Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Over the last several years, Downtown Buffalo has seen its Renaissance, and has continued to evolve into a destination for many locally and afar.
Whether it'd be residents of the city and Western New York, or those coming in from out-of-town, downtown has seen a jolt of energy that is turning that part of Buffalo into a thriving hub.
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While downtown is seeing plenty of businesses and other entities continue to excel, Braymiller Market has recently had a request for more than $500,000 of city grant money turned down by the Buffalo Common Council. It could signal trouble for the supermarket downtown that opened not even two years ago.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is a staunch believer in the importance of a supermarket like Braymiller downtown. He feels it's important support businesses like this, as well as other small businesses in the city.
"Businesses in Downtown Buffalo account for about 17% of the city's tax base. So the revenue that comes from downtown businesses goes to providing services for every section of the City of Buffalo," said Mayor Brown during an event at the Market on Thursday.
Brown adds in order to a healthy downtown, he feels a supermarket is needed. And in order to have a healthy city, one needs a healthy downtown.
"The resources that come from downtown help to provide services for our entire city. And yes, I want to help this business, Braymiller Market, but I want to help every small business in the City of Buffalo," Mayor Brown added.
But what else makes for a healthy downtown? What allows for Downtown Buffalo to thrive?
"I think it's a place you can live, you can work and you can play, and it's clean and it's safe. I think all those things are true about our Downtown Buffalo," said Michael Schmand, Executive Director of Buffalo Place. "If you go from one end to the other, the Business District, people are coming back downtown to go into work. We have a thriving Theatre District, the Waterfront, what the Pegulas have done. We have everything in Downtown Buffalo, and now we're having our workers come back, which makes it a big positive. So I think the mayor, and I've gotta give the city administration all the credit in the world. They've worked very hard to make downtown a safe, clean and fun place to be."
President and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, Patrick Kaler also believes it goes back to a combination of different things, including a thriving business community and people living in Downtown Buffalo.
"I think that's where we're on track for," said Kaler. "With all of the new residences that are coming online, we have so many new restaurants in the downtown, it's very vibrant. We're coming out of the pandemic, and so we're starting to see more conventions coming to town. We have a great lineup of conventions coming in 2024, '25 and beyond. So all of that just really contributes to the overall vibrancy of downtown."
While the City of Buffalo continues to progress into that thriving environment, Schmand agrees with Kaler in the fact that the downtown region just keeps growing, rather than stagnating or plateauing.
"We've just gone through an awful pandemic and things have changed in the workplace, but you can see the vibrancy and feel the energy when you walk Main Street these days. I can remember walking on Main Street during the pandemic, and the only person on Main Street would be myself, or a Buffalo Police Officer. Now if you take a walk down Main Street or walk to Niagara Square... entertainment, it's happening in Downtown Buffalo."
So what does a downtown need to be like to be considered healthy or thriving?
While Schmand feels Buffalo already has a very healthy downtown, considering what other downtowns are going through, he believes it will only be enhanced by becoming a 24/7 hub for everyone.
"If you take a look at what's taking place over the past 15 years and the amount of apartments that have come online, the new condos that have gone on the Waterfront, the investment in the hotel industry in Downtown Buffalo, I think you see it going in that direction," he said. "What Douglas Jemal has done with Seneca One Tower, what the private developers have done working with city officials, I think we're well on our way."
As for Kaler, he sees a healthy and thriving downtown as all of the things people look for when they're considering a place to live, do business or even visit.
"Walkable, great transportation - otherwise public transportation - parking, but then things to do. Whether it'd be restaurants, attractions, places to stay, places to live, the proximity to Canalside so you've got outdoor recreation as well," Kaler said. "You've got a really nice balance of both work, live and play."
As for what downtown does particularly well for the City of Buffalo, Schmand can't help but rave about the entertainment, but also the fact it's the seed of local government.
"If you take a look around, most of the larger law firms are in Downtown Buffalo," Schmand said. "The entertainment, whether it's the Entertainment District, Canalside, [KeyBank] Center or Harborcenter, and all the hotel space we now, I think we entertain very well in Downtown Buffalo."
Some of the things that Kaler and his group at Visit Buffalo Niagara have been recently hearing from clients is how clean the city is looking.
"They're really taken aback after visiting some other cities that they might be considering for their meetings and conventions, and over the last few weeks, that's been a very strong comment from some of our customers as they're considering Buffalo to bring their meeting and convention," Kaler explained. "Plus, just the growing number of restaurants that we're seeing opening up is very encouraging as well. The further development at down at Canalside I think will just help propel Buffalo even stronger in the future."
While there is much to rave about with the landscape of Downtown Buffalo going forward, it certainly is no where close to being perfect.
One of Kaler's biggest concerns with Visit Buffalo Niagara, as the tourism marketing organization for Buffalo and Erie County, is the current inventory of hotel space downtown.
"With the Buffalo Grand offline, that's close to 500 rooms that we're not able to sell and to bring larger conventions. While that's in limbo at this time, that's a little bit of a challenge for us," Kaler said. "Hopefully with the Statler project coming on board that will add 200 rooms over the next couple of years. Maybe at some point, the AM&A Building will be turned and converted into a hotel. I've heard some rumblings about that again, but that will definitely help our overall selling proposition for Buffalo on the business side of things."
As for Schmand, it's no so much about hotel space for people downtown, it more centering the idea of bringing more residents to live in Downtown Buffalo.
"I think that's the key to any healthy, healthy downtown is you have to have the residents living there that creates the vibe," Schmand said. "Downtown has become very walkable, Car Sharing Main Street has made a huge impact, we have to finish that project up. What the city wants to do on Ellicott Street, what Douglas Jemal is going to do on Ellicott Street with the Mohawk Ramp on Washington Street, his development there. What Paul Iskalo has already invested along Ellicott Street. We're not there yet, but I'm confident we're well on our way."