Chef Valentina “Val” Garcia Montaño and Dr. Michael Stanley Gallisdorfer are two parts of one whole. Together they deliver a kind of soul food for the spirit at Cucina Restaurant at The Richardson Hotel. Chef Val’s creative touch is matched by Michael’s words, telling the story of Buffalo today… through dinner. Focusing on food alone forgets the secret essence of dinner, social gathering and storytelling, defining our lives with each other. The heart of each dish Chef Val creates is [...]

Thanks for tuning into the Building Buffalo podcast. This week, we’re discussing a project that I am really looking forward to. I believe that 42 North Brewing Company’s new tasting room in the Wurlitzer Building (more recently, Tent City) is going to help beckon a ‘new day’ for Main Street. A project like this will not only attract throngs of beer and food lovers to Theater District, it’s also going to demonstrate the need for more versatile businesses that are [...]

The latest Building Buffalo podcast features Buffalo Go Green founder, executive director and CEO Allison DeHonney, and Director of Operations, Marilyn Rodgers. In the podcast, we discuss the future of The East Side’s first-ever holistic wellness center (and campus) that includes components such as a new indoor food production system, including a hydroponic system that will provide herbs and vegetables to the community year round, a teaching kitchen, and a community building. From servicing mobile markets to empowering urban farm [...]

The latest Building Buffalo podcast features Kyle Ciminelli, who was recently named President, Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation. Kyle is now working alongside his father Paul, now Chief Executive Officer of the company. Kyle Ciminelli brings with him, a number of assets and insights. Upon returning from New York City, where he worked at Newmark Group, Inc. – a world leader in commercial real estate – Kyle managed to form an alliance between Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation and Newmark Group, Inc. This [...]

This episode of Building Buffalo is dedicated to the art of magic, as it pertains to Buffalo. In this podcast, I am joined by physical geographer Dr. Michael Stanley Gallisdorfer, and Buffalo’s very own masterful magician, Garrett Thomas. Garrett appeared on the hit TV show Penn & Teller Fool Us in 2020, where he won, fooling Penn and Teller with some sleight-of-hand with a ring. For over 30 years, Garrett has been working his magic in Buffalo, and beyond. Not only does [...]

Every district has a cheerleader or two. In Black Rock, it’s Sue Cholewa. For upwards of 20 years, Sue has been fighting for, and investing in, Black Rock. She’s seen a lot of ups and downs, yet has always remained upbeat about district. I give a lot of credit to Sue, who has been a stalwart activist in Black Rock, especially along Amherst Street. Her enthusiasm for Black Rock as a whole is palpable, as you will soon find out. [...]

In the inaugural episode of Buffalo Rising’s latest series, Building Buffalo, we are excited to present a dialogue led by BR Co-Founder, Author, and our host, Newell Nussbaumer. Newell is joined by Frits Abell – a well-known preservationist, dreamer, doer, business person, and urbanist with a profound love and understanding of Buffalo’s unique urban landscape. After much anticipation, Frits made his way to the Buffalo Rising studio for a fireside chat that promised to delve into the intricacies of Buffalo’s [...]

In this podcast episode, BR co-founder and author, Newell Nussbaumer, recounts his experience visiting North Tonawanda and how it could serve as a blueprint for downtown Buffalo’s revitalization efforts. Newell Nussbaumer sits down with esteemed guests, real estate developer Paul Ciminelli and North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec, for a discussion on the achievements of North Tonawanda’s downtown core and its potential to ignite revitalization in downtown Buffalo. Key Points Discussed: Rethinking Urban Space: The discussion highlights the need to convert existing [...]