A Boise, Idaho-based developer is hoping to bring a European-style market to downtown Niagara Falls, New York, at least for the holiday season.
‘Niagara Holiday Market’ will be a European-style, outdoor/indoor holiday themed market featuring world-class offerings of regional, national and international goods, foods and entertainment. The Market would be located along historic Falls Street, running from 3rd Street to Niagara Falls State Park in a mix of indoor and outdoor venues. It would debut November 26 and run through January 1, 2012.
This won’t be a Christmas craft bazaar. Brix and Company is expected to bring in a number of internationally-known retailers to set up ‘pop-up stores’ for the holiday shopping season. It would positioned as an international attraction that captures the winter spirit and beauty of Niagara Falls, drawing from across Western New York and Southern Ontario.
The Market will be a $1 million private-public partnership between Brix and Company, City of Niagara Falls ($225,000), USA Niagara Development Corporation ($225,000) and Global Spectrum, manager of NF Convention Center ($15,000 ). The Niagara Falls City Council will consider the City’s contribution to the project on Monday.
Mark Rivers, president and CEO of Brix, is a native of Ellicottville and continues to own a residence in Ellicottville. Rivers has a deep and broad background in retail development and private-public development. He also has an extensive resume.
Mark Rivers is the President and Chief Executive Officer of one of the United States’ most active boutique real estate development companies and, a noted community redevelopment leader. Brix has an award-winning national reputation in public-private development and unique marketing and event services.
Rivers was the developer of the award-winning BoDo project in downtown Boise from 2002 to 2007, which transformed a declining warehouse district and brownfield site into a vibrant urban neighborhood. The $60 million project, in partnership with Merrill Lynch Capital, included the rehabilitation of historic-era buildings and the new construction of retail, office, cinema, hotel and parking facilities. The project included six national retailers who opened their first-and-only Idaho outlets, which sparked a downtown retail boom in Boise. Today, BoDo is a hub of consumerism, commerce and community in the heart of Idaho’s capital city. For his efforts, Mark was named the 2006 “Visionary of the Year” by the Idaho Statesman newspaper. In 2009, Rivers and BoDo were given the “Best Redevelopment and Reuse” Award by the International Economic Development Council, the leading global organization of economic development professionals.
Recently, Rivers has become one of Idaho’s most active voices and action leaders in the area of economic and community development. In 2008, Rivers developed, personally-funded and opened the “WaterCooler” in downtown Boise, the city’s first-ever small business incubator. The facility houses emerging small businesses and, features a myriad of educational, training and artistic events. In its first year of operations, the WaterCooler has helped to accelerate six different growth companies and, has seen those companies exponentially grow their investments, number of employees and revenues. In 2009, Mark was named “Idaho Innovator of the Year” by the Stoel Rives Idaho Innovation Awards.
In 2009, Rivers created the Curb Cup, a spectacular street festival throughout downtown Boise that features hundreds of performers and thousands of spectators who watch and vote for their favorite artists, who compete for prizes. In just two years, it has been called “Boise’s signature event,” attracting 26,000 spectators to its 2010 edition.
In real estate, Rivers is a development partner at Westgate City Center in Glendale, Arizona. The nearly $2 billion, 230-acre master-planned urban environment is the home to the University of Phoenix National Football League stadium, the Jobing.com National Hockey League arena and, a host of retail, office, hotel, residential and conference facilities. The complex hosted the 2008 NFL Super Bowl.
Brix has also provided corporate real estate services to blue-chip development and investment interests around the country, including Harrod’s Department Store, Vornado Realty Trust, Merchandise Mart Properties, Credit Suisse Bank, Clear Channel Outdoor, Simon Equity Group, ESPN and the San Diego Padres.
In 2010, Mark founded the Boise Sports Council, an organization that he currently co-chairs with Olympic gold medal cyclist Kristin Armstrong. This organization is the state’s leading advocacy group for the expansion of the sports and recreation industry in Idaho, through new investment, world-class events and, sports entrepreneurs.
Currently, Brix is developing the Sonoma County MarketHall in Santa Rosa, California at the county’s fairgrounds. The project will create one of California’s largest permanent, year-round marketplaces for fresh produce, artisan foods, unique dining, retail and an animated, family-friendly destination that celebrates the region’s legacy of agriculture, wine and craftsmanship.
Headquartered in Boise, Brix has offices in San Francisco; Cleveland; and, Washington, DC. The company plans to soon open a local office.
Prior to forming his own company in 2002, Rivers was the Chief Strategic Officer of The Mills Corporation, a $3-billion New York Stock Exchange shopping center developer. He is a former executive and officer of DeBartolo Realty/Entertainment (the DeBartolo family owns the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL) and Mirage Resorts, the Las Vegas-based hospitality giant controlled by Steve Wynn.
Get Connected: Brix and Company, 208.368.0000
Entry image by RaChaCha