Business First of Buffalo articles from November 2001

Business First of Buffalo archives from November 2001

Little appreciation in WNY home value.(western New York)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 2001... Results of a new study will come as no surprise to anyone who bought or sold a home in upstate New York during the past decade. Appreciation rates in Buffalo and other upstate metropolitan areas are among the lowest in the nation,...

Life insurance industry fielding more inquiries.(in wake of terrorist attacks on U.S.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 2001... Along with proof about how frail and uncertain life is, Sept. 11 brought rising concerns about life insurance, some agents and others in the business say. "There definitely is a renewed interest in life insurance. We have had people say...

Charters take wing in wake of Sept. 11.(World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks influence charter air services industry)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
November 26, 2001... The attacks of Sept. 11 created new business opportunities for the charter aviation industry. "Business has picked up since Sept. 11," said Lisa Briggs, director of operations and part owner of Great Circle Aviation in Dunkirk. ...

Sportservice signs Bear of a deal for Chicago fans.(Sportservice Corp. signs areement with Chicago Bears for new Soldier Field)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 26, 2001... Sportservice Corp. is about to enter a Bear market. Sportservice, the stadium and arena concession/retail arm of Buffalo's Delaware North Cos., has sighed a letter of intent to handle concessions, fine dining and catering of premium seats...

5th Coast.(two New York sports news briefs)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Thumbs up ... to the Buffalo Bills for putting on quite a show honoring former OB Jim Kelly, including retiring his jersey, No. 12. By the way, Joe Ferguson James Harris, Daryle Lamonica, Manchester Wheeler and Al Dorow also had their...

Traffic on Main Street is topic of workshop. (To the Point).
November 26, 2001... Returning vehicular traffic to Main Street in downtown Buffalo will be the focus of a public workshop. An environmental assessment is being sponsored by the City of Buffalo, Erie County the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority,...

Theater company honors Irish actor. (To the Point).(Irish Classical Theatre Co. to bestow lifetime achievement award on Milo O'Shea)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... The Irish Classical Theatre Company will present its second annual Lifetime Career Achievement Award to Irish actor Milo O'Shea. The award recognizes a world-renowned theater performer who has exemplified artistic excellence and personal...

Gibraltar Steel Corp. postpones stock offer. (To the Point).(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Buffalo-based Gibraltar Steel Corp. says it has postponed the proposed public offering of 3 million shares of its common stock until market conditions improve. A registration statement for the offering filed July 24 with the Securities...

Submissions sought for Works in Progress. (To the Point).
November 26, 2001... Is there a new office building or shopping center in your future? Perhaps, there's a major expansion or renovation in the pipeline. If so, we're interested. Business First will include a Works in Progress section in the Jan. 28, 2002...

$36 million Amberleigh sale due. (The Second Front).(American Opportunity for Housing-Amberleigh L.L.C. to acquire independent living complex from NHP Retirement Housing Partners I, L.P.)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Amberleigh, the region's largest retirement community, is about to change hands. NHP Retirement Housing Partners I, L.P., the Wall Street partnership that owns Amberleigh, a publicly traded entity created in 1986, will sell the Amherst...

New stores at Galleria as Christmas draws nigh. (The Second Front).(Walden Galleria, Buffalo, New York)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Just as the Christmas shopping season hits full stride, the Walden Galleria will welcome four new tenants. Coming to the region's largest shopping center are: * The Pottery Barn, leasing 12,000 square feet on the mall's first floor....

CA One bringing Ford, Motown to Detroit airport. (The Second Front).(CA One Services brings Henry Ford Museum store, Motown record store to Detroit Metropolitan Airport)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... CA One Services has brought Frank Lloyd Wright to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Wolfgang Puck to the Los Angeles International Airport. Now, CA One, the airport retail and concession arm of Delaware North Cos., is...

Region lags in growth of personal income.
November 26, 2001... The past quarter-century has been very good to North Carolina's Research Triangle, not so good to Western New York. The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area, as the Triangle is officially known, has surpassed or tied the national...

Buffalo hospitals excel, says angioplasty report.
November 26, 2001... Buffalo hospitals are among the top facilities in New York for successful angioplasty procedures, according to the state Department of Health. The state's report for the years 1995 to 1997 shows that doctors at two of the region's...

Duke's New Era deal delayed by allegations.
November 26, 2001... The labor war between workers at New Era Cap. Co.'s. Derby plant and company management has made its way to Durham, N.C. Duke University, acting on allegations from the Workers Rights Consortium, has delayed renewing its contract with New...

CVB secures bookings for next year and 2003.
November 26, 2001... Despite an industrywide fallout from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau has been able to secure 19 new bookings in October. The bookings are expected to bring in 4,910 visitors and have a...

Buffalo airfares rank among nation's lowest, report says.
November 26, 2001... The "Southwest effect" has landed in Western New York. The effect happens when the Dallas-based airline enters a market and drives down competitor costs by offering affordable fares to destinations like Orlando and Baltimore. The...

First Niagara Bank expands in Monroe Co.
November 26, 2001... First Niagara Bank continues to expand into Monroe County where it plans to open a branch in Greece in January pending regulatory approval. The location will bring to 24 the number of branches for the Lockport-based bank in Western and...

Hastings' fort project still on track.
November 26, 2001... The widow of Youngstown developer W. Kirk Hastings who died Sept. 10 vows to continue the $3.6 million project he single-handedly spearheaded for the last 10 years. "We are planning to go ahead and keep as close to the schedule as we...

Digital production promotes Falls.
November 26, 2001... The City of Niagara Falls has gone digital. The city is utilizing a new set of economic and community development tools with the help of DVD technology. Economic incentives for developers along with tourism efforts are part of the...

Merger creates area's 2nd largest hospice.
November 26, 2001... Four hospice and home health care agencies serving rural Western New York have merged, fanning a $5.7 million nonprofit organization. Now known as HomeCare & Hospice, the organization consolidates Home Health Care of Southwestern New...

Three bars debut along Chippewa Street strip.
November 26, 2001... The Chippewa Street district in downtown Buffalo is about to gain three neighbors. In the next few weeks, three bars will open, including one in a former M&T Bank branch and another in the recently opened Hampton Inn. Bar owners...

Comptroller's office OK's country fund balance.
November 26, 2001... After an examination of Erie County's proposed budget the New York State comptroller's office said the county has maintained a reasonable level of fund balance. The budget proposed by Erie County Executive Joel Giambra will have a fund...

Redevelopment group sets fundraising goal.
November 26, 2001... The Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) has launched a second round of fundraising, with a goal of raising $2.125 million to invest in Buffalo neighborhood redevelopment projects. LISC is a nonprofit agency whose mission is to help...

HSBC projects clear final hurdle.
November 26, 2001... HSBC Bank USA has cleared the final bit of paperwork that will clear the way for the financial institution to spend $264. 2 million upgrading some of its facilities in Western New York. The bank closed on a $264.2 million inducement...

State media campaign boosts annual flu shots.
November 26, 2001... The state has dedicated $250,000 to a media campaign to encourage senior citizens and those with chronic diseases to get a flu shot this year. More than 3,000 New Yorkers and 20,000 Americans die from complications from the flu every...

New Chapter written for Gowanda school. (Inside Real Estate).
November 26, 2001... The Gowanda Central School District has a dilemma. The district is looking for solutions on what to do with a former elementary school that just happens to be nearly one century old and of some historic and architectural significance. ...

Checking inn. (Inside Real Estate).
November 26, 2001... Now that the country's six industrial development agencies have agreed to adhere to a uniform incentive policy, expect to see a lot of existing hotels seeking public sector assistance with upcoming renovation projects. The uniform...

Kissling Interests LLC. (Real estate notes).
November 26, 2001... The Kissling Interests LLC, who recently closed on the Cathedral Place building in downtown Buffalo, have retained James McKnight from M.J. Peterson Commercial Real Estate to market the historic building. The 11-story building has about...

Patricia Cwiklinski. (Real estate notes).
November 26, 2001... Patricia Cwiklinski, a long-time leasing agent with Uniland Development Co., has left the Amherst company for Calamar Enterprises, where she will be the firm's director of property operations and leasing. "Her knowledge and experience...

Batesville Casket Co. Inc. (Real estate notes).
November 26, 2001... Batesville Casket Co. Inc. has signed a lease to occupy 9,730 square feet in the Walden-Dick Center in Depew. Because the Erie County IDA holds title to the building, they had to formally approve the lease, which they did at their Nov. 14...

1019 Group LLC/Paladino Development Group Inc. (Real estate notes).
November 26, 2001... Speaking of the IDA, they also at the Nov. 14 meeting approved a $5 million inducement package for the 1019 Group LLC/Paladino Development Group Inc. The developer is building a 32,000-square-foot facility on Dingens Street in Buffalo...

Buffalo makes pitch for traffic on Main St.
November 26, 2001... Buffalo Place Inc. came to the suburbs to pitch the return of traffic on the downtown pedestrian mall. Michael Schmand, Buffalo Place executive director, spent the better part of his Nov. 15 talk with the Western New York chapter of the...

Community Bank completes deal with Fleet.
November 26, 2001... Community Bank System Inc. said it has completed its purchase of 36 branches from FleetBoston Financial Corp. The branches, in southwestern New York and the Finger Lakes, were merged into Community's branch network Nov. 16. The deal...

Prediction comes true as Castle Inn closes.
November 26, 2001... The looming troubles of the now-closed Castle Inn surfaced three years ago when David Butchello. of Castle Hospitality Inc. told local planners a proposed hotel a short distance away in the tax-favored Cattaraugus Empire Zone would deal a...

Buffett liquidates stake in U.S. Bancorp, retains M&T Bank holdings.
November 26, 2001... Warren Buffett has liquidated his stake in a major U.S. banking company but left unchanged his extensive holdings in M&T Bank Corp., a banking newspaper reports. Based on M&T stock's price of $71.52 on Nov. 15 ,the billionaire investor's...

Energy producers/distributors; Ranked by number of WNY employees. (The List).
November 26, 2001... Energy Producers/ distributors Research by Mark Webster Ranked by number of WNY employees Rank Prior Phone Employees WNY rank Web site commercial ...

OSHA delays enforcing new injury report rule. (Washington News Briefs).
November 26, 2001... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration agreed to not cite employers for violations of its new recordkeeping rule for the first 120 days of 2002, provided employers make a good faith effort to track workplace injuries. The rule...

Internet sales tax moratorium extended. (Washington News Briefs).
November 26, 2001... Congress extended the moratorium on Internet access taxes for two years without addressing the trickier question of whether states should be allowed to collect sales taxes on e-commerce. Internet retailers now are required to collect...

Wyoming County Bank gets OK for 14th branch.
November 26, 2001... Wyoming County Bank has received approval from the state banking department to open a branch office at 209-221 Main St. East Aurora. The full-service branch, which will be the Warsaw-based bank's 14th branch and second in Erie County,...

Keep 'em flying: The public is slowly getting used to the idea of air travel again. (Business Meetings & Travel).
November 26, 2001... The traveling public is slowly returning to the nation's airports but the transition following the events of Sept. 11 has been slow. Airlines have discounted fares across the board to entice people to fly again. Heightened security has...

Country club eats up its manager's success. (Special Report First Person).
November 26, 2001... You might say it takes someone with a love of detail and creativity to appreciate; the hundreds of details that go into event planning. In the case of Daniel Riggs, you'd be right. Riggs, catering sales and services manager at Fox Valley...

Making sure solo diners get their just desserts. (Business Meetings & Travel).
November 26, 2001... You're far away from home for business and you're on your own after a day of meetings. The choices for dinner are: a call to room service, or taking yourself out to a restaurant. If you decide to hoof it to an eatery to have a meal solo,...

Falls will still light up for the holiday season.
November 26, 2001... This is the year Niagara Falls is quietly discovering there can be life after the Festival of Lights, which passed into history last summer after a 20-year run. Taking its place is Winterfest Niagara 2001, billed as "a citywide...

Siewert opens WNY service center.
November 26, 2001... Siewert Equipment Co. has opened a customer service facility in Williamsville. A distributor of milling equipment along with pumps, mixers and tanks used in waste water plants, Siewert has facilities in Troy and Rochester. "We've...

Travel group wants 'icon' to head airport security.
November 26, 2001... Business travel groups praised Congress for finally agreeing on legislation to put airplane security under federal control, but they say more needs to be done to restore confidence in the safety of the skies. Kevin Mitchell, chairman of...

Mortgage rates. (Database).
November 26, 2001... Mortgage rates Conventional Fixed Adjustable Lender (phone) 30 yr. 15 yr. 1 yr. Alexis Funding (632-7674) 7.00 6,38 5.63 Amer....

New York Metros Economic Ratings (November). (Database).
November 26, 2001... New York metros economic ratings (November) Albany-Schenectady-Troy *** Binghamton * Buffalo-Niagara Falls * Elmira *...

Money Market and CD Rates-Yields. (Database).
November 26, 2001... Money market and CD rates-yields MM 6 mos. 12 mos. Cattauragus County Bank (***) 1.90-1.92 2.20-2.22 2.45-2.48 Charter One Bank (***) 1.49-1.50 2.62-2.65 2.72-2.75 Chase...

People on the Move.
November 26, 2001... Dennis Schaeffer joined Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP as an associate in the law firm's Buffalo office. He concentrates his practice in litigation and was previously a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John Curtin. Dennis Linn...

Synacor Inc. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... Synacor Inc. launched a line of messaging, collaboration and community applications. The suite includes Synacor's provisioning platform, business messaging and consumer e-mail, business planner and consumer calendar, and business and...

Full Circle Studios. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... Full Circle Studios produced Kid Council, a program designed to teach City of Buffalo students about city government, last month in common council chambers. Fourth-grade classes from nine schools participated in the event, playing the roles...

The Buffalo Seminary. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... The Buffalo Seminary's sesquicentennial anniversary capital campaign raised more than $5 million from 558 donors. The private girls' high school raised the campaign goal from $4 million following a $1.5 million gift from the Margaret L. Wendt...

Collignon/Jarosz Photography-JuJuLizard Digital Imaging Services. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... Collignon/Jarosz Photography-JuJuLizard Digital Imaging Services added a second digital camera system for electronic imaging services. The in-house film and print lab also uses traditional photography tools.

Health Association of Niagara County Inc. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... The Health Association of Niagara County Inc.'s HANCI at the VA Child Learning Center was accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The center is on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Medical Center...

Volland Electric. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... Volland Electric was named a certified service provider by Rockwell Reliance Electric. The program gives the company access to numerous technical drawings, documents and information files for the commercial repair of any Rockwell Reliance...

JCharlier Communication Design. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... JCharlier Communication Design created a three-dimensional mailing piece for Creditor's Interchange announcing the collection agency's expansion and move. The design firm created a gold foil corrugated box containing a "Hoberman sphere," a...

Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... The Greater Buffalo Convention & Visitors Bureau changed its name to the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc.

E-3 Communications Inc. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... E-3 Communications Inc. was named public relations agency of record by MetroFlex Inc. MetroFlex designs and implements technology programs that allow pretax dollars to be used for parking and mass-transit costs using a debit card. The product...

Channel Source Direct. (Business Notes).
November 26, 2001... Blue Pumpkin Software Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., hired Channel Source Direct to manage the sales of its Director Essential workforce management software. Channel Source Direct does outbound telesales for the high-tech industry. Its services...

Nanogenesys. (Open for Business).(technology start-up)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... The University at Buffalo Technology Incubator is the new home of Nanogenesys, a technology start-up that produces miniaturized devices for conducting biomedical analysis. The company produces nanospray emitters, a product developed by Troy...

Atwal Eye Care. (Open for Business).(opens new West Seneca location)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Atwal Eye Care held a grand opening for its new West Seneca location in Seneca Square Plaza Nov. 1. The larger location allows the facility to accommodate more patients and offer a larger selection of eye-ware.

Gerry's Service. (Milestones).(marks its fifth anniversary)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Gerry's Service in East Amherst marked its fifth anniversary. Bruce Weiss purchased the company in 1996 from Gerry Feigl. The company has added three full-time technicians, two part-time technicians, a bookkeeper and four work bays.

Southgate Plaza Jewelers. (Milestones).(30th annual open house)(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Southgate Plaza Jewelers held a 30th annual celebration as part of its annual open house Nov. 8-10. The event served as a holiday preview, and featured the store's most extensive Christmas jewelry collection to date. The company was founded...

Business Calendar.(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... * MONDAY, NOV. 26 Instrumentation. Systems and Automation Society -- Mini clinic at 530 p.m. with a regular meeting to follow at 6 p.m. Amherst Holiday Inn. 1881 Niagara Falls Blvd. $15. Call 877-7180. * TUESDAY, NOV. 27 New...

Afghans warm souls on chilly dark nights. (Bflo. Tales).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 26, 2001... Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night and I can't get back to sleep. Not often, but sometimes. I have found that it only makes matters worse to stay in bed, occasionally peeking at the clock, concentrating on sleeping. That kind...

The circle of blame. (Editorial).(Buffalo's financial situation)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 26, 2001... Bad management created Buffalo's financial mess. How long will it be before that the same bad managers will find a way to blame future problems on the very financial mess that came down on their watch? The circular blame shifting goes...

To my fellow Americans: buy, buy, buy. (Viewpoint: Dave Simmons).(economic stimulus)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 26, 2001... Being patriotic has become a lonely business. In an effort to cooperate with the president and stimulate the economy, in recent weeks I have bought a new car, traveled, designed and purchased jewelry, bought a DVD player and a 36-inch...

Architects contribute to community. (AIA President).
November 26, 2001... Throughout the year we have focused on efforts to promote a positive understanding of the profession of architecture through sponsorship of community support programs such as: * RUDAT (see page 4). * Birdhouse competition (each...

AIA Buffalo/Western New York: Design Awards 2001.(American Institute of Architects)
November 26, 2001... * CHAPTER SERVICE AWARDS: PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS * DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD awarded to an individual or group who have performed outstanding service to the local AIA chapter CHRISTOPHER F. LESS AIA Many members and...

Designing the future of downtown living. (R/Udat).
November 26, 2001... The absence of residents living within Buffalo's city center, specifically downtown, is a problem. Without residents, there is lack of life, activity and vitality once everyone leaves work for home. Without residents, there is no...

2002 AlA New York State Annual Convention: Oct. 11-14, 2002 * Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
November 26, 2001... The AlA Buffalo/ Western New York Chapter is very pleased to be hosting the 2002 AlA New York State Convention, Oct. 11-14, 2002, in the Hyatt Regency Buffalo in downtown Buffalo. The Convention, originally scheduled to take place Sept. 13-...

A tribute to the first woman architect.(Jennie Louise Blanchard )(Brief Article)
November 26, 2001... Born Jennie Louise Blanchard in Waterloo, N.Y., she graduated from the Buffalo High School in 1874. She traveled and studied for the recently opened architectural course at Cornell University. In 1876, she chose instead to enter the...

Workshop brings architecture to students, teachers.
November 26, 2001... The AIA Buffalo/WNY Education 4 Team, The Arts Council (or Chautauqua, and the Jamestown Public School Systems, partnered to present a 2day Architecture and Children Workshop at the Chautauqua Institution, on October 26-27, 2001. The...

AlA Buffalo/Western New York: Design Awards 2001.
November 26, 2001... What are the Design Awards? The Design Awards are given to a representation of projects that have reached a recognized level of design. Local architectural firms that are within our membership area submit these projects to be reviewed by...

Prepping for the Future: High schoolers get a look inside the medical profession.
November 26, 2001... For most people, watching a surgical procedure involving skin grafting would be a queasy experience, and for some it might even be too stomach-churning to see at all. But for Renee Lavocat, a senior at Lockport High School, watching...

First Honors: Proudly Supporting Tomorrow's Leaders.(high school students, achievements and honors)
November 26, 2001... Charlene Seligman Akron Junior-Senior School Senior School activities: concert band, chorus, musical, cross country, track, tutoring, all-county Volunteer activities: community band, CYO, softball, rotex Honors and...

Looking Back and Giving Thanks: Consider also the little treasures in our day-to-day lives. (Independent Health).
November 26, 2001... Thanksgiving, followed almost six weeks later by the New Year, gives you an important chance to look long and hard at life and put things in perspective. What kind of year was it? Many American citizens will look back on 2001 and remember...

Holy Angels project needs quilt patches. (Briefs).
November 26, 2001... Holy Angels Academy, an independent Catholic girls high school in Buffalo, has started a project calling on students in grades K-12 in schools throughout the country to contribute patches which will be assembled into a September 11th...

Will grovel for cash.
November 26, 2001... In the past, I may have been indelicate. So I apologize if I ever-offended any real rich guys. We need help and I'll eat a little crow if it gets some bucks flowing our way instead of being sucked to Omaha in a giant money vacuum. Oops, there...

State tax load diminishes.
November 19, 2001... It's generally conceded that New York's tax burden has eased in recent years, but a new study says the extent of the decline depends on how you look at it. Connecticut and Hawaii are saddled with the highest state taxes in America,...

Eyes on the storm: Weathercasters carry considerable clout.
November 19, 2001... Buffalo shut down twice last winter. For New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., it was once. In three of these four instances, the cities and their businesses were immobilized not by severe winter weather but by the forecast of...

Area's retail sector earns high grades in national survey.
November 19, 2001... Everyone has had the occasional frustrating experience with rude retail employees who don't understand the meaning of customer service. But it appears that Buffalo residents are actually among the most satisfied retail shoppers in the...

Branding is everything for southern tier tourism.
November 19, 2001... What's in a name? A lot, according to Southern Tier tourism officials. Ellicottville is known for skiing. Chautauqua for the institution and Allegany for the state park. But, as a region, the tri-county area in the Southern Tier...