Rochester Business Journal

A museum and brew house on the grounds of the Genesee Brewing Co. will open for business Sept. 8, brewery officials said Tuesday.

The museum will honor the history of Genesee and other Rochester breweries through the years. The second floor can accommodate as many as 80 people indoors, with an outdoor deck and rooftop patio also available.

The $2.6 million project at 25 Cataract St. was stalled for months because of opposition to the demolition of adjacent buildings at 13 Cataract St. The buildings were once a brewery but had been vacant for 25 years.

The brewery decided to raze 13 Cataract St. after deciding it was beyond repair and considering its negative impact on the brew house development.

Opponents were determined to save the buildings because of their history and architecture. Brewery officials said the project would not proceed unless the buildings were torn down.

In early April, the city of Rochester's Planning Commission rejected a proposal that would have designated the buildings a historical landmark, allowing the work on the brew house to begin.

The brewery wanted to complete the project in the second quarter of this year, then reset the target for the end of August.

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