Summit counts on new approach for comeback

Opinion

February 18, 2006

BY DON GLYNN The Niagara Gazette Sat Feb 18, 2006, 11:56 PM EST

If you’ve visited The Summit recently, you know it seems to project a new lease on life.

It’s not yet, of course, in the same league with The Boulevard Mall on Niagara Falls Boulevard or the Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga, but it’s obviously on the upswing.

And, as far as mall General Manager Ron Anderluh is concerned, The Summit is striving for its own niche. “We’re working on a unique approach,” he said, noting the aggressive marketing team strives for a blend of entertainment, retail, professional offices and even educational opportunities.

Under new ownership, a number of improvements — inside and outside — have gradually been made in the past couple of years. To cite a few: A new roof (no longer do people keep dodging the buckets), old ceiling tiles removed and brighter interior lighting.

For a long time, it seemed, the complex (formerly known as the Summit Park Mall) was mostly just a good spot for the morning walkers.

Now you’ll find more shoppers.

And Macri’s, which relocated from the Niagara Falls City Market, is proving popular, as the owners had initially hoped.

With two quality anchor stores like Bon-Ton and Sears at each end, there’s every reason to believe that The Summit will prosper, especially with the current population growth in Wheatfield, and the plans on the drawing boards for more housing nearby.

When you think about it, what a site for a mall — two minutes from an airport (still awaiting development) and less than 10 minutes (via the LaSalle Expressway) to a natural wonder in the nation’s oldest state park.

•••

ON HOLD: You can still wait to have your car inspected at the end of the month without worrying about a fine.

Under the Department of Motor Vehicles rule enacted in January, inspection stations were required to issue new stickers with boxes displaying numbers 1-10, 11-20 or 21-31 (for three periods within the month). Subsequently, the owner would have that 10-day window to get the vehicle inspected.

The new DMV rule was withdrawn — at least for now — after an official complaint from four state legislators.

•••

TIMELY REMINDER: Marty Friedrich of Lewiston is a valuable source if you want to check out some baseball records. (After all, spring is only 29 days away.)

Friedrich, a local U.S. Postal Service employee, is the author of a new book, “The Iron Men of Baseball: Major League Leaders in Consecutive Games Played, 1876-2005 (McFarland, softcover, $35).

This book is packed with statistics on the number of games played, at-bats, runs scored, home runs, RBI, strikeouts and batting averages.

Friedrich notes that since the beginning of major league baseball, 124 players — including Cal Ripken Jr. and Lou Gehrig — have held the title of Iron Man.

Contact Don Glynn

at 282-2311, Ext. 2246.

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