BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Broadway Market's long-planned $45 million transformation has been delayed, with construction now set to begin in spring 2027.
Construction was originally set to start in the summer of 2026, but in July, I revealed it had been pushed back to the fall. Now, I found the timeline has slipped again to next year.
The renovation, funded mainly by the state through Empire State Development, aims to turn the historic Buffalo market into a vibrant, year-round community asset.
David Franczyk knows the market well. For years, he served as Fillmore District councilman, and he now sits on the board of Broadway Market Management Inc. — the nonprofit that manages the market. He says there was a delay in selling tax credits tied to the project, putting pause on some of the finances.
"But the project is gonna move forward. I mean everyone wants it to happen," Franczyk said.
Paul Ray is leading the construction process. He works for Empire State Development, which is providing approximately $39 million of the funding. He explained why the construction will now start next year.
"Throughout the project, we try to take our best guess on when we're going to close on that financing [tax credits], but sometimes it just takes longer," Ray said.
Despite the delay, he reassured me the renovation will still happen.
"We've already invested $7 million in this design and a whole team is built around this to make it happen," Ray said.
Will construction impact shoppers?
Both Franczyk and Ray say there will be no impact on shoppers or vendors for the upcoming holiday season or Easter 2027.
"It shouldn't look any different from what it did last Easter," Franczyk said.
By Easter 2028, construction should be well underway, and vendors will be temporarily relocated within the market. There are no plans to close the market during the construction process.
"[Vendors] will be open throughout every holiday, Easter, Christmas and throughout the year," Ray said.
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