Summit Mall & Buffalo News Just Gave Me My Christmas Present Early

So, this popped up on my Twitter feed this morning.

It seems that the Buffalo News has actually been paying attention to the escapades of Cocov and the Summit Mall, and published this little bit.

Apparently Cocov wants a microbrewery in the mall.

So, since I have a cup of coffee and some Italian toast in me, let's critically analyse this beautiful article that brought me some much needed Christmas cheer.

But first, I'm going to credit Thomas Prohaska and his wonderful writing on this piece, and strongly encourage you to read the entire article before we dive in. Journalism is serious work, and he should be able to see that in the viewcounts.

"Mall manager Cynthia Potts said Tuesday that the beer project goes along with plans for two giant sports domes, projected to open next fall."

Now, there's two important parts to me. 1) "Open Next Fall". That line is my favorite. I love that line. I would marry that line. 2) "Projected"...oh, we're in that pickle again: nevermind.

"Monday, the Town Board scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 23 on a possible grant to Big Thunder Brewing Co., which would be operated by the owners of the Summit."

"Operated by the owners of the Summit"? So Cocov's going into the beer business. I would comment that WonderFalls is also set to have a microbrewery, in which case both of the dead malls of Niagara would now be running the same thing (although that's where there similarities end, I assure you).

Note: Pay attention to when Jan. 23 rolls around: if anything happens, you'll be seeing posts from me.

"The mall's only tenants are a Sears store and a Save-a-Lot grocery store. Sears actually owns its space rather than leasing it."

Once again poor old Bon-Ton is forgotten (which is odd, since they do much better business than Sears).

"The Jan. 23 hearing would seek the public's views on an application to the "Blah Blah Blah" Block Grant funding for the brew pub, but "Blah Blah expensive Blah Blah".

"The anticipated amount is substantial," Supervisor Robert B. Cliffe said, but he added that the grant won't cover the entire cost of the microbrewery and pub project."

Fingers crossed they get that grant, or this entire thing's gonna collapse.

"Potts said the brewery and pub go along with the sports domes in the first phase of Cocov's plan to revive the former Summit Park Mall."

Phase 1 is labelled somewhere in the feature image. At least the original phase 1.

"'There are phases that have to go online over the next few years,' Potts said. But a place to eat and drink would help keep potential customers using the sports facilities on the property longer, she said."

"Next few years"? NEXT. FEW. YEARS??? *sweats nervously* I'm starting to think the mall isn't going to be open like I thought it would be.

"Potts said the company's main effort is to repair the plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning systems."

Yeah...the mall needs a bit of TLC.

"She said at present, the mall has little space that could accommodate new tenants."

I assume this is the result of the entire place being destroyed by vandals?

"'The position of the owner is, he's not going to open up a huge area in the mall for one or two businesses,' Potts said. 'He wants people to go in there and be successful. In order to do that, he believes that we need to have five or six substantial programs or tenants going in there at one time for the first phase. Opening one or two little shops there just isn't going to do it.'"

Well, 1) That's why my "Christmas Shop" idea didn't fly. 2)Phase 1 isn't going to be complete by October 2017, is it?

By the by, Prohaska's email is tprohaska@buffnews.com in case you want to ask him some questions. I'm satisfied for now, so I'm not going to bug him (or Cynthia...or Zoran...or Cliffe...I emailed a lot of people during the summer).

So, this article gives me hope that the project is going to happen, but I feel like the timeline just became WonderFalls again (which I have my fingers crossed on construction starting on that next year, too).

-Red Hooded Manatee