Manchester, New York — Ontario County

Historic Preservation.
Our Future.

The Lehigh Valley Roundhouse built this town. Now it faces demolition. A growing community coalition has a different plan.

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12,767 Vehicles daily on Route 21
past Exit 43 — 4.6M per year
1M+ People within 40 minutes
100,000 within 20 minutes
$377.7M Visitor spending in Ontario County
in 2024 alone

What’s At Stake

The Manchester Roundhouse was built to service the locomotives that once powered commerce across New York State. It is the reason this town exists. For generations, it shaped our economy, our identity, and our sense of possibility.

“Demolition is final. Preservation keeps options open — and right now, the options are extraordinary.”

Today, two paths are being considered. Ontario County will decide. The community’s voice matters. Once it is gone, it is gone forever.

⚠️

Path A: Demolition

The structure is permanently gone. The opportunity to reuse it as a community and economic asset disappears with it. A piece of irreplaceable history becomes a parking lot.

🏗️

Path B: Revitalization

The Roundhouse becomes a year-round destination — a living hub for small businesses, education, culture, rail heritage, and community gathering that puts Manchester on the map.

Imagine What This Becomes

Not a renovation. A reinvention. The Roundhouse becomes the Finger Lakes’ most compelling year-round destination — anchored in authentic history, alive with people, and built to last another hundred years.

Funk Night at the Manchester Roundhouse outdoor stage
The Vision

Manchester Becomes a Destination

Imagine summer evenings like this — hundreds of people from across the region gathering at a place that didn’t exist five years ago, because someone had the courage to say yes.

Families watching live rail restoration
Heritage

History You Can Actually See

Families watch real craftsmen restore real locomotives through glass. The work that built this town — on display for the next generation.

Food vendors in restored railcars at sunset
Food & Market

Local Flavor, Authentic Setting

Local vendors, artisans, and Finger Lakes food — in restored railcars that make the experience unforgettable and shareable.

Live band performing to a crowd at the Roundhouse
Events

A Stage Worth Traveling For

Concerts, festivals, markets, and weddings in a setting no other venue in the region can offer. Every weekend, year-round.

Overview of the fully developed Manchester Roundhouse
The Full Picture

Market. Museum.
Community. Culture.

One iconic structure transformed into four interconnected experiences — each drawing its own audience, together creating something the entire region will come to see.

Indoor marketplace with Train a la Car and shops
Indoor Marketplace

Rain or Shine, All Year Long

Train à la Car dining, Manchester Library, an escape room, and local shops — thriving inside the same walls that once sheltered locomotives.

Five Pillars of the Vision

01

Rail Heritage & Living Museum

Historic turntable, live railcar restoration visible to the public, rotating exhibits, and hands-on school programming that connects generations to our past.

02

Events & Entertainment

A dramatic event hall for concerts, weddings, markets, and expos — programming that draws visitors and revenue year-round.

03

Local Market & Vendors

Permanent bays for local makers, artisans, food vendors, and small businesses rooted in the Finger Lakes community.

04

Family-Friendly Programming

Indoor recreation, community rooms, wedding venue, and year-round activities for all ages — something for everyone, every season.

05

Jobs & Economic Growth

Construction jobs, permanent operating roles, and millions in new tourism spending that ripples through the entire regional economy.

“The building that made Manchester is still standing. The community is ready. The moment is now.”

Lehigh Valley Roundhouse Museum at golden hour
“It’s politically advantageous to be the leaders who revitalized the building responsible for this town’s existence.”

Why Now?

The legal landscape has fundamentally changed. The county no longer needs to take ownership of the property — removing the main financial risk that kept this in limbo. With that change comes an extraordinary window.

The legal picture has changed

The county no longer needs to take ownership — removing the main financial obstacle that held this back for years.

Support is unanimous

Senators, mayors, House members, business leaders, and philanthropists — not one person we’ve spoken with opposes redevelopment.

A real team, a real plan

A growing coalition meets monthly to strategize. A funding strategy and achievable vision are already in place.

The community is watching — and ready

Nearly 400 petition signatures and growing. This is a once-in-a-generation moment. The window will not stay open forever.

Manchester Doesn’t Need to Create Demand

4.6 Million Vehicles pass Exit 43 on Route 21 every year. They just need a reason to stop.
5.56 Million Visitors to the Finger Lakes annually, spending $4.38B regionally. The audience already exists.
450,000 Annual visitors to The Windmill in Penn Yan — open only one day a week. The model works.
8–10K Visitors per Saturday at The Windmill. The demand for novel, authentic experiences is proven.

Manchester has what can’t be manufactured: a real story. The Roundhouse is original, dramatic, and iconic. This history is inherited, not built. The typical Finger Lakes visitor travels within a day’s distance — New York State, Pennsylvania, Canada. They’re already passing through.

The Windmill Comparison

The Windmill Market in Penn Yan sees 8–10,000 visitors every Saturday it’s open — 450,000 per year, one day a week. The Roundhouse could be the Windmill, but bigger, better, and open year-round. A destination that draws the entire region to Manchester.

Sources: trafficdata.drakewell.com • US Census Bureau • Finger Lakes Visitors Connection 2024 • Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance • thewindmill.com • ontariocountyny.gov

Help Save the Roundhouse

Every signature, every letter, every presence at a public meeting sends a message: this community is watching, and this building matters.

1

Sign the Petition

Nearly 400 signatures already. Every name sends a message to decision-makers.

2

Attend Board Meetings

Show up in person. Your presence signals the community is watching.

3

Write a Letter

Personal letters from residents carry real weight with state representatives.

4

Spread the Word

Share on social media. Talk to neighbors. Momentum is everything.

Sign the Petition Now ~400 Signatures

Questions or letters of support:
Rod Gennocro • (585) 857-7861  |  Joshuah G. Barry • (585) 732-5747  |  Xxxexpress.npo@gmail.com