Working for Downtown

About Us / History

During the Fall of 1979, Erie County Legislator Joan Bozer met with the Women's Coalition of Rochester, a civic organization comprised of representatives of various community and social groups in the Rochester area. The coalition had spearheaded a beautification program, master signage plan, and efforts aimed at improving the image of the city. Impressed with the Coalition’s efforts and its focus of bringing the views of women into the City planning process, Joan invited a cross section of women active in civic and governmental affairs in Buffalo to meet with her to discuss the development of a similar Buffalo coalition.

Following a series of organizational meetings held during the Fall of 1979, Women For Downtown was born. Gail Johnstone served as the Chairperson of this diverse group of women interested in the improvement and revitalization of Downtown Buffalo. The group selected a name, set their agenda, elected officers, created by-laws, and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1980. In the Spring of 1998, with the majority vote of its members, the name of the organization was changed to Working For Downtown in an effort to create a more inclusive identity. The name change was intended to broaden our reach. The overriding goal of Working For Downtown is: "the promotion of Downtown Buffalo and assistance to the area's cultural, commercial, residential, and aesthetic improvement."

Working For Downtown (WFD) members have taken an active role in Downtown issues since 1980, and the accomplishments are noteworthy:

In 1980, WFD's first accomplishment was a survey of the attitudes and concerns of Buffalonians regarding downtown. It was the first time citizens were asked to voice and document their opinions. Over 2,000 responses were received, and the data from that study became a valuable planning tool for City and County officials.
WFD researched, designed, and printed the first downtown Buffalo map in 1981. The map was made available to the public and over 135,000 copies were distributed to the citizens of WNY.
WFD and The Junior League were the innovators of the Main Street Farmers’ Market. The Farmers’ Market was taken over by Buffalo Place and continues to be held every Tuesday and Thursday through the summer and fall of each year making fresh produce, fresh baked goods and many other products available to downtown residents and workers. Since its inception in 1981, the Main Street Farmers’ Market has become a mainstay of the downtown scene.
WFD was the catalyst for the first City Fest celebration in 1982, known as Imagifest. The Junior League and the Chamber of Commerce supported this five-day event as co-chairs. From Imagifest came the idea for UpDowntown, a happy hour networking event for downtown office workers. This program was rejuvenated by WFD in 2000 and is now known as “Thursday in the City”, which is held every Thursday from September through April.
WFD endeavors to bring an enhanced sense of style and life to downtown Buffalo. In prior years, WFD especially wanted to encourage and be part of creating a festive atmosphere during the holidays. Holiday lights were distributed to small businesses as a means to light-up storefronts and encourage retail shopping. The holiday light project was a starting point for the WFD Victorian Holiday. This event was held for three consecutive years in 1985, 1986 and 1987 and drew hundreds of people to downtown Buffalo.
As part of WFD’s mission to educate the public on issues affecting downtown Buffalo, the “Buffalo Forum” was created in 1990. The earliest forums covered such issues as the planning for Lafayette Square, the Waterfront, and the Theater District. The ongoing objective of the “Buffalo Forum” is to bring attention to issues and stimulate public awareness, discussion, and direction.
WFD developed "Downtown's Heritage," a self-guided walking tour map of downtown Buffalo's architecture (in conjunction with the Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier). Over 60,000 maps have been distributed to residents and visitors.
WFD Annual Awards presentation recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions to Buffalo and the downtown community. The Awards, presented annually at the WFD Annual Meeting include the WFD Member Recognition, the Fernbach, and the Joan K. Bozer awards. The WFD Member Recognition Award honors a WFD member for his or her efforts in the significant improvement to making Downtown Buffalo a better place. The Fernbach Award initiated in the early 1980’s as the “Bright Spot Award”, recognizes deserving organizations that actively participate in the aesthetic revitalization of downtown. The Joan K. Bozer Award was initiated in 1995 to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to improving downtown Buffalo.
In 1996, WFD initiated Waterfest, the first downtown waterfront festival. Waterfest has been held every August from 1996 to 2003 on Buffalo’s waterfront. The festival offered a relaxing look at the waterfont and activities for both adults and families.
In 2000, Bricks for Buffalo was initiated as part of the celebration of WFD's 20th Anniversary. Located at the NFTA's DL&W terminal (behind HSBC Arena) on the Buffalo River, Bricks for Buffalo includes a Women's Walkway and a Plaza Walkway. Both walkways contain engraved bricks and other items purchased by current and former WNY residents to commemorate family and friends. All proceeds from the sale of the Bricks goes toward a downtown public art fund. Committee members assist in implementing and marketing the project.
In 2001, the Aesthetics committee, whose objective is to enhance and improve the quality of living, working and visiting downtown Buffalo planted a rich a beautiful garden. The garden is located at the entrance to the Buffalo & Erie County Library on Washington Street. The garden is in bloom every Spring and Summer and beautifies the landscape of our downtown neighborhood.