On Feb. 11, 2024, an article was published titled “Act Now to revitalize the Broadway Market”. It outlined the history of the City of Buffalo’s stewardship in operating the Broadway Market, the role of The Empire State Development Corp. and the role of the Broadway Market Management Incorporated (BMMI), the not-for-profit entity entrusted to oversee the market.
Little has changed regarding necessary improvements for the market and there are no apparent plans that have been made public regarding the construction timeline for improvements. A starting date has been a well-kept secret and the city has made no commitments.
CJAM, the consulting firm the city hired, made recommendations in its January 2021 report including hiring new management, overhauling the board of directors for the BMMI, and reducing the role of the city’s Office of Strategic Planning in the decision-making process. None of these recommendations have been implemented. There is still only one city employee managing the market and no project manager hired.
The representative for the Fillmore district, Mitch Nowakowski, adopted a resolution four years ago in the Common Council to use previously allocated funds to form a new nonprofit to run the market, yet this never received any consideration. Instead, half the building was painted, a police substation and a commercial kitchen were added, but none of these moves had any effect on improving business. The city does not want to give up control yet is bereft of imagination and ideas.
This is nothing new in the history of the Broadway Market. There are plenty of news conferences and soundbites, especially around Easter. Consultants present plans and ideas that never go anywhere. This has gone on for a generation. Byron Brown’s administration said the right things but when it came down to executing a plan, his administration never followed through. A rebuilding plan was presented in 1999 by another group of consultants during Mayor Anthony Masiello’s term. Again, nothing happened.
It does not make sense to continue on this path of “someday” resurrecting this building, and hoping people will return. The market should move operations to the Niagara Frontier Food Terminal. The Broadway-Fillmore area needs housing, health care options, and above all, reasonable decision-making. Rehabbing this building is a risky investment. The $45 million allocated for the building reconstruction project has less buying power as years go by. It borders on negligence to publicly finance and overhaul a building of this style, structure, and age in one of the poorest and neediest neighborhoods of our community.
Discover more from Broadway Fillmore Alive
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
