A much-watched restaurant project in downtown Rochester keeps going deeper into history as its owners build an new eatery that maintains ties to the building's past.
Owners Jason Mood and Chris Johnson had hoped to open The Meeting House in October, but they decided to go ahead with bigger plans to renovate both floors of the 1880s-era building at 301 S. Main Street rather than just the first. They are also seeing how painstaking preservation can be but expecting it to pay off as the historical features of the 1880s era building are uncovered and highlighted.
Construction began last summer, which was the start of a dream for the two former staffers of Beverly Hills Grill. Mood was a host, Johnson a chef.
Kristi Trevarrow, executive director of the Rochester Downtown Development Authority, says the renovation is impressive and "It's pretty phenomenal what they've found there and what they've worked through," she says. They've worked with historic committee people and discovered many interesting things. Its a really cool project. It's been challening, but it's been so good."
Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Kristi Trevarrow, executive director, Rochester Downtown Development Authority
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