After serving as Buffalo Place Inc.'s chairman for the past 27 years, M&T Bank executive Keith Belanger said he is proud of what he and the Buffalo Place staff have accomplished, but at the same time, there's more work to be done.
A lot more work.
"We are like the blocking fullback," Belanger said. "We leave to others to cross the goal line."
Buffalo Place Inc. wears many hats in the downtown Buffalo landscape. At its most basic level, the organization maintains the mile-long stretch from Goodell Street to the north and south to South Park Avenue around KeyBank Center and the DLW Terminal.
But, it is also a key downtown business advocacy group, with its board members comprised of building owners and those with a vested interest in the central business district.
Buffalo Place is also a special events organization overseeing a weekly farmer's market that runs from late spring and deep into the fall. It also operates free skating at Rotary Rink and the popular Thursday at Main concert series.
Belanger, in a lengthy interview, talked about the success of restoring vehicular traffic back to the Main Street spine - a process that began more than 20 years ago and is finally heading into its final stage.
"The impact has been real," Belanger said.
Restoring vehicular traffic helped spark development across downtown including between Goodell and West Tupper streets and from Chippewa Street south to Mohawk Street.
"Public sector helped the private sector grow," Belanger said.
Downtown has also seen an uptick in new apartments and condos developed - many filling in what had been vacant buildings. There are more than 2,800 residential units within the core of the central business district. More are in the planning stages.
When Belanger became Buffalo Place Inc. chairman, there were just a handful of downtown apartments.
Belanger defers any credit to the Buffalo Place staff, led by Executive Director Michael Schmand, and to the development community for taking the risk.
"It seems like as soon as something comes up, it gets filled," Belanger said.
Belanger admits reviving downtown is a long term works in progress. Issues - and there are many - remain including dealing with less, daily workers, empty buildings and storefronts and a need to return its pre-Covid swagger.
None are easy tasks, Belanger said.
"It will take time," Belanger said.
Architect and Carmina Wood Design founder Steve Carmina was elected to replace Belanger and Schmand will be retiring in late December, so a new executive director will need to be hired.
