Rochester Sales Tax and DMC Funding Requested For UMR Project

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester City Council is scheduled to vote Monday evening on the use of sales tax and Destination Medical Center funding for an expansion of the University of Minnesota Rochester.

Rochester Council Weighs $10.4M UMR Project

According to city documents, UMR is proposing a capital project involving space in the Discovery Square district in downtown Rochester. The overall project carries an estimated price tag of nearly $10.4 million.

The University of Minnesota Rochester is asking the City Council to approve more than nearly $7.7 million in funding for the project. The remainder of the cost, a little under $2.7 million, will be covered by funds provided by the University of Minnesota system.

Sales Tax Funds Proposed for UMR Expansion

The funding request before the City Council involves up to $3 million in state funding allocated to the Destination Medical Center initiative. The remaining funding, just under $4.7 million, would come from Rochester sales tax revenues.

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Rochester voters approved an extension of the sales tax in 2012 that directed $14 million be made available to the University of Minnesota Rochester for capital improvements. The $4.7 million request represents the remaining balance of that account.

UMR Plans New Labs and Classrooms in Downtown Rochester

UMR intends to use the funds to develop approximately 12,000 square feet of teaching laboratories, classrooms, and collaboration space in Two Discovery Square. The plans also call for the conversion of 1,400 square feet of classroom space in One Discovery Square into expanded laboratory space.

UMR Enrollment Growth Driving Expansion Proposal

The University of Minnesota Rochester is pursuing the project to address its growing enrollment. The City Council agenda item says the campus's enrollment grew by 20% from fall 2024 through last fall, and the higher education institution is projecting enrollment will exceed 2,500 students by 2030.