Rochester Institute of Technology's Center for Urban Entrepreneurship Wins Robert Macon Award for Urban Innovation

T.Y. Lin International (TYLI), a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm, announces that the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship in Rochester, New York, has received the 2016 Robert Macon Award for Urban Innovation Honorable Mention from the Community Design Center of Rochester. Each year, the Community Design Center of Rochester recognizes people and projects that have made an enduring impact on the built environment of Rochester and the region.

The Robert Macon Award for Urban Innovation is given to a “building, development, or planning effort that has contributed in a unique way to the community and earned praise for its unique solution in response to urban design and the built environment.” The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship was recognized for the adaptive reuse of the first floor space at the former Rochester Savings Bank building.

TYLI provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering, structural engineering, and architectural support on this project. Dennis Kennelly, Richard Perrin, Nick Presciutti, and Tracy Venette from TYLI’s Rochester office attended the 6th Annual Community Design Center Reshaping Rochester awards luncheon on November 17, 2016.

Originally constructed in 1927, the wedge-shaped building is an example of the Byzantine architectural style, and offers one of the most stunning interior spaces in all of Rochester. The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship is of particular note because it brings a National Historic Landmark back into use, featuring classrooms, meeting rooms, project spaces, and academic support facilities.