Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A pair of Buffalo's mayoral candidates announced their plans and vision on Friday to help improve the city's commercial corridors, bringing prosperity back to those areas.
Buffalo's Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon was along Bidwell Parkway in the Elmwood Village on Friday to officially launched a new citywide "Keep Buffalo Beautiful" campaign focused on revitalizing commercial corridors through targeted, high-impact beautification efforts.
"Keep Buffalo Beautiful is about the basics: Cleaner streets, safer walkways, and more attractive neighborhoods that reflect our pride in this city," said Mayor Scanlon during the announcement. "This initiative delivers visible, lasting improvements that show our commitment to quality of life and economic growth in every corner of Buffalo."
The Mayor’s Impact Team, in partnership with the Department of Public Works and the Buffalo Sewer Authority, will be deployed throughout commercial districts to complete a variety of maintenance and beautification tasks, including:
- Trash and debris removal
- Catch basin cleaning
- Pothole patching
- Street sign repairs
- Graffiti removal
- High grass and weed control
- Streetlight pole cleaning
- Cleaning and painting trash receptacles
- Addressing broken parking meters
The program formally launches along the Elmwood Avenue corridor and will soon expand to additional areas, including Broadway-Fillmore, South Park, Grant Street, Niagara Street, Bailey Avenue, and Amherst Street.
The city has already completed enhancements in several areas such as Hertel Avenue, Allen Street, Jefferson Avenue, Tonawanda Street, and E. Lovejoy Street.
"This isn’t just a summer cleanup—this is a citywide commitment," said Scanlon. "When we invest in clean, vibrant corridors, we invest in Buffalo’s future. Let’s Keep Buffalo Beautiful together."
The campaign also relies on strong community partnerships and participation to sustain these improvements. Residents and businesses are encouraged to help spread the word and take part in this collaborative effort to Keep Buffalo Beautiful.
Meanwhile, State Sen. and mayoral candidate Sean Ryan was in Downtown Buffalo along Main Street to announce his platform to address the needs of downtown, small businesses, and commercial corridors in the City of Buffalo.
"The same old leadership that has created the downtown situation we face today won’t be able to fix the problems downtown faces. Buffalo needs a mayor with a fresh vision and imagination, who is determined to bring downtown back to life," said Ryan during his press event at Lafayette Square. "City Hall can’t wave a magic wand to redevelop downtown overnight, but they can facilitate the conditions to make it happen. As mayor, I will be a partner to the small businesses who populate Buffalo’s commercial corridors and will take action to cut red tape and help them succeed in every corner of the city.
Ryan proclaims that under the current administration, Downtown Buffalo is struggling. He classifies downtown as a "ghost town" with multiple businesses closing and foot traffic plummeting.
Officials estimate that over 20,000 fewer office workers are coming downtown on a daily basis. In 2024, M&T Bank made the decision to end their free lunchtime downtown concert series after 54 years, and in recent months businesses like Braymiller Market and Dinosaur BBQ have closed up shop, with Osteria 166 announcing they’ll be scaling back service next month, and several other restaurants are struggling to remain open.
Ryan feels Downtown Buffalo should not just be a place where people work, but a place to live, shop, dine out, and seek entertainment. He says people want downtowns that are activated, that have unique programming, and have easy access to good schools, medical facilities, high-quality housing, and shopping options.
As mayor, Ryan promises a focus on creating equity for all of the city's commercial corridors.
"We need a bold new plan to bring Downtown Buffalo back to life, support the growth of small businesses, and transform our commercial corridors into vibrant spaces that support neighborhoods and attract visitors," Ryan said. "In six months as acting mayor, Chris Scanlon has done nothing to make this happen. Buffalo deserves better, and that includes leadership that will prioritize these important issues."
Ryan’s plan for Downtown Buffalo as mayor includes the following initiatives:
Take inventory and encourage new builds: Ryan would conduct a full assessment of downtown infrastructure including streets, buildings, parking lots, vacant or underutilized commercial spaces, and street parking to better understand the existing downtown tax base and identify ways to expand and support it. This includes investing capital into downtown to rebuild Main Street and the downtown core, replace sidewalks that are in poor condition, repave downtown streets, and repair core structures.
Support small businesses: The demise of the Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation means that Buffalo has no entity that is focused on supporting small businesses. Navigating municipal and state bureaucracy is difficult and can be overwhelming, and business owners do not have time to both manage their business and learn all the ins and outs of government. As Mayor, Ryan will hire a new full-time employee who will report directly to the Mayor and serve as a liaison to the city government on behalf of small business owners.
Focus on the downtown core: Ryan will work to revive Main Street, a key part of downtown and draw visitors out of their hotels and into local businesses. He will name a Downtown Development Coordinator to jumpstart redevelopment efforts through new and existing grant programs. This coordinator will work to update surveys and inventory of all buildings along the corridor and on its cross streets, and focus on storefront activation at the street level and immediately above.
Activate downtown: Ryan believes the city needs to bring more fun and imagination back to Downtown Buffalo. His Downtown Development Coordinator will work to activate downtown and bring back downtown programming year-round, including concert series, family-friendly festivals, and arts and cultural programming. This also includes working with Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to better integrate Canalside into downtown.
Rebuild commercial corridors: Decades of disinvestment has taken a toll on Buffalo’s once-thriving commercial corridors. Ryan understands that successful commercial corridors will be a key part of building the future of Buffalo’s economy. He will focus on building out infrastructure, and improving signage and landscaping along commercial corridors to create welcoming spaces for small businesses to thrive.