Same Story, Different Day: Rebuilding Downtown Retail

Fascinating micro-enterprise concept!

There is similar microenterprise "mall" in Kensington Market in Toronto called the Blue Banana. Definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in the logistics of this retail concept!

Check it out: http://www.bluebananamarket.com/

The Limelight, that was a very cool nightclub.

"Super Flea II"

If it was something similar to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia it would be pretty interesting http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/

"The building and its tenants would be tailored to supporting the immediate needs of the mid- downtown dwellers and workers." Once again the 1000 of so residents of a community in downtown buffalo, who ALREADY do support whatever shops are left in downtown, are forgotten about!

How is this different than business incubators already in place in Buffalo? I believe that we have a few on the east side, one on Elmwood, and a few on the west side. Do we know how successful these have been?

This is fantastic. I see this as the first building block toward regaining livability downtown. This method is a great way to reintroduce retail on a tiny scale, and encourage it to grow to an appropriate scale.

It's daunting to support your city and take the plunge, buy property, and move downtown, and then have to drive 45 minutes away every time you need shoes or apples or coat hangers or a Christmas Tree. Having to drive because retail is separated from residential is why I left the suburbs to begin with.

P.S. The Limelight link is fascinating.

The indie market could be a potential good fit into this as well perhaps for those who can try something even more permanent than a once a month market. Which is still very nice by the way.

I think the location and proposition are very functional and go well with what the potential for this block can be. The Urban Design Project along with BuffaloPlace and many others created a plan with graphics about this exact idea several years ago.

An atrium is a fantastic way to create both retail and civic space all at once. Think of the Galleria in Milan as a example.

This same ideas was floated around a few years back but never happend. I wonder if it's the same guy (not giving away the names) re-introducing this idea? I would luv to see this happen and know it would be a great idea to re-start retail downtown. With the few downtown retailers we have now (all seem to be doing well, so I've heard), I know we have a few gaps to fill. - Shoe store, fragrence's, more clothing (for the office worker and downtown dweller), furniture, books, high tech items (i-pods, lap tops, TV's, etc.) and more is what we need downtown.

Great article.
I hope CanalSide will truly spawn some greater downtown retail development, especially along Main Street. One can only imagine the potential that lies here...
Downtown has soooo much potential, and we've certainly seen it in the past.

Another large urban indoor mall project in NYC, The Kingsbridge Armory got shot down today by the city council over neighborhood's (The Bronx) demands for a living wage at the retailers. That project was a big sweetheart deal for the developers that were to get the building for 1/4 of its market value, as well as tens of millions in subsidies and tax abatements. They didn't want to commit to a $10 an hour wage. To avoid such politics, Buffalo needs to have a site package that adresses these concerns upfront so that instead of nasty politics and empty buildings, the city gets great retail spaces and fledgling entrepreneurs.

I like the idea of a Mini Mall concept with each retaile having an enclosed space. But, we already have a building like this in the Theatre District- The Market Arcade at 617 Main Street. Buffalo' First Mini-Mall. I would luv to see this building filled in with more retailers than offices as it currently is. But a new re-use for one of the empty buildings along the 500 block is a plus! I look forward to seeing this idea come to reality.

Someone I am familiar with was talking about doing something similar a couple of years.

Its a fantastic idea to bring retail back to downtown and Main St. and a great way to spur small business. The Market Arcade further down the street was a similar concept in a different time. Downtown Buffalo is crying out for an innovative pioneer.

I think this is a great idea...I have been asking the who's who in Buffalo for an idea such as this since I returned from Boston, MA, which has a similar concept in Faneuil Hall. As a former resident for 8 years of Beantown, I can attest that this is a succesful venture for all seasons.

If you ask me, the best spot for retail is Main Place Mall if it could be awoken to its potential such as:
1) demolish the northern portion and build a 2nd tower perhaps even taller than the first
2) add more underground parking
3) add another shopping floor
4) use the roofspace for bars and restaurants, perhaps even a gym with an outdoor track and open up the central corridor with skylights
5) use the exist first floor entrances to re-open the street grid with car only pass thrus and truck only loading/unloading.
6) change the facade to something Buffalo like Brick, stone, terra cotta...perhaps blend some Buffalo period styles too.

Its not a bad building but what is required today for downtown is very far from what the 1960s planners thought was good for downtown. This building needs to be adapted.

A tops or even a quality markets or price chopper could easily fit into a remodelled space at Main Place Mall, especially if the street grid were opened and used for pick up and drop off.

I saw that Chop Chop closed their Main Street location. I seriously question the viability of downtown and our ability to support restaurants and retail. There isn't a compelling reason for workers to leave their offices to go to lunch or shop. Maybe the answer is to expand the farmer's market along Main Street and make it worthwhile for workers to go there. The Police need to do a better job of controlling the obnoxious bums who beg for change and harass people as they walk by. We need to move the Department of Labor and the Parole office away from Main Street, that was a dumb idea to move them there.

The Main Place mall is a ghost town. I was there this past week and counted 11 total retailers and restaurants in the entire mall. That excludes the food court. There were a lot of people in the mall, but they were mostly there to get out of the cold while waiting to see Keanu Reeves. It is a shame that there isn't something more worthwhile for them to do while waiting.

The Main Place could be "Alive" again if it's owners would just invest in it. Renovate it from the inside out, re-design the Main Street side (simular to the new addition to the Galleria Mall), market the hell out of it to national retailers and even consider a movie theater on the third floor or food court area. I'm not a fan of that food court, it's all junk food.

I wonder where the tipping point, if there is to be one, is where services make downtown living sustainable. Even with one small crocery store, the prices would have to be commensurate with the ghetto corner store. What factors need to be in place where safe night time shopping and dining can be enough?

My moms used to tell us how she would use her lunch hour to get her hair done at AM&AS. It would be nice to see this type of business right in the heart of downtown again.