Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It wasn't just political lip service in the seven proclamations delivered to Mike Schmand during his final Buffalo Place Inc. board meeting, ending his 28 years as executive director of the downtown agency.
Each was laced with respect and honor for what Schmand has done.
So was the two standing ovations given to Schmand during the Dec. 17 meeting.
Schmand, 71, is the latest in a series of Buffalo business and civic leaders who have either retired or announced their retirements in the past year.
Few, however, drew the accolades and heartfelt respect that has come Schmand's way.
"Mike has meant so much to downtown," said developer and former Congressman Chris Jacobs.
Schmand began working for Buffalo Place 37 years ago and was unanimously selected as its executive director in 1997. Since then, Schmand has become one of downtown's leading advocates and, in many respects, the face of the central business district.
In looking back at his tenure, Schmand shifts from wistful recollections to nostalgic - but always with a heavy dose of optimism.
"Think about all the changes, how Chippewa has changed, how Shea's has changed," Schmand said.
Downtown now has 3,000 people living in apartments and condos spread around the central business district. Office buildings have been retrofitted into apartments.
"When I first started, we actually counted the inmates at the (Erie County) holding center as residents just to beef up our numbers," Schmand said. "Now, we have 3,000 people living in downtown and more are coming."
Schmand is the first to admit that downtown has its issues including the loss of more than 20,000 daily office workers, empty storefronts and buildings, shuttered restaurants and, come Dec. 31, the loss of the Market Arcade 8 movie theater.
"That (the Market Arcade 8) is a victim of a national trend and not a reflection on Downtown Buffalo," Schmand said.
Under his watch, downtown has seen new, private sector investment in the central business district ranging from new hotels to the LECOM HarborCenter and Canalside.
Much of the downtown development mojo came from events or a push from Buffalo Place-led projects like the "Thursday at the Square" concert series, free ice skating at Rotary Rink, the annual New Year's Eve balldrop and the Chippewa Street evolution.
"We will always have some naysayers out there but I say look at downtown today compared to where it was 35 years ago," Schmand said. "What we have is today is 'everyone's downtown' and it will be even better."