Author: dylanmarsh

An interview with You and Who Founder Dan Gigante on his quest to spread the company’s mission to all corners of the country in only three months.In a video announcement last week, You and Who–a buy-one-give-one company based in Buffalo–launched a new campaign in conjunction with JetBlue’s BluePass promotion. Originating from Boston or Long Beach, BluePass holders can travel limitlessly anywhere the airline flies to from August 22 through November 22. You and Who Founder Dan Gigante realized this would be the most effective–and quickest–way to catapult You and Who across the country, and decided to challenge both himself and…

Read More

Upper-floor apartments in the much-anticipated three-story retail and residential building at the northwest corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bryant Street are finished. The 20,000 sq.ft., $3.5 million project was developed by The Krog Corp, attorney Michael Ferdman and architect Karl Frizlen. Twelve apartments, each with two bedrooms and two baths, are located on the second and third floors of the building. Units range in size from 1,052 square feet to 1,380 square feet. There are six different floor plans available. Two of the units feature 190 square foot private terraces while each of the other units have covered balconies.

Read More

Buffalo State College’s new dorm complex is nearly complete. The building is on the east side of Grant Street north of Rockwell Road. It is one of many projects the college has underway or planned. The $44 million building contains 507 beds. 1,200 sq.ft. student apartments contain four private bedrooms in suites with two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen.

Read More

Expedia.com ranked it as the most in demand hotel in New York State. And there is no doubt that the Embassy Suites in Avant at 200 Delaware Avenue has enjoyed great success since its opening in July 2009. In response to this success, Uniland Development Company expanded the hotel this year into the eighth floor of Avant adding 29 rooms to the already 153-room hotel. The success of the Embassy Suites quickly raised the bar for hotels in downtown Buffalo, with a $15 million renovation at the Hyatt Regency following soon after the Embassy Suite’s opening. The Embassy Suites…

Read More

Work on a new apartment project in the Elmwood Village appears closer to completion. A brick facade has gone up on the $2.7 million project at 305 West Utica Street. FJF Development, a partnership made up of contractor Paul Johnson, attorney Michael Ferdman and architect Karl Frizlen, began work on the project last fall. According to the project’s website, only nine of of the eighteen apartments were still available as of mid-May. The two studio apartments on the first floor with 350 sq.ft. of lviing space have been rented leaving the remaining units as two-bedroom apartments with approximately 1,000 sq.ft. of space and…

Read More

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is looking to sell prime Lake Erie waterfront property. According to the Buffalo News, 60 acres of the Buffalo Outer Harbor will be on the market, upon which the state’s largest marina is located, the NFTA Small Boat Harbor, as well the Port Terminal complex. The reason for the sale appears to be a high cost of maintenance with as much as $50 million needed to continue its upkeep. While the NFTA has been able to stabilize the shoreline, and provide public access to the water edge, they have been unable to significantly utilize the valuable…

Read More

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Wednesday marked the kickoff of Pride Week in Buffalo with the raising of the Pride Rainbow Flag in Niagara Square. While the Sunday Pride Festival has typically been held in Bidwell Park, the celebration has outgrown this venue and will now move to Canalside on Buffalo’s waterfront. The week’s events also include the 10th Annual Dyke March on Saturday at 5 PM. The march starts at 1195 Main Street, travels down Summer Street, Elmwood Avenue and finally ending at North Pearl Street and Allen Street. Immediately following the Dyke March is the Allen Street Festival or “Gayborhood Block…

Read More

(DISCLAIMER – The reviewer here, me, is married to one of the cast members, Theresa DiMuro-Wilber. But since most other reviewers in town don’t review this scrappy little company of actors, The Brazen Faced Varlets, I’ve taken upon myself to write about their latest production. I have, with great diligence, worked to remain objective.)Having just been nominated for an Art Voice Arite Award for their last production, Libation Bearers: Electra: Screw You Mom, there is obviously no rest for the wicked – thankfully. Once again, in the small back room of the wonderfully musty Rust Belt Books, a small band…

Read More

Preservation Buffalo Niagara has chosen to recognize 257 Lafayette Center at its annual awards ceremony later this week. The project was chosen under the “rehabilitation/adaptive use” category for its transformation of a former school building into residential and commercial space on the west side. Award categories were established to acknowledge distinguished contributions to our community through preservation activity. Recipients will be recognized in the following areas: restoration; rehabilitation/adaptive use; stewardship; landscape preservation; neighborhood conservation; preservation service; and education and outreach.

Read More

Westminster Presbyterian Church located at 724 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo will officially open their new west entrance following the worship service Sunday at noon. The work was part of the church’s $3 million New Beginnings capital campaign. In addition to the new entrance, the campaign sought to preserve and enhance other parts of the over 150 year-old camps. Formally a small two-story house, the structure behind the church was converted into a two-story entrance by connecting it to the rear of the main church building. Many of the historic elements of the building were retained while also updating the structure to…

Read More