Developers Greg and Paul Grant of Lilac City Development (front left and back right) stand with Traynor Cully, MVSB commercial loan officer (back left), and Dave Groen of Groen Construction. Photo courtesy of Meredith Village Savings Bank

The site of the iconic former Hoffman’s Furniture store in the heart of downtown Rochester will soon see new life, with construction underway for a 6-story, mixed-use building whose financing package was led by Meredith Village Savings Bank.

Developers Paul and Greg Grant of Lilac City Development purchased the site at 44-55 North Main St. in November 2021. The former furniture store had sat vacant for more than 30 years before being demolished in August 2022. MVSB commercial loan officer Traynor Cully developed a $13 million construction lending package for the project.

Once complete, the building will feature nine one-bedroom and 36 two-bedroom apartments, nine interior garage parking spaces, as well as a 2,300-sqare-foott commercial space at ground level. Residential units will be equipped with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and in-unit laundry. Additional amenities will include a pet washing station and package pickup area.

“The building design takes inspiration from the downtown history, but incorporates a modern feel with new design elements already present along North Main Street,” Greg Grant said in a statement. “We hope this project will help address some of the housing needs in the area and further downtown Rochester’s resurgence.”

The building was designed by Market Square Architects of Portsmouth with construction led by Groen Construction of Rochester. The City of Rochester also granted Lilac City Development the community revitalization tax relief incentive, which encourages investment in rehabilitation of under-utilized building in eligible areas. Construction is anticipated to be completed in June 2024.