Constellation Brands said it will move its global headquarters from Victor, N.Y., to the Aqueduct Building campus located at 50 East Broad St., downtown Rochester, N.Y.
“A move to downtown Rochester provides opportunity to recruit and attract from a broad and diverse talent pool from the region that will help us achieve our long-term business ambitions, while also contributing to the positive momentum and vibrancy growing in the city today,” said Bill Newlands, president/CEO. “We look forward to continuing to foster the economic development and job creation in Rochester for years to come.”
“We have been a proud member of the Rochester community and surrounding area for more than 75 years, and remain committed to maintaining our presence locally,” said Rob Sands, executive chair of Constellation’s Board of Directors. “We believe this move will foster collaboration within the company and the community while contributing to Rochester’s revitalization efforts.”
The company, which will have nearly 400 employees working in the City of Rochester, will move into 170,000 square feet of space at the Aqueduct campus. (For those who care, that’s about 425 square feet per employee.)
The construction and renovations are tentatively scheduled to start mid-to-late 2022 and are estimated to be ready for occupancy in spring 2024. Constellation’s move to this location is one of the major cornerstone projects of the ROC the Riverway program which consolidates more than two dozen transformational projects along the Genesee River to restore and contemporize Rochester’s riverfront as a destination hub for entertainment, businesses, and outdoor recreation.
“Constellation has a long history of supporting the community as evidenced by the Sands family and Constellation Brands’ generous contributions to local hospitals, theaters, and non-profit organizations,” said Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren. “We are excited to have Constellation Brands call downtown home and look forward to the prosperity the company and its employees will bring to this central location of the city.”
“Constellation Brands’ exciting decision to expand its regional operations and establish its new headquarters in downtown Rochester will help to further advance our efforts to create new, good-paying jobs and a thriving city center,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “Downtown Rochester’s Innovation Zone is already home to some of the most talent-rich companies in the world. This transformative project at the historic Aqueduct Building will also help to maximize our $50 million ROC the Riverway efforts, which are reimagining and transforming the waterfront along the beautiful Genesee River, helping Rochester to thrive for generations to come.”
Constellation Brands will continue to have a significant presence in Ontario County, N.Y., where the company was founded, with approximately 200 employees in the office building the company owns, located on North Bloomfield Road in Canandaigua, N.Y. (For thsoe who care, that’s about 330 square feet per employee.)
The company recently completed a number of renovations to enhance the space, including technology upgrades, energy efficiency improvements, building infrastructure modernization and a number of functional and cosmetic upgrades throughout the interior and exterior of the 66,000 square foot building. This building is home to Finance, IT, Facilities, Transportation, and Insights & Analytics departments.
Greater Rochester is one of the most productive regions in the country, ranking third in college degrees per capita and #1 for degrees in STEM fields, and is outperforming its peers in terms of attracting talent and innovative businesses.