In Depth: Main Street reimagined

It was a hot summer morning several weeks ago when Morgan Genovese, Niagara Falls Director of Business Development agreed to go for a walk in the Suspension Bridge District and talk about the development going on there.

The city acquired 39 properties in summer of 2025, including the Rapids Theatre and 38 properties Blue Cardinal had failed to develop. They had been foreclosed upon by Bank on Buffalo and Niagara’s Choice Federal Credit Union. The city has not held a tax sale in more than 5 years because of covid and changing laws. It is in the process of doing so right now but it is complicated and unrelated to Main Street redevelopment.

Today, about $40 million in private money is being invested on the Main Street with the support of New York State. It is the most successful initiative initiated by the administration of Mayor Robert Restaino. 

“So this building, I saw them doing glass work on here not too long ago. Was that the new owner? Who is it?” We were standing outside the bar last known as Club Fusion.

“This is totally sold, closed. It's RJ Niagara. One of their principals is Ryan Dallavia.

“So they were one of the first groups when we stood out and did the press conference last summer.

“They have also gotten the DRI round three small project fund grant.”

In 2019, the city had its original Downtown Redevelopment Initiative there were moneys available as a subgrant that funded things like DiCamillo’s new patio and equipment improvements. RJ Niagara was able to tap into some of those funds as was the developer of the firehouse in Ontario Street as well as Heart Love & Soul, $600,000.

RJ Niagara’s project will be about $1.2 million and will be securing a construction loan using its real estate portfolio as collateral to build out 6 2-bedroom market-rate apartments.

The project is not contingent upon anything.

The project, as with everyone in the Suspension Bridge District, has a clawback clause. Complete within a specified time or lose the title, all the work you have done and pay a $250,000 fine.

Editor’s Note: Imagine if USA Niagara saddled Montante Development with such a clause. Radio Social would be open already on Third Street. Other projects would be completed already as well. Instead, Genovese is close to losing the lease on Archives and another Indian restaurant is moving in.

“The applicants that lose or want to cry and complain at the end of the day, the properties all have a clause, which I reiterate to the community,” Genovese said.

“That is the difference in the historical concept of how Niagara got here.”

What about the Hart to Hart furniture building, with “History Lives Here” painted on the boards?

It has have been sold to a developer from downstate who will be building it out into 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments with more than 100 beds targeting Niagara University students. The steel-frame building has a collapsed roof. Preliminary plans are to add stories onto the back of the building in what will be a $23 million project.

What will people see soon that looks like progress?

As summer turns to fall and winter beckons, numerous properties will be getting new roofs and facade repairs. The goal is to identify realistic projects for community members to fix buildings one at a time.

Genovese’s background has been criticized in the community but the Express was the first news outlet to ask directly what qualifies her to be in a position controlling a project of this magnitude.

Her answer was blunt. She went to NU, bought her first house at 19, earned her MBA in marketing, opened two bars, and took over the engineering department at the 400-room Sheraton Inn because “they needed somebody good at bossing around men.”

She has a certain can-do attitude unencumbered by the trauma of a community still beset by seeing the decline of Main Street and the empty promises of Richard Hastings and Blue Cardinal Development. Genovese wasn’t here to see the stores open, or hear Hastings’ plans, or those of Blue Cardinal. She also never had a chance to meet John Hutchins, shake his hand and go “ewww.” As Genovese describes it, marketing is no longer marketing but all about building a brand.

What is up with the First Church of Christ on Cleveland? NU has been touting its rebirth forever?

The project is still alive. The trouble is it has multiple funding sources and every time the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development changes leadership the project goes back to Square 1. The project is alive but outside the purview of the city.

What is going on with the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and the streetscape?

We are on pace for groundbreaking on a new streetscape in spring of 2027. There will be things like new sidewalks, curbs, street milling, crosswalks, wayfinding, streetlights and the public plaza.

What’s going on at 1908 Main Street?

We have interest from an existing cafe/bakery, but they are not closed yet.

How about the 1800 block of Main Street?

The city is focusing on exterior repairs to the roof and facade as well as finding a compatible use for the historic property. Genovese emphasizes every development proposal is judged with an empty hand and no assumptions and contracts are given one property at a time. “Complete a project and we can talk about the next one,” she explained.

How is the Jenss project progressing?

Jason Yots, James Baptiste, Gerald Kelly and Sam Savarino are working on plans for 32 2-bedroom market-rate apartments as well as a ground floor retail space that will host a Bazaaer concept. The Jenss Mens store just south of the main building will have ghost kitchen space for food trucks and vendors.

How about the Family Dollar space?

The city does have interest. The DRI will connect the adjacent, city-owned parking lot to 8th Street and DiCamillo’s. There will be better traffic flow and signage because the lots are there.

What about public greenspace?

Initially, it was supposed to be in front of the police station. That dream has been relocated to the front of the public library. The trees, and lawn, are in place. It is a more hospitable place for a family gathering, especially because of the bathrooms and books inside.

What about the Rapids Theater?

The deal is still being finalized with Chris Ring and Dale Segal of Rec Room and After Dark Presents. There were numerous inquiries but only two came forth with applications.

After Dark and Jesse Gooch. Gooch bid $200,000 for the theater and said he would use $500,000 in private equity to get it open again, relying on rented sound and light equipment and local vendors providing food for events.

He runs a few shows every year at Gratwick Riverside Park in North Tonawanda featuring the best cover bands Western New Yorks has to offer.

Ring and Segal have been in business for more than 30 years, run the Rec Room on Chippewa in Buffalo and run more than 300 shows a year in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

The After Dark plan includes investing $1.4 million, moving the bar to the perimeter of the space, increasing the bar space, building out a commercial kitchen to create jobs and food onsite, and purchasing sound and lighting equipment.

The money invested by After Dark can be reimbursed with state grants once the work is completed but they need up front funding to get it done. That is how any grant works.

Ring is a Kenmore Village Trustee.

The Express sees Gooch as a Niagara County Legislator and painting contractor. Since the projects on Main Street include involvement from the Niagara County Small Business Development Center and IDA, one of the votes on the committee vetting Gooch, Andrea Klyczek of the IDA had to recuse herself.

Mayor Robert Restaino did not have a vote but as two concert promoters with 30-plus years of experience in Western New York, who both can’t stand Ring put it, “Gooch is a pretender. Chris Ring is the real deal.” This is Joe Genco’s opinion. Genovese did not speak at length of the efficacy of the bids other than to say the committee unanimously preferred After Dark’s plan.

What about the church at Main and Lockport?

Plans are for the shuttered church to become an artisan craft market filled with vendor slots run by the Niagara National Heritage area. The Heritage Area has grant funding in place for the project but remains uncomfortable with clawback provisions to which other entities have agreed.

Genovese shrugs with either optimism or gamesmanship because she’s had other inquiries on the space and if the Heritage Area walks away, she has faith another investor will walk in. Negotiations to close the deal are ongoing.

So many buildings along Main Street are having roof and facade repairs that I lost count. When will that happen?

All will happen this fall. All are grant funded, being paid for through state agency programs. This will help us bring buildings to a base stabilization and continue to get them sold to people that want to make change and open businesses.

The reality is two years from now, the Suspension Bridge District will be real. Hastings, Blue Cardinal and Hutchins were not real.

Third Street is dying under the feckless malaise of USA Niagara Development. The Suspension Bridge District, within 5 years, will be the hottest place in our state.