Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - For years, Downtown Buffalo had been making the transition and evolving into a destination in Western New York for many to live, work and play.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, though, that acceleration in growth in downtown has seemed to have hit a bit of a speed bump. While some make the move in or open up business downtown, others are finding times difficult and electing to move out.
Just recently, Braymiller Market on Ellicott Street downtown closed up shop after facing financial struggles in a little more than three years of operation. Other businesses like Dinosaur Bar-B-Que are moving out of downtown, opting to let their lease expire in order to open shop elsewhere.
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In addition, projects like Heritage Point at Canalside stalled out for nearly an entire year, leaving the site inactive and, to some, a blight on the community.
Michael Schmand, executive director of Buffalo Place, says the pandemic caused a lot of problems not just for Downtown Buffalo, but downtowns across the country.
"Buffalo Place has been working very closely with our partners, the City of Buffalo and the University of Buffalo, to take a look at how can we get the momentum going that we had prior to the pandemic. We do know that we have less employees coming down because work from home is a new event that's taking place across the country. But I believe that downtown has always been resilient," said Schmand in an interview with WBEN.
Though Downtown Buffalo has seen its fair share of challenges over the years, Schmand still has plenty of faith that downtown is going to be as strong as ever in the future.
"We have over 190 bars and restaurants in downtown, it's still where the Buffalo Sabres play hockey, Buffalo Bandits play lacrosse. There's so much excitement still in Downtown Buffalo with nightlife, the restaurant scene, and the downtown apartments are going very well, it's 99% occupied. So downtown is converting itself from mainly, what I would say, commercial office space to a true mixed-use downtown, which would be another neighborhood," Schmand said. "I'm very bullish on Downtown Buffalo."
For many years working in local and federal government, Brian Higgins has been a staunch advocate for the growth of Downtown Buffalo. Now working as president and CEO of Shea's Performing Arts Center in the city's Theatre District, Higgins is working to get more bodies downtown in order to help that part of the city thrive.
"Our goal is to increase the number of activations at the Sheas - at Shea's 710 and at Shea's Smith - so as to bring more people into Downtown Buffalo, more people into the Theatre District, spending money and supporting all of those businesses. We're just getting warmed up," Higgins said with WBEN.
Higgins points to the recent success of The Lion King returning to Buffalo during the holidays. He says nearly 70,000 tickets were sold, resulting in 70,000 people coming into downtown over a 24-performance, three-week run. According to Higgins, that had an economic impact of nearly $19 million.
In addition, Higgins is focused on increasing the number of active days in the Theatre District thanks to Shea's partnership with MusicalFare taking residence at Shea's 710 for 20 years.
"That will increase the number of active days from 215 to 365. So net new performances will be 100, more people coming into the Theatre District," Higgins said.
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With being a big economical driver in Downtown Buffalo, Higgins feels not having people in-and-around the Theatre District every day has been a problem over the last decade.
"It's a very active place when the theatres are full and there are performances. It's very quiet when there are not," Higgins said. "Our goal, my goal, is to make the Theatre District a seven day a week, 24 hour a day destination. And there are examples of that throughout the nation, including Cleveland, and we're replicating a lot of the things that they're doing, so as to make the Theatre District a more economically viable and active place."
In order for Downtown Buffalo to be more sustainable and continue its upward trend, rather than slipping backwards, Schmand feels part of the solution is making it a neighborhood of neighborhoods.
"If you take a look, we have a strong West Side, the East Side is coming back very strong. Downtown is just a neighborhood too, so as we move forward and we figure out how we can convert more of these Class C office buildings into residential - what Douglas Jemal is doing at the Statler, which is moving forward now - take a look at how many people are now moving and making downtown their home. That'll make it more sustainable," Schmand said. "Instead of having to drive to Downtown Buffalo, you can walk out of your door and you can go to Chippewa Street. You can walk out of your door, you can go to the great Public Library. You walk out your door, you can go to a Sabres game, you go to a Bisons game, you could go to Canalside, you can ice skate at Rotary Rink - for free. There's a lot still very good about downtown, and it's very resilient."
Higgins also feels addressing the vacancies in building space, and filling the 30,000 people that are not coming into Downtown Buffalo is important.
"What do you do with all that vacancy? What do you do with all that building space? You convert it, I suppose, to residential, but that transition to complete it is going to take some time," he said. "These are challenges that all urban areas are going through, and we have to find creative ways to fill the space with people, be it residential and/or office, so that the businesses in Downtown Buffalo can not only survive, but thrive.
"It's having a vision, it's doing the hard work necessary to make that vision real toward the goal of drawing more people into Downtown Buffalo. And I think the longer-term objective is to convert some of that office space, that 30,000 more people once occupied, into residential, so that you have more people coming into and living in Downtown Buffalo."
One of the districts downtown that is starting to see this transition is the Cobblestone District.
"There's new initiatives being proposed, including a soccer stadium in that area. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership is moving into that Cobblestone District, they're calling it the Entertainment and Sports District. That's fun," Higgins noted. "It's not only good for the activity that occurs there, but it's good, again, for the economic activity as well."
Higgins also adds that Shea's has just started its initiative of a $40 million capital project to make improvements to the campus of theaters.
"It's all designed to improve the patron experience, to draw more people into Downtown Buffalo. So if more people are coming to the Shea's Performing Arts Center, more people are going to be supporting the businesses, the restaurants and the shops that surround the Theatre District," Higgins explained.
As for the future of Downtown Buffalo, Schmand strongly feels if the public sector continues to invest, the private sector will continue to follow.
"We're almost finished with reintroducing traffic to Main Street. I think that curb appeal is going to add a whole new vitality to the downtown core, which is Main Street in Downtown Buffalo. If you take a look at the 500 block 15 years ago and how desolate it was, take a look at it now: The Hyatt is up-and-running, all the residents that are now in the 500 block, all the businesses are in the 500 block," Schmand said. "I have great hope for Downtown Buffalo."