Market Arcade Retail Ready

The Market Arcade Building is my favorite one in the city. The skylights, the wrought-iron railings, the tiles, the art galleries...it's a really cool space. I agree, the building would have a great energy if there were five or six retailers in the place.

This CAN be the Ellicott Square building of the Theater District. So much potential!

Dear Buffalo,

I know what you're going to say. "You know what would be great in there?"

No.

Love,
Ingvar

this building is a real gem. on flickr i've seen pictures of it all boarded up and in shambles in the '08's. one of my favorite buildings today

Their is now a Face Book Page for the Market Arcade. Please join, forward to friends and family, especially those who are interested in starting their own business or looking to re-locate to a new market.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Market-Arcade-Building-Buffalo-NY/284697110618?v=photos&ref=mf#/pages/Market-Arcade-Building-Buffalo-NY/284697110618

Really is one of the most dynamic spaces in downtown. A great building but it is missing one thing... the destination at Washington to give the arcade a purpose and usefulness. If there were a downtown farmers market \ collection of housing \ public park on that parking lot and you will see this building come back to life in an instant.

We forget that out whole city was designed to weave together in a pattern of transportation, life and convenience that has been purposely discarded. Main street was the route for street cars everywhere, commerce, living. All roads led to Main. This building connection to allow those transportation connections easy access to a large day to day place of commerce. Along the way providing both shelter from weather and opportunities for additional commerce. All without the car or a parking lot.

Right now the building is in a holding pattern because the giant parking lot took away the destination and therefore the building's raison d'etre.

One of the best interior spaces anywhere.

Looks like every indoor arcade "mini-mall" style building I've ever seen in Europe.

Thing is, in Europe, they're packed with people.

Bring it on here, I love those places.

reminds me of a smaller version of covent garden in london... would love to see this place bustling with business

If this place has not developed in the last fifteen years, then I doubt that it is going to develop during the next two years. The Market Arcade has had a number of tenants since it opened. The idea of putting the not for profits, or governmental organizations inside is to sustain financially a building that I believe the city had an interest in rehabbing two decades ago. Like every other retail spot downtown it will not live until City Hall recognizes why consumers or shoppers will not visit downtown.

There is a group down in Georgia who purchased the building last week and plan on moving it to Akron, Ohio.

Hey there's an idea. Let's give the Statler Towers to the Church-stealing group in Georgia completely free of charge. All they have to do is come and get it. We'll even throw in gas money.

This place is so money. Any store or cafe would look great in this space. It does need more of a street presence with banners and bunting, maybe more lighting. The problem with retail downtown is no different than small retail anywhere else: the proprietors are often undercapitalized and can't hang on for the 2-5 years it takes a new establishment to gain traction and become consistently profitable.

Much like the Main Place Mall down the street, this building is not being "MARKETED" Correctly. How many people actually know about this place or know that the public is invited to come inside? I for one , had no idea it was a public building or had a Visitor Center untill I had signed up for a class at CEPA back in 2000. Only then, did I discover the current businesses inside. To: Sonyactivision, you are so right, it needs more presence on both exteriors (Main & Washington St.) to let people know it's a public Market Arcade and say, 'COME INSIDE'.

That would be awesome, I always wondered why the Visitor Center did'nt have a street presence. Instead we were stuck with the Preservation OFFICE and two other offices with blank windows fronting the Washington St. side.

i am certain that purple and orange balustrades were not part of its "original glory," but other than that nutty decision, the restoration is a success and buffalo reclaimed one of its great interior spaces. the midday light on the central corridor is spectacular.