Columbus
Buffalo Business First
Home prices are up, but is Buffalo's market still undervalued?
The Buffalo area's housing prices are soaring — but new data shows the housing market here is still undervalued. <\p> There's a 30% deficit between the median existing home price of $209,950.00 and median home buying power of $301,624.38 in the Buffalo metro area, according to numbers from First American Financial Corp.<\p>
Buffalo health system gets more good news on bond ratings
Catholic Health’s ongoing financial improvements got a nod this week as S&P Global Ratings revised its ratings outlook from negative to stable, affirming a B- rating on its debt.<\p> It’s the second time in six months the Buffalo-based health system has been recognized for its turnaround following a revision in December by Moody’s that saw Catholic Health upgraded from Caa1 to Caa2.<\p>
Most Americans still struggle to get away from work while on vacation
Most Americans struggle to get away from work while on vacation, even as some progress is being seen in restoring work-life balance.<\p> About 59% of the 2,000 Americans surveyed by communications firm Movchan Agency said they struggled to switch off during their downtime and 63% said they felt anxious if they didn’t check work emails while away. Overall, 54% said they worked while on vacation, although that's a lower share than previous years. <\p>
Former Catholic school sold for $1.3M
Developer Samuel Savarino has sold a 128-year-old former Catholic school that has been converted into apartments and commercial space in Buffalo's Valley neighborhood.<\p> Savarino's 169 Elk Street LLC sold McDermott Lofts at 169 Elk St. for $1.3 million to Elk Street Holdings LLC of Buffalo.<\p>
Nonprofit moves ahead on $4M visitor center
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff is moving forward with plans for a $4 million expanded visitor center in Derby.<\p> Built in 1931, the historic eight-acre site at 6472 Old Lakeshore Road was the summer home of Darwin Martin. <\p>
National retailer to add 4 stores in Buffalo market
A national mattress store chain is adding stores in the Buffalo area.<\p> Houston-based Mattress Firm Inc. has signed a lease deal with Benderson Development to open four more local stores, according to Eric Recoon, Benderson vice president of leasing and development. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.<\p>
Barnes & Noble adding a Buffalo-area store
A national bookseller is coming to a Buffalo-area mall.<\p> New York-based Barnes & Noble is opening a location at the Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga. The bookseller is expected to open this year in late summer or early fall, according to Alex Corbelli, marketing director for the Galleria.<\p>
Texas company acquires Buffalo-based tech business
A national software company has acquired a Buffalo-based technology business. <\p> Austin, Texas-based Epicor, which has business software products aimed at retail, service, manufacturing and distribution industries, recently announced it has acquired Kyklo. <\p>
WNY's Healthiest Employers: Introducing the 2024 Wellness Champions
Five Wellness Champions will be honored this year during the 14th annual Western New York Healthiest Employers Awards.<\p> These individuals play pivotal roles in the health and wellness efforts of their employers, improving the lives of the people around them and helping their companies thrive. <\p>
These WNY colleges have the highest faculty pay
The University at Buffalo is the highest paying university in Western New York, paying its 1,304 faculty members an average salary of $115,876, according to a recent Business Journals analysis of fiscal year 2023 U.S. Department of Education data for public and private universities. <\p> The data shows that of 13 four-year college in the region, the average faculty salary was about $74,331, meaning UB’s pay is well above average for Western New York. <\p>
Once again, home in Clarence Spaulding Green sells for over $1M
With the June high-end home market heating up, this year’s total for million-dollar residential deals is closer to keeping up with last year’s.<\p> Henry L. Jurek III and Megan Jurek recently sold 9728 Silver Birch Court, Clarence, for about $1.173 million to James and Sheryl Montanari of Grand Island, according to June 7 filings with the Erie County clerk’s office.<\p>
National lobster food trucks heading to Buffalo
Cousins Maine Lobster, a national franchise, will start food truck operations this weekend in Buffalo as a multi-market franchisee expands upstate.<\p> Pete and Cindy Sztankovits currently run five food trucks in central and northwestern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Their sixth franchise agreement covers the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse markets.<\p>
As another WNY hospital plans to close, redevelopment plans vary
What's the best reuse for former hospital campuses?<\p> That's the question being asked in Dunkirk after a recommitment by the state to release funds to build a replacement hospital for Brooks Memorial Hospital. <\p>
The Playbook: The common pay threads for high-performing companies
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> During a time when more workers expect transparency around pay, most top-performing companies are proving to be forthcoming — but that's not the only common thread. <\p>
Niagara Square buildings sell for $1.1M
An attorney has purchased a pair of 100-year-old buildings in downtown's Niagara Square.<\p> Todd Potter's company, Circle Back Holdings LLC, purchased 112 Franklin St. and 60 Niagara Square from Marotto Realty Corp. for $1.1 million, according to records filed Tuesday in the Erie County Clerk's office.<\p>
Entrepreneurs of color talk overcoming bias, hiring and marketing
Do you feel celebrated? <\p> Founders and entrepreneurs of color spoke during a panel discussion on June 12 about what it means to them to be celebrated in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. 43North and Bank of America held the event at the Northland Workforce Training Center and moderated by Christian Gaddis, director of Forge Buffalo at 43North. <\p>
NAR settlement threw a wrench into VA loans but a fix is coming
The class-action lawsuits that rocked the residential real estate industry over the past year have resulted in nearly $1 billion in settlements so far — and also put in place changes that could have hurt veterans’ ability to shop for homes.<\p> The National Association of Realtors and big brokers such as RE/MAX Holdings Inc., Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and Keller Williams Realty Inc. agreed to prohibit mandatory so-called “cooperation agreements,” in which sellers pay both the selling agent and the buyers agent commission for a sale, in exchange for being allowed to list a home on a multiple listing service.<\p>
Tupperware inks deal with national retailer
A multinational kitchenware brand and a national department store chain have teamed up.<\p> Orlando-based Tupperware Brands Corp. (NYSE: TUP) and New York-headquartered Macy’s Inc. have formed an in-store distribution strategy agreement, where all 500-plus Macy’s locations and Macys.com now carry the food storage products. <\p>
Introducing 2024's Healthiest Employers finalists
The 14th annual Healthiest Employers Awards feature 29 companies from across Western New York.<\p> The finalists were selected in a process coordinated by Springbuk, a health analytics firm that researches corporate wellness trends. One company in each of the five categories, which are determined by number of employees, will take home top honors at an Aug. 22 event at Buffalo RiverWorks.<\p>
Largest Physical Therapy Facilities: Excelsior, McAuley move up
Continuing its streak in 2024 as the largest physical therapy facility in Buffalo is the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York.<\p> The VNA provides in-home physical therapy services to patients throughout all eight counties of Western New York.<\p>
Buffalo Business First
5K+
Posts
962K+
Views
The Buffalo region's source for local business news, breaking news alerts, newsletters, business intelligence and local business networking. An American City Business Journals publication.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.