BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A Tops Market that will be built by Ciminelli Real Estate could be on its way downtown. Mayor Byron Brown announced the move during his State of the City address Friday afternoon at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.
"There's been talk of a major supermarket coming to downtown Buffalo and today that becomes a reality. Tops Markets has been selected as the preferred operator," said Brown, D-Buffalo.
Currently a surface parking lot at the corner of Ellicott and Clinton streets, near the downtown library, the city last year sent out a request for proposals to turn the parcel into a multi-use property that would compliment the downtown renaissance.
"Tops certainly is a local company, they know this marketplace well, they are the preferred operator at this point but they still have to work through their details with Ciminelli," said Brown.
Paul Ciminelli says unlike a full service Tops just a couple of miles away on Niagara Street, this one will be a small "urban concept" store between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet. Ciminelli says the development will be mixed-use but the details have yet to be worked out.
"It'll have some form of housing, big public space, and retail and parking, so far. Again, it's very preliminary, we're in the beginning throws of master planning out the site and programming the site," said Ciminelli.
Another thing that's still being worked out are tax breaks or incentives for Ciminelli or the total cost of the project.
Brown declined to give any details about the deal.
"I'm not going to talk about that right now," said Brown. "Well, because we're going to meet, we're going to see what the needs are. Our plan is to get it done and get shovels in the ground by the end of next year."
A Tops spokesperson said:
"With the selection of a developer at the Ellicott Street site, it is the beginning of the process for TOPS to explore the feasibility of a grocery store at that location.
"As the operator of seven grocery stores already in the city of Buffalo, and as the leading provider of fresh products and quality savings, we feel it is important to the community to investigate opportunities to provide a top-notch grocery store for the downtown residents.
"However, at this time, we have not entered into any formal negotiations with Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. "