he said.

Rhoda took a similar approach with many of his customers. The late Robert Wegman was a regular customer, dropping by with just 15 minutes to look over selections Rhoda had pulled out for him in advance. Then he’d ask for Rhoda to bring the selections he liked to his house so he could try them on. And Rhoda did, willingly.

Recently a young man dropped by close to closing time, and Rhoda fitted him for a suit to wear to his wedding, and some clothing to wear during an upcoming appearance on the television game show “Jeopardy.”

Smith said when he wanted to share the Red Barn experience with his wife, daughter, daughter-in-law and four sisters, who were visiting from out of town, Pam Rhoda hosted them near the end of the day so they could have her full attention.

As customers have matured, so has Rhoda’s understanding of their likes and tastes.

“Don would call and say ‘Hey, your new jacket is in,’ ” Smith said, even though he hadn’t ordered anything. It was Rhoda’s way of saying something had arrived that he thought would appeal to Smith. So Smith responded by visiting the shop and found himself saying, “Dammit, that jacket is me. Yeah, I’m in.”

Wilmot said, “I’m just always impressed with Don’s eye… Probably 90 percent of my closet is from here.”

Rhoda said even before he decided to work in men’s clothing he always liked clothes, sporting a preppy look in high school featuring V-neck sweaters and starched shirts. Over the years, his tastes and buying habits earned him multiple trips to Italy hosted by an Italian trade association.

Finding taste and knowledge like Rhoda’s will be dificult after the retirement sale ends sometime before the end of 2019, customers said. Rhoda suggested looking at Van Maur, the full-service clothing store at Eastview Mall that offers higher end clothing and tailoring services.

One might be able to find similar products, Smith said, but replacing Rhoda won’t be possible.

“Where the heck am I going to have that same experience time in and time out when they’re done?” Smith said. His wife has suggested he might have to shop in New York. “You might find the product there, but you’re not going to get the whole package,” Smith lamented.

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