BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Millions of dollars in state funding have been allocated to help revitalize Buffalo's Broadway Market, yet there remains no construction in sight.
After years of promises and plans, many are asking: What’s the delay?
I spoke with Broadway Market vendors and its manager to learn what's going on and when construction may finally begin.
Pearl Omphalius and her son Kody operate "We R Nuts" inside the market.
While they remain hopeful for a major revitalization, they've been waiting patiently for the transformation to begin.
"I am hopeful that there is a very big light at the end of the tunnel," said Pearl.
"It's certainly frustrating," said Kody. "We have some high hopes and high expectations of the city and the board, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they do with it."
Pearl also serves as a vendor representative on the Broadway Market board.
“I’m very hopeful that this is coming to fruition and have honestly extended my term on the board because I’m seeing the light,” said Pearl.
The City of Buffalo has owned the market for nearly 140 years, and over the decades, it has promised to improve the facility. Despite these long-standing plans, construction has yet to begin.
"There's a lot of bureaucratic process that us folks in the private space don't realize until we're involved," Kody said. "It takes a ton of time."
The market is in Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski's district, and he is frustrated with the lack of progress.
"We need the weight of the mayor's office to be able to get shovels ready...to get going," Nowakowski said. “We have plans. We have blueprints. We’ve talked about it almost ad nauseam. It's time to get going."
A new business plan was released in 2021, followed by a $37 million commitment from Empire State Development in 2022.
At the time, a conceptual rendering was provided to 7 News, which included floor-to-ceiling windows and space for outdoor seating.
In May 2023, we spoke with Kathleen Peterson, the manager of Broadway Market, and she said there would be major renovations within two to five years. Peterson said the City of Buffalo needed to take a "series of steps” that all take time.
We checked back in with Peterson on Wednesday, who offered some insight into the holdup.
"People come up and say, 'What’s going on? Nothing's happening,'" Peterson said. "And I say, 'No, no. It is...you don’t see it yet, but it's getting much closer.'"
Peterson explained that much of the work is currently taking place behind the scenes. The market is in the process of creating a non-profit board, preparing a new lease with the city, and selecting an architectural firm.
"We're close to a design being released," Peterson said. "There is a draft of a schematic design for the market, showing where the vendors will be."
Peterson said she expects that draft design to be released late this spring or early summer, and it will be up for public comment.
“When would construction physically begin?” I asked.
“Spring 2026, so we'll go through another Easter,” replied Peterson. “But they did say spring of 2026, so we're getting closer."
Vendor James Malley of Lewiston Jellies is not convinced the current location should be redeveloped.
Malley, who’s been operating in the market since 2007, believes the building’s age and condition present significant challenges.
“There’s no hard answers—ever, it’s just fluff,” Malley states. “That still should be an option because it’s a very old building. It has a lot of issues. How are we gonna be able to save this? Can we do it with the money allotted?”
Thursday, Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon is expected to hold a news conference at Broadway Market to kick off the annual Easter season and offer more updates on the revitalization project.
