The Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) approved $500,000 in contingency funding for Rochester’s Business Forward program, but that was not City Council approval. The council was scheduled to consider the funding on October 5, 2026; the sources cited here do not establish what happened at that meeting. The City said the proposed money was for marketing, outreach and other construction-mitigation support—not direct payments to businesses.
What the $500,000 decision means
DMCC’s board approved $500,000 in Link Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) contingency funding for the City of Rochester to continue Business Forward, a program supporting businesses affected by construction. In its September 30, 2026, announcement, DMCC said the Rochester City Council would consider the item at its regular meeting on October 5. Those are separate steps: the board’s approval was reported as complete, while council consideration was still upcoming in the available accounts. DMCC’s announcement
A City statement reproduced by KTTC said: “The proposed $500,000 in additional DMC funding for the City’s Business Forward program will be considered by the Rochester City Council on October 5.” The available reporting does not confirm the council’s eventual vote or any changes to the proposal. KTTC’s September 29 report
What the funding could support—and what it is not intended to do
The City described the proposal as a continuation of Business Forward’s marketing and outreach work, not a fund for direct cash payments to individual businesses. Potential efforts named in the reporting include coordinated marketing and promotions, business outreach, events, customer-traffic initiatives, technical assistance, and other corridor-wide or business-specific mitigation.
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DMCC said the City project team could tailor resources to the type, duration and severity of construction impacts in different businesses and areas. The sources do not specify an application process, eligibility rules, an allocation formula, individual award amounts or an implementation schedule. Business Forward began the prior year to support businesses affected by downtown construction, particularly Link BRT work along Second Street.
Why one business owner wants a different kind of help
Lisette Nunez-James, owner of Francisco’s Restaurant on Second Street, told KTTC that the existing program had included signs and maps directing customers to businesses, traffic-driving events and communication with owners. She argued that more promotion would not address immediate operating costs and said she wanted direct financial assistance for payroll, rent and utilities. In her view, the City should also ask owners how the funds should be used.
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“They’ve already been doing that so the $500,000 to me, should be a cash infusion to the businesses… They have no idea what we’re facing as far as payroll, rent, utilities – we have to keep people employed so that they stay with us.”
That is Nunez-James’s assessment and request, not evidence of a program-wide finding that Business Forward has or has not worked. She also said, “I really can’t tell you if any of what they’re doing has helped, to be honest with you…” KTTC reported her estimate that delivery platforms take “about 40%” of her restaurant’s revenue; that figure is her account of her own circumstances, not an independently verified rate or a general industry statistic. She said she continued using the platforms because some customers did not want to navigate construction.
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Construction context and expected timeline
DMCC describes Link BRT as a priority mobility infrastructure investment. Its September 2026 release says the planned fare-free corridor is 2.8 miles long, with 12 stops connecting the West Transit Village, Mayo Clinic campuses and downtown destinations. DMCC anticipated service beginning in late summer 2027 and approximately 11,000 commuters, residents and visitors using the corridor daily; these are project forecasts, not completed results.
Separately, the Downtown Infrastructure Alignment work includes street, water, storm sewer, sanitary sewer and public-realm improvements around the Mayo Clinic expansion area. DMCC says the work is organized into six aligned projects and is expected to continue through 2029. Construction impacts can vary by business and corridor location; the announcement does not suggest that every Second Street business is affected in the same way. DMCC’s board chair, Pam Wheelock, said, “Major construction creates real challenges for businesses that need to remain visible, accessible and connected to their customers.”
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Deputy City Administrator Cindy Steinhauser said, “The City of Rochester will continue to administer Business Forward, applying lessons learned and taking a proactive approach to supporting businesses throughout construction.”
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