BATAVIA, N.Y. — Batavia Stage Coach Florist made the Batavia City Centre its home in 2008.
"It was busier because there were more stores," said Craig Jackson, co-owner of the floral shop.
Jackson says the center has drastically changed since then. Many stores have left due to the rise of online shopping, and much of the building needs to be updated.
"I'd like to see some life come back into it because it's a major area that's in the middle of downtown," Jackson said. "Maybe that would draw some more interest in people wanting to come into this place."
Tammy Hathaway is working to bring some of the liveliness back.
She's the new director of economic development at the Batavia Development Corporation, also inside the center.
Back in 2017, Hathaway says the state gave the City of Batavia $1-million for improvements.
The city installed a new roof. "It was dodge a bucket," she said.
They did it so leaks were no longer legendary.
Hathaway says these entryways will also be improved soon, and it's just the beginning.
She, as well as economic and city leaders, have created the City Center Concourse Consociation to better the future of the city centre.
"We're really going to sit down and start brainstorming uses for the concourse," Hathaway said.
All of the businesses operating there own their spaces, which is very rare.
"It's inexpensive, so we definitely don't want those businesses homeless trying to find somewhere else to flourish," Hathaway said.
The city owns nine vacant storefronts due to foreclosures. The improvements will also help them to sell those spaces and hopefully attract more events.
Hathaway is even proposing a farmer's market inside the mall during the winter, while Jackson would like to see another anchor store replace an empty
JCPenney.
"Let's take what we have and make it usable. What are we going to do with it? Let's do something with it," Hathaway said.
You won't see any changes overnight. But Jackson remains optimistic and reminds community members to give the centre a second chance.
"A lot of them feel we should just knock it down and build something new. But improvements are being made, and I think it can be revived and not be a laughing stock to some of these people," Jackson said.