Hispanic Cultural Institute to open in 2025

By George McClendon Jr.

            Members of the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul and other elected officials broke ground on a new $30 million Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute on Sept. 15,  the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month

The 37,000-square-foot building will be built on the corner of Niagara and Hudson streets.  It will serve as a center to celebrate Hispanic culture, arts, and heritage for the community. The project is estimated to be completed in 18 months.

It is a "gathering place for people from many different backgrounds, to want to learn about the great contributions of the Hispanic community," Gov. Hochul said, "but also, not just learn about the past, but celebrate with theater and dance, and broadcasting to the world the stories of what people are doing. So, your grandson will know the proud story of the struggles. They have an eye toward the future and know that’ll be better because of those who came before and built a place to celebrate this great story.”

The center will feature three floors. The first two will be for all the amenities provided in the facility and the third floor has been allocated for tenant leased space, allowing people in the community to host their own events there.

The facility will have energy efficient amenities, including solar panels.

“It’s going to be a one-of-a-kind hub,” said council Vice President Maritza Vega.  “It’s going to be good for the community in general, not just Hispanic. We are going to feature experimental learning and we’re going to have a theater, along with a TV and radio station for our youth to learn about all of this.”

Additionally, the interior spaces will include a museum, art gallery, café, and a gift shop. The entire facility will have flexible, multi-functional spaces to accommodate various types of programs. 

The council has received funding from both state and federal offices to help fund this project. A year ago, Gov. Hochul announced a $5 million grant through Empire State Development for the institute’s construction.

In addition to that, in 2021, the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council awarded a $725,000 grant. The New York Power Authority also provided a $300,000 funding award.

“This project is very important not only to this organization, but to this community. This project represents art and culture, with many of our partners in the community, but we also envision this project to be the economic engine of this area. The gateway to America, it is going to be a tourist attraction not only locally, but across the state and Canada,” said council President, Casimiro Rodriguez Sr.  

 

 

 

Massachusetts Ave. farm sets winter schedule

Katherine Pfohl, Massachusetts Avenue Project farm manager, picks eggplants from the garden for the last days of this year’s harvest. “Our market still operates over the winter. We wrap up our CSA distribution obligations as the season ends. The soil needs to take a break. And the market still stays open every Thursday,” Pfohl, said. The Massachusetts Avenue Project, 387 Massachusetts Ave., is an urban farm in the heart of the West Side bringing farm fresh food to its residents. West Side residents can pick up eggs, bread, staple products, beauty products, and storage crops from 3-6 p.m., Thursdays, from November through April.  During December, the farm offers a special holiday market that sells handmade gifts like knit wear and clay pottery from local businesses. By Brittany Whalen

Rowing club wraps season, plans for winter conditioning

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Illegal activity decreases after improvements

 

The Elmwood Village Association Executive Director James Cichocki says improvements have been made to two neighborhood trouble spots greatly alleviating illegal activity. He thanks the Buffalo Police Department for its role in making the Elmwood Village a safer place to be. While crime in certain areas might be improving Areavibes, a website that calculates a livability score for neighborhoods, gives the Elmwood Village an overall livability score of 82 but a failing grade for crime. By Khalid Chapman

After-school programs up and running at WSCS

Jaymir Johnson, a volunteer for West Side Community Services After School Program helps a student find what toy during a recent afternoon. The program for grade kindergarten to six, runs school days from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. at the center, 161 Vermont St. The teen program for 7th graders and students to age 19 will begin Oct. 10 and will operate from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays. The after-school program has a monthly fee, although Erie County may offer a credit to specific families. The teen program is free. Intentions are to host a program for some of the school breaks this year for the first time. “The hope is to do it this year for at least two breaks. We had an awesome staff member who ran our summer camp, and we’re hoping to bring her back for vacation and break camps, although it is not officially set in stone,” Mary Schaefer, the head of the program, said. By Andrew Forsyth

Concerns continue for evicted migrants

 

Buffalo State University announced the eviction of 44 migrants from campus housing just before the start of the Fall 2023 semester. Matt Tice, Vive Shelter director of Asylum Seekers Programs, says the eviction could be detrimental to their progress and Vive remains committed to stability for migrants and their families. By Angela Caico

West Side film studio rich with opportunity

Professor and Director of Television and Film Arts at Buffalo State University 

Aaron Daniel Annas 

By Andrew DiMartino

Construction on the Niagara Street Studio site at the corner of Niagara and West Ferry Street is well underway and the hopes for impact on Buffalo’s West Side remain strong. The future site is already generating interest from the community as the possibilities for new opportunities grow.

            Professor and Director of Television and Film Arts at Buffalo State University, Aaron Daniel Annas believes that a partnership between the university and Niagara Street Studio is very likely given the current collaborations with established film studios.

            Buffalo Filmworks, for example, partners with Buffalo State, Annas said.

            "There was just a media production project, a music video, shot at the soundstage,” Annas shared, “it was a professional project that students worked together on.”

He suggests the addition of a new studio would offer students looking to enter a career in the film industry better chances to work on professional projects right here in the neighborhood.

            The studio's impact reaches further than just college campuses however, since businesses in and outside the realm of film production could be called on to help with the projects the studio is working on.

Buffalo Expendables, 799 Seneca St., supplies productions across Western New York with necessary equipment ranging from headsets and cords to tape and clamps. Co-founders Amy Cortese and Matthew Quinn are excited to begin working with the studio and to provide it  with the proper tools needed to make their projects possible.

“I am hopeful and anticipate it being a big deal.” Quinn said, “If some series came and took over that space and needed to be in production five days a week, that would change a lot of people’s lives around here.”

It is important not only for big budget films to want to shoot in Buffalo but also for more consistent, long-running productions such as television series to come to the city. Some television shows have completely changed the landscape of the cities they filmed in, such as AMC’s The Walking Dead and its impact on the city of Atlanta.   

“With the larger productions that have been here, I think the nice thing about when somebody dips their toe into Buffalo is that they always like it here,” Cortese said. “Our city is very welcoming of them coming here and making movies, being very cooperative and willing to do what we can.”

The location of the studio on Niagara Street is also an indicator of the city's efforts towards investing in the district. Buying the 1155 Niagara St. property from Rich Products Corp. gave Great Point Media a great spot in the city and a valued local investment partner, Buffalo NIagara Film Office Director of Operations Rich Wall said.

"I think geographically its location in a Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, transportation access, and proximity to a ready-to-go workforce made this West Side location a great choice,” Wall said.

He described the studio as another area of support in the city's investments to Niagara Streets infrastructure, turning the industrial district into a bustling business community.

Not only is the location great but the timing as well. As a way to encourage productions to film in New York, Gov.  Kathy Hochul is implementing the New York State Film Tax Credit Program. Annas believes this tax break for filming expenses is going to increase productions in the state to the levels seen in pre-pandemic years, or possibly beyond.