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So I have a solution for you to use in order to get proper estimates for your new boiler

On the left of the yellow line is what might have been there and why there is a capped off horizontal pipe on the header. On the right of the yellow line is an illustration of a replacement boiler with a drop header using both 2" risers from a boiler that has about 170,000 BTU Input with about 445 SqFt Net Steam Rating

The drop header will offer enough room to connect all 4 risers from the basement ceiling to the header with proper drainage to avoid noisy operation and promote proper condensate drainage to the equalizer.

Take note that the old original water line may have been about 20" higher on the original coal fired boiler that was there before your current boiler. The fact that there was so much wrong with the existing system when your first moved in tells us that the installer of that boiler may not have read TLAOS, and may be a contributing factor in the folks you purchased that home from to move out in the first place.

You now have a chance to make that system eve better!!!

Crown Boiler has a nice diagram with pipe sizes for your installer to use when designing your new system https://www.velocityboilerworks.com/documents/850105U.pdf This diagram shows only one main riser. your installer will need to modify in order ot accommodate the 4 risers you have.

Suggest you get @Mad Dog_2 to consult. PM him

I believe member @KarlW also lives in the Rochester area. He may have knowledge of a local contractor that worked out for him. You could PM him and see if he has any advice that will help you.

The near boiler piping is very wrong. it might happen to work ok now but it should be done correctly with the new boiler.

The header should be in the order of:

risers from boiler

risers from header to mains

equalizer

The header and risers from boiler size should be at minimum the size specified in the manual

Each main should connect separately to the header. If a main is counterflow it needs a drip down to below the water line before it connects to the header. each drip needs to have its own return connection below the water line.

The header shouldn't reduce in size on the horizontal so it doesn't trap water.

Run away from anyone that says to put in a boiler bigger than the connected edr. The nameplate edr has an extra 30% pickup factor subtracted from it so it is probably oversized a bit even if it matches the nameplate. Do not use anyone that suggests you should go bigger than the connected edr beyond what is the closest size.

If you have a main that is filling from a return, you have to figure out why that is possible, most likely returns from different mains that are connected above the water line. The returns from different mains must connect together below the water line. The most common reason for this is that a connection that was below the water line became above the water line when a boiler with a lower water line was installed. Also possible that whoever installed that boiler didn't understand why returns at the boiler needed to drop below the water line before connecting. The steam from the other main will come in to the main at the vent and close it, preventing the main from venting properly. It will eventually vent through the radiators but it will be slow to heat.

Your near boiler piping looks like they just hooked up whatever was closest wherever they could and didn't know what they are doing.