It is progress you can see in Downtown Rochester. The ESL headquarters being built on Monroe Avenue is ahead of schedule. It is the first project since the turn of the century being built from the ground up in downtown.

The new ESL headquarters is already changing the landscape of Downtown Rochester. Construction crews had the steel beams of the building up a month ahead of time. They are now starting to pour in the cement floors.

CEO Dave Fiedler says tough financial times for some have been favorable for the $60 million project.

“As the economy slowed down...prices for construction materials actually got better and went down, and we benefit for that," he said.

ESL plans to bring more than 300 employees to the city in 2010. It is the first big project in downtown built from the ground up since 1999. And the headquarters is at the forefront of development movement.

“I've been doing this work for 25 years, and I haven't seen anything like this," said Heidi Zimmer-Meyer, the president of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation.

She says ESL is helping to turn the tide in terms of where people live. There is 841 million dollars invested in new projects downtown. That includes 18 housing projects.

“There are more in the wings that will end up getting announced in next year," Zimmer-Meyer said.

Fiedler says ESL has plans to expand its workforce. He expects ESL’s move downtown will attract more residents, and that is good news for Rochester and his business.

“I think there's a lot of reason - particularly with residential activities starting downtown - to believe we'll see a renaissance in downtown Rochester," Fiedler said.

The headquarters is expected to be finished by December. It has the capacity for 500 employees. It will also include a new ESL branch.