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Buffalo Business First
Italian restaurant to take over Ziggy's Taco space
A new elevated Italian fast casual restaurant is in development in Eggertsville by a longtime restaurateur newly returned to the region.<\p> David Chicane expects to open Artusi this fall at 3975 Main St., where Ziggy’s Taco & Subs closed last summer. It’s his next venture, after running Hudson Food Studio for the past 15 years in the Hudson Valley. He sold that business in October.<\p>
Genesee St. properties go up for sale for $1.8M
A portfolio of seven buildings just outside Buffalo's Central Business District is on the market for $1.8 million.<\p> Machine shop Emcom Industries is looking to sell 235, 241 and 245 Genesee St. and 126 Ash St. The six commercial buildings and one house on the four connected parcels total about 41,000 square feet.<\p>
Built in 1900, Buffalo home sells for over $1M
A turn-of-the-century Buffalo residence is the latest million-dollar home sale in Erie County.<\p> Annmarie Maxwell recently sold 70 Oakland Place, Buffalo, for $1.18 million to 70 Oakland LLC, according to July 11 filings with the Erie County clerk’s office.<\p>
Biotech firm raises $5.8M for cancer drug trial
Buffalo-based MimiVax has raised millions as it works toward commercialization of its cancer immunotherapy drug. <\p> The spin-off from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center recently raised a nearly $5.8 million convertible debt round to continue its phase 2B clinical trial for SurVaxM, its cancer immunotherapy drug. The round is expected to close by the end of August, according to CEO and co-founder Dr. Michael Ciesielski.<\p>
University stacks board with heavy hitters in health care
D’Youville University has added four new members to its board of trustees, all of them with significant roles in the region’s health care landscape. <\p> The university has about 54 degree programs, and of its roughly 2,500 students, 90% are studying a health-related field. <\p>
$1M+ home sales recorded in Clarence, Orchard Park
Million-dollar home sales can have a domino effect. That’s the case with two of July’s latest high-end home sales.<\p> Robert Prince recently sold 5035 and 5039 Goodrich Road, Clarence, for $1.4 million to Iroquois Realty Corp., which lists an address in Longboat Key, Florida, according to July 11 filings with the Erie County clerk’s office.<\p>
Buffalo CEO to join federal advisory committee
For Ofo Ezeugwu, recently getting named to a federal advisory committee is the latest step in nearly a decade of work.<\p> Ezeugwu founded in 2015 WhoseYourLandlord, a now Buffalo-based software platform that seeks to forge meaningful communication, transparency and insights between property owners and residential renters. Just this summer, he was named as an inaugural member of the Federal Housing Financial Agency’s advisory committee on affordable, equitable and sustainable housing.<\p>
Cultural campus, HQ move lie ahead for preservation group
The $1.55 million purchase of a 1920s office building is the next step in the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission's plan to create a campus of Black-owned businesses and cultural sites in Buffalo — and signals another impending move for the commission's headquarters, which opened last year.<\p> The three-story building at the corner of Broadway and Elm Street is the commission's latest purchase on Broadway, with more on the way.<\p>
New No. 1 leads WNY economic development agencies (The List)
Western New York has a new top economic development agency.<\p> For the first time, the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency has landed in the No. 1 spot on our List ranking the agencies of Buffalo and Western New York.<\p>
Power 200 Women: The complete 2024 list
Every year, Business First counts down our annual list of the Power 200 Women, the women who are shaping Western New York's future day in and day out.<\p> The suspense wrapped up July 12 with our final batch of women. Today? It's time for our comprehensive list of each and every one. <\p>
39 of Buffalo's fastest-growing companies
Thirty-nine Western New York companies have made our annual list of Fast Track Companies, thanks to their revenue growth between 2021 and 2023. <\p> The companies are listed below in alphabetical order and were verified by Dopkins & Co. LLP. The ranked list in order of revenue growth will be released next month, and a private reception will be held for the honorees.<\p>
CMBS apartment distress surges as operators struggle to refinance
Distress in the multifamily sector of commercial real estate is mounting as debt issued during a time of ultra-low interest rates is coming due.<\p> Among commercial mortgage-backed securities loans for single-borrower, large multifamily properties, the rate of distress is up 185% in the past six months, according to an analysis by Wayne, Pennsylvania-based commercial real estate data-analytics platform CRED iQ.<\p>
Bar Association of Erie County names new president
Attorney Lauren Breen became the 118th president of the Bar Association of Erie County earlier this month. <\p> Breen, executive director of Neighborhood Legal Services, will serve in the role for one year. She took the reins from Timothy Graber, a partner at Gibson McAskill & Crosby. <\p>
This doctor-turned-consultant is ready to travel the globe
It’s been more than two years since Dr. Raul Vazquez signed a deal with CINQ-Care, giving up control of G-Health Enterprises, the company with roots dating to 1996 when he founded Urban Family Practice. <\p> The deal included both his private practice as well as the Greater Buffalo United Accountable Care Organization and the Greater Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network, all on Buffalo's West Side with operations across the city. He stayed on as president of CINQ-Care New York until April, when he transitioned out of the company.<\p>
Erie's million-dollar-home market is hot; how about Niagara's?
This year is shaping up to be another hot year for million-dollar home sales for Erie County. But neighboring Niagara County — despite having a record-high year for residential deals totaling $1 million or more in 2023 — the county has hit a lull. <\p> It’s been about 12 months since a million-dollar home last sold in Western New York’s northwestern most county. <\p>
$2.8M in liens filed over stalled Canalside project
Several contractors have filed liens related to the stalled Heritage Point project at Canalside, alleging $2.8 million in unpaid bills.<\p> Sinatra & Co. and its investment partners have spent more than $12 million out of pocket while trying to secure a loan, according to CEO Nick Sinatra. Now he says he's found a lender but is trying to secure another $4 million loan from the state in order to seal the deal and restart the project.<\p>
Why 2,000 cheesemakers descended on Buffalo this week
Buffalo was the cheesiest it’s ever been this week, as the American Cheese Society held its annual conference in Buffalo. <\p> The four-day conference brought nearly 2,000 cheesemakers to Western New York for cheese tastings, learning sessions, certification testing and competitions at the Buffalo Convention Center. <\p>
$40M federal grant will fund 4 out of 5 semiconductor projects
The Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region is expected to put its recently awarded $40 million to use this fall as it creates a semiconductor superhighway. <\p> While the tri-city region was one of only 12 designated tech hubs to get of a piece of $504 million in implementation grants, the $40 million was $14 million less than what the region had applied for. <\p>
Cheektowaga plaza sells for $18.5M
A Cheektowaga Plaza has sold for $18.5 million in one of Erie County's biggest real estate deals of 2024.<\p> G&I IX Empire Plaza sold six parcels totaling about 43 acres at 50-950 Thruway Plaza Drive to Equity Holdings of Cheektowaga LLC, a company registered in White Plains, Westchester County.<\p>
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