An assessment of the historic Lehigh Valley Railroad Roundhouse in Manchester is set to take place in February 2021.
That will likely determine whether it stays upright, or is taken down. At one time it was one of the largest of its kind. It’s historical significance is that the 19th Century structure is still standing.
What could happen?
There are a number of ideas, but Maria Rudzinski, senior planner for the Ontario County Planning Department tells The Daily Messenger that work needs to be done to find out what can happen inside the 62,000-square-foot structure. “Until the necessary investigations are completed, it is unknown whether all or a portion of the roundhouse and associated buildings can be redeveloped or if demolition is the only option,” she explained.
The Ontario County Board of Supervisors approved a building assessment. A number of different entities including the village of Manchester, the Ontario County Local Economic Development Corporation, and the Rochester Area Community Foundation are all contributing to the $40,000 cost.
The roundhouse and associated buildings sits on 5.6 aces of land in the village of Manchester.
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