The pressure is mounting on ECC officials to reconsider building a new $30 million facility on the North Campus and instead expand downtown.  Senator Mark Grisanti and Assemblyman Sam Hoyt wrote to ECC President Jack Quinn on Thursday urging the college to not only keep "health and science programming on or near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus" but also suggest that ECC consolidate it campuses.  While not advocating one central campus, the elected officials want to begin

Value-engineering may be king, particularly in the real estate business, but there are those that still seek out quality craftsmanship.  Take for instance Buffalo Plastering and Architectural Casting at 315 Hinman Avenue in north Buffalo.  Their impressive work can be found in many of the area's restored architectural treasures.

Gary Bolles started the firm in 1989 after working as an apprentice under old world craftsmen. He currently boasts 30 years of experience in the trade.  Bolles later partnered with European-trained

With a 39 percent increase in active patients in the past five years and a 58 percent rise in outpatient appointments over the past decade, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is launching a strategic initiative to keep pace with its clinical expansion needs. Today its Campaign to Build a Greater Roswell Park gained impressive momentum to meet this objective thanks to a collaborative $10 million gift from ten Western New York families.

Through the creation of a "Circle of 10," the 10 families have stepped forward to provide gifts of $1 million each. The funds will support the building

Congressman Brian Higgins, Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder and New York Senator Tim Kennedy announced the latest project contributing to the transformation of Buffalo's waterfront.  The Western New York elected officials released details on the current construction project at Gallagher Beach. 
 
"In incremental steps we are building the waterfront that this community demanded and deserves," said Congressman Higgins.  "These improvements will complement the new Parkway and give waterfront destination seekers a new outlet to visit and enjoy."
 
Senator

THE BASICS: The legendary Lerner and Loewe musical, based upon Shaw's own PYGMALION, has set up shop at the Festival Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where it plays in repertory all the way 'til October 30th. It's a large, colorful, tuneful package; plan on three hours with the single intermission.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH: London, just before the Great War. Can Professor Henry Higgins--brilliant but eccentric elocutionist and "confirmed old bachelor"--transform scruffy Cockney flower-seller Eliza Doolittle into a lady, on a bet? And if so, can he resist his own magnificent

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is wrapping up its 75th Anniversary Season this weekend and next.  This weekend, Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus joins the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in two performances of Verdi's Requiem, conducted by JoAnn Falletta and guest artists Angela Brown, Ann McMahan Quintero, Bryan Register and Jason Grant.  Saturday's concert begins at 8 PM with a Sunday matinee at 2:30. 

echo: Art Fair, a new juried contemporary art event that aims to connect art collectors and admirers of art with emerging and established fine artists, announces the selected artists and galleries for the inaugural event today.  

"The response to echo: Art Fair's Call for Submissions was impressive," said founder Frits Abell.  "We had in excess of 100 artists and galleries that submitted artwork. While most artists were from the WNY region, we had entries that came in from Toronto, New York, Boston, Paris, and Moscow. It was

Work on a larger Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum in downtown Buffalo is moving along. Steel framing is up and the brick entryway is beginning to take shape at the Michigan Avenue and Seneca Street complex. The project, spearheaded by museum founder James T. Sandoro, is a $6.3 million expansion of the existing building.

The museum celebrates the Pierce-Arrow, the Thomas Flyer and several other Buffalo-manufactured automobiles, as well as locally produced trucks, bicycles, and auto accessories. At one time, the Pierce-Arrow

The Painting for Preservation crew will be on the east side Saturday morning, June 4, 'capturing' the Vaux Barn.  The wooden structure is located on Mills Street, just south of Genesee Street.  It was designed by Calvert Vaux, Frederick Law Olmsted's partner.  Vaux prepared the designs for the park system's buildings.  The barn is believed to have been used in some capacity by the nearby The Park, originally called The Parade and now named Martin Luther

Remember late November 2010 when the Hockey News released a report that billionaire Terry Pegula was going to purchase the Buffalo Sabres? Most people responded to the news with a single word: "Who?" Well, as we all know now, Pegula was a legitimate self-made billionaire with ties to Western New York. And the Hockey News was right and he now owns the Sabres. 
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NPR has a story today on Buffalo's own Gary White.  The master hatter has been making hats for 30 years, 20 of them at the corner of Broadway and Schmarbeck Avenue.  The following post by Elena that ran on Buffalo Rising in March 2008:

Dick Tracy, The Untouchables, Tombstone and Indiana Jones; movies in which the hats are so important, they almost become characters. Enter Gary White,

While votes are still being tallied, early polling data - and inside campaign sources close to both campaigns who have spoken to Buffalo Rising - have made it clear that Kathy Hochul will defeat Jane Corwin and Jack Davis in the special election to fill Chris Lee's vacant House of Representatives seat. 
The 26th Congressional District of New York, which stretches from Amherst to Monroe County, is a Republican district and Hochul's victory is an upset. Indeed, Republicans have held the seat

The National Park Service has approved the addition of Buffalo Seminary to the National Register of Historic Places.  Three other properties, along with the University Park Historic District, were also added to the list earlier this month.

The approval of Buffalo Seminary comes just two months after the 102-year-old building, which serves as the main campus for Buffalo's oldest all-girls high school, was named to the New York State Register of Historic

MAME by Jerry Herman, A Co-production of O'Connell & Company and Playhouse of American Classics.

"Collaboration"  seems to be the word of the moment in theatrical circles. Seen as a balm for lost county funding and a path to economic solvency for smaller theatre companies, the concept of collaboration is hardly a new one.

There have been several notable local theatrical collaborations over the years, The Irish Classical Theatre and the Paul Robeson Theatre once created an interesting production of Eugene O'Neill's THE EMPEROR JONES ( with a substantial grant

Certain people go about their day quietly working and doing what they love.   They go out of their way to assist others with projects, research and events. And they do it never expecting anything in return for all their hard work or for giving back to their community.

Patrick Kavanagh is that kind of guy. And in recognition of his hard work, Pat was awarded the Education and Outreach Award at the Preservation Buffalo Niagara luncheon yesterday at the Hyatt hotel.  Award categories were established to acknowledge distinguished contributions to our community through preservation

There are several examples of church reuses in Buffalo, like Babeville and the Bryant Parish Condos, but there still remains a multitude of beautiful churches prime for repurposing. Oftentimes since these buildings were constructed for a single purpose, they pose a challenge for potential developers.

Our neighbors to the north in Toronto have accepted the challenge and the latest is the Bellefair

Alec Baldwin seems to have a thing for Buffalo-area businesses. First, he took some time to go shopping with his mother in her favorite Wegmans store. And now, he's starring in a New Era commerical. 
Baldwin, as you likely know, is from Long Island and is a longtime Yankees fan. John Krasinski - best known for his role in The Office - is a Red Sox fan. Put the two together and you have a great commercial for one of Buffalo's

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 r/regional/index.html

Buffalo's cultural ambassador (see this May 6 review in the Toronto Star), celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season in 2010-2011.  Since 1940, the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's permanent home has been Kleinhans Music Hall, a National Historic Site with an international reputation as one of the finest concert halls in the United States.  While orchestras in many cities are under financial stress (see this recent

In our series, 30 Days of Bicycle Benefits, you will be introduced to 30 new businesses that will offer you great discounts for riding your bike and wearing your helmet. Thirty businesses that want to say, "Thank you," for choosing not to drive your car.

Handlebars Cycle Company - 10% off accessories, 15% off legally required accessories

Walking in to Handlebars bike shop as a casual cyclist feels like being an airplane model enthusiast behind the handlebars of an F16. The show room seems to suggest that if an amazing bicycle technology advance has been made... it's