Should The City of Buffalo Give Braymiller Market A Grant?

The huge grocery store that was built in downtown Buffalo that was intended, in part, to help reduce the various food deserts that exist in parts of Buffalo seems to need some additional support from the local government and some have mixed feelings about it.

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According to a report from WKBW-TV, Braymiller Market is seeking more than 1/2 million dollars in Federal Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funds from the City of Buffalo in order to assist the grocery store continue operating.

The City of Buffalo received nearly $12 million of CDBG-CV funds from the Federal government in November 2020 to help the city sustain itself during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds were initially earmarked to help support residents as they struggled to survive the global pandemic. One of the planned uses of these funds was to help businesses that were impacted by COVID.

Braymiller Market Heleped To Change The Landscape of Downtown Buffalo

Opening in September 2021, Braymiller Market was seen as a welcome addition to downtown Buffalo. The market sits on the site of a former parking lot and, with several sections of Buffalo not having access to a true grocery store and supermarket, this store created a new location for people who live in the inner city close to downtown with a nice shopping option.

However, opening in the middle of the pandemic has proved to be tougher than maybe initially anticipated.

Downtown Buffalo, which was bustling with activity and foot traffic before COVID, has not fully returned to its pre-pandemic level. This fact is appearing to have a significant impact on the market.

What Happens Next With The Grant Request for The Market?

The Buffalo Common Council would have to vote in order to reallocate any funds from its current planned use to something else, like helping the market. A hearing has not yet been scheduled, but it seems that things are in the works.