It appears that the hype over a new Tops supermarket opening downtown, near the Central Library, may be a little premature.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown's recent announcement that Tops will locate a supermarket downtown is exciting news, according to Adam Walters, a land use attorney with Phillips Lytle LLP. But Walters says it's clear there's still some significant hurdles to overcome.
"Anytime you're trying to build a grocery store in a downtown area there are standard challenges. Things like parking, loading spaces and loading docks. How do trucks, which deliver to grocery stores every day, how do they get in, how do they get out, conveniently without disrupting traffic in the area?" Walters said.
Walters went on to say that there's no doubt the issues surrounding the new Tops can be addressed, but he says the devil is in the details.
Walters points out a grocery store is needed downtown to serve the growing population there. He says if it becomes reality it would be a significant milestone because the proposed site has been a parking lot for decades.