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Buffalo Business First
Niagara/Orleans pizzeria picks Orchard Park for its fourth location
Five years after launching a pizzeria concept in Medina, the Bitsas family and partner Marc Massaro are expanding to Orchard Park this fall.<\p> Cusimano’s Pizzeria will operate from a 2,600-square-foot leased space at 3144 Orchard Park Road, a plaza owned by Bevilacqua Development L.P. that also houses Kaylena Marie’s Bakery and Pita Gourmet. <\p>
New York state recommits $74M toward new WNY hospital
A recommitment by the state for $74 million will restart the development process for a new hospital in Fredonia – and enable a new partnership with Kaleida Health.<\p> Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the funding previously committed for the project before the pandemic would be awarded to allow the Brooks-TLC Hospital System to build the new hospital to replace Brooks Hospital’s aging facility in Dunkirk.<\p>
National childcare company pays $3.27M for Lancaster site
A national childcare chain has acquired a Lancaster property and the local childcare center on it. <\p> Walden Acres LLC recently sold 3970 Walden Ave., Lancaster, for about $3.27 million to Black Knight 24 LLC, according to June 3 filings with the Erie County clerk’s office. <\p>
Circa-1804 business tops Family-Run Business List for 2024
The 2024 Multi-generational Family Businesses List includes six family farms in the top 10.<\p> Coming in at No. 1: Orchard Dale Fruit Co., a fruit farm founded in 1804 in Waterport in Orleans County.<\p>
Doc Sullivan's to stay open under new partnership after owner's death
Weeks after the death of owner Tommy Cowan, Doc Sullivan’s is transitioning to new ownership under his family, led by brother-in-law, Patrick Lalley.<\p> The bar/restaurant at 474 Abbott Road closed temporarily in early May, along with Forty Thieves Kitchen & Bar at 727 Elmwood Ave., with both reopening a week or two after Cowan’s funeral. <\p>
UB merger repositions HWI after decade of financial deficits
Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute leaders say the decision to merge into the University at Buffalo came from a desire to maximize its assets and gain new resources, versus financial difficulties.<\p> The merger, announced in late May, highlights the nonprofit research institute’s strengths and influence, according to Sam Russo, HWI board chair. He pointed to the opportunity to work with UB when it comes to recruiting and going after grants. <\p>
Buffalo law firm acquires Syracuse office, 11 attorneys
A Buffalo law firm is adding an office and 11 health care attorneys after combining with a Syracuse firm. <\p> Lippes Mathias LLP has acquired CCBLaw, a Syracuse firm that practices primarily in health care. The combination, which is effective as of today, also added eight staff members, bringing Lippes’ totals to 195 attorneys and 158 staff across 15 offices. The deal also gave Lippes its first office presence in Syracuse. <\p>
Small-business grants you can apply for this month
Despite the seemingly endless number of challenges that come along with being a small-business owner, the vast majority of entrepreneurs recommend it. <\p> A survey of employed adults and small-business owners by Justworks and The Harris Poll earlier this year revealed that 93% of small-business owners would recommend business ownership to others, with 59% saying it was easier than they had anticipated. <\p>
Health insurers request double-digit rate hikes for '25
Individual and small commercial groups could see double-digit rate increases in 2025, if Western New York health plans have their way.<\p> Health insurance providers submit their rate requests to the state Department of Financial Services every spring for the following year as part of the state’s prior approval process. It’s rare for most plans to get the full increases they’ve requested, as the state works to keep rates as low as possible. Final rates are typically announced in late summer.<\p>
More workers are staying with their current employer in 2024
Most U.S. employees are now choosing to stay with their jobs instead of looking for new ones, a sharp turnaround from the job reshuffling that was common during the Covid-19 pandemic. <\p> A new survey by global advisory firm WTW found 72% of employees are choosing to stay with their employer — up substantially from the 53% who said the same thing in 2022. Back then, about 25% of workers were open to job offers, compared to just 11% now.<\p>
Prospective homebuyers are missing out as sellers cut their prices
The chronically troublesome housing market is seeing more price drops, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into relief for homebuyers.<\p> Data from real estate firm Redfin Corp. shows 6.4% of active listings on the platform had a price drop through the week ending May 26. While that's not a massive portion of listings, the percentage is substantially higher than the 4.4% of listings with price drops recorded during the same time in 2023.<\p>
New tenant for former Gander Mountain store
A nationwide self-storage company is expanding its local presence.<\p> CubeSmart (NYSE: CUBE), a self-managed real estate company focused on acquiring, owning, operating and developing self-storage facilities in the United States, recently opened a site at 880 Young St. in Tonawanda.<\p>
May restaurant news: 9 openings, 9 closings, many more in the works
As the busy summer season nears, Western New York continues to see growth and expansion in the restaurant and hospitality space.<\p> In May, Buffalo Business First reported on nine openings, nine closings, two sales and 15 projects under development plus more than a dozen updates and trend stories. <\p>
JCPenney drops challenges to Boulevard Mall eminent domain process
After over a year of stalled progress, the Boulevard Mall eminent domain process will now be able to move forward.<\p> JCPenney, after trying twice via legal filings to block the Town of Amherst’s eminent domain process at the mall site, has agreed to drop its challenges, according to a town spokesperson. <\p>
A rising cost for companies and employees takes hold as summer arrives
Editor's Note: Welcome to The Playbook Edition, a look at stories, trends and changes that could affect your business and career. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. <\p> In the coming weeks, schools around the nation will be out, and many employees will find themselves scrambling for child care options.<\p>
Equity deals fuel New Era's nearly 400% increase in charitable giving
Profits tied to the sale of equity in New Era Cap Co. Inc. are starting to trickle into Western New York – with millions more expected in the coming years.<\p> The New Era Cap Foundation paid out $1.3 million in 2023 to grantees that included the University at Buffalo Foundation, Hope Totes and Elmwood Franklin School as well as the Jackie Robinson Foundation and Lids Foundation. That's up from $270,000 in total grants and gifts in 2022.<\p>
Buffalo health plan reports Q1 loss of $42M
Pointing to a busy winter season with high hospital utilization, Highmark Western and Northeastern New York posted a $42 million deficit for the first quarter on revenue of $745 million.<\p> But those challenges have largely leveled off, and the Buffalo-based health plan expects to see improvements in operations for the year.<\p>
Buffalo-based Indian restaurant plans for 4 new sites in two years
A Buffalo-based Indian food restaurant has plans to triple in size to six stores in the next two years.<\p> The expansion for Alibaba Kebab starts this year with two new suburban locations in West Seneca and East Amherst. They are part of a larger plan by the fast casual Indian and Mediterranean restaurant to become a regional – and possibly national – chain.<\p>
Local real estate firm to open first office in Niagara County
Niagara County is an increasingly hot market for real estate. Case in point: WNY Metro Roberts Realty is opening its first office in that county.<\p> The locally based real estate brokerage expects to open its newest office by July 1 in Lockview Plaza, 21 Main St., Lockport. This will be the firm's 11th office in Western New York. <\p>
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