One of Buffalo's most storied public spaces is finally moving from years of planning into active construction. Empire State Development (ESD) announced in March 2026 that the Broadway Market's rehabilitation is advancing to the permit and site-plan approval stage, with shovels expected in the ground this summer at an estimated cost of $40 to $45 million. The project represents the most significant capital investment in the 100,000-square-foot market since the current building opened in 1956.

What Is Being Built -- and Demolished

The scope is substantial. Flynn Battaglia Architects, working with Diamond Schmitt Architects and Hugh A. Boyd Architects as sub-consultants, has led the design. Buffalo Construction Consultants (BCC) was selected as the at-risk construction manager through an ESD request for proposals issued in late 2024. The full design work is substantially complete, and the Buffalo Planning Board must still grant site plan approval before a building permit can be issued.

Key construction elements include:

• Demolition of the rear parking deck: The deteriorated rear parking structure will be razed and replaced with a flat, multi-purpose surface area that can function as both a loading zone and an outdoor event space.
• Interior reconfiguration: Vendor stalls will be reorganized along a central aisle, with dedicated zones for prepared foods, food production, and room for market growth.
• Historic facade restoration: The Art Moderne curved walls and signature window features on the Broadway Street face will be restored. New signage and iconic lighting will be added to both the primary and rear facades.
• MEP systems replacement: Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems throughout the building will be upgraded -- a standard but major cost driver in any occupied historic rehab.
• Accessibility improvements: The renovation is designed to improve ADA compliance and patron circulation throughout.

Critically, ESD and BCC have developed a phased construction staging plan specifically to keep market operations running in a modified form throughout the estimated 24-month build -- a logistically complex undertaking that will require careful sequencing and close coordination with vendors and the new Broadway Market Management, Inc. (BMMI) board.

Funding Sources

The project draws on a layered public funding stack assembled over several years. An initial $10 million allocation from ESD's 2019 East Side Corridors Economic Development Fund covered design, business planning, and pre-construction services. A 2022 commitment added $29 million in ESD capital under the Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP) -- a $300 million public-private initiative focused on Buffalo's East Side, Niagara Falls, and Rochester -- along with a $2.5 million Broadway-Fillmore Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant for facade improvements. BMMI is also pursuing state and federal Historic Tax Credits and New Markets Tax Credits, which would provide additional equity-equivalent financing during the construction period.

The National Park Service made a significant determination in February 2026: the proposed design was found eligible for a Type 2 Historic Preservation Certification, unlocking the project's ability to use Historic Tax Credit financing -- a meaningful additional capital source for a project of this complexity.

Why This Matters to Construction Professionals

At $40-45 million in an occupied historic structure with an active food vendor base and federal tax credit requirements, the Broadway Market represents a complex, high-profile construction management opportunity. Projects of this type carry distinct challenges: historic tax credit compliance imposes design constraints and requires documentation at each phase; MEP upgrades in an occupied building require phased shutdowns; and the demolition of a structurally deteriorated parking deck adjacent to an active building demands careful shoring and site control.

The selection of BCC as at-risk construction manager signals that ESD is treating this as a management-intensive project, not a simple design-bid-build. For subcontractors in concrete, masonry, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and specialty millwork, the project is likely to put significant work into the Buffalo market over a two-year window.

Implications for Owners and Developers

The Broadway Market rehabilitation is a test case for the East Side of Buffalo. The project's multi-layered capital structure -- combining state grant programs, the Regional Revitalization Partnership, the DRI program, and now historic and new markets tax credits -- is increasingly the model for large-scale public facility renovations where a single funding source is insufficient. Developers and owners considering comparable institutional or historic projects in Western New York should note how long the pre-construction phase took (design alone spanned 2023-2026) and factor similar lead times into their own planning.

The formation of BMMI as an independent not-for-profit operator is also notable. By separating the building owner (City of Buffalo) from the operator (BMMI), the structure is intended to improve operational accountability and allow the organization to pursue philanthropic and grant funding independently of municipal budget cycles.

What to Watch Next

The two near-term milestones are the Buffalo Preservation Board's certificate of appropriateness and Planning Board site plan approval. Both must be secured before a building permit can be issued. Given the city's historic designation of the Broadway-Fillmore area, the Preservation Board review will examine facade changes, signage, and the rear structure demolition. If approvals proceed on schedule, construction could begin before Labor Day 2026. At 24 months, substantial completion would be expected by late 2028.

Contractors and subs interested in the project should monitor the ESD procurement portal and BCC's subcontractor solicitations, which are expected to enter the market as construction documents are finalized.

Bottom Line

After years of studies, redesigns, and funding assembly, Buffalo's Broadway Market is real construction, not just a rendering. A 24-month, $40-45 million occupied historic rehab with an active operator, a tax credit-dependent capital stack, and a city-wide audience is the type of project that defines a neighborhood -- and tests a construction team. The summer 2026 start date puts subcontractor procurement conversations on the immediate horizon.

Sources

• Empire State Development -- Broadway Market Project Update, March 20, 2026
• WKBW -- Renderings Released as Next Steps Taken in Broadway Market Revitalization, March 20, 2026
• Flynn Battaglia Architects -- Broadway Market Redevelopment Project Page
• Broadway Fillmore Alive -- Project Update, March 2026
• WBLK -- Buffalo's Broadway Market Ready for Massive Upgrade, March 2026