Curious about what it is like to drive an electric vehicle (EV)?
Come experience the quiet, fast, and smooth ride for yourself!
Join us at the NYSERDA EV Ride & Drive event to test drive a variety of electric vehicles and learn about available savings and incentives! This free event is open to employees who work on the BNMC and members of the community.
The BNMC was the region’s earliest adopter of electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, installing 21 units in 2011. Currently there are 46 stations across the Medical Campus, making it even easier for employees, visitors, and neighbors to “green” their commute using electric vehicles.
We’re excited to announce our 2018-2019 Beakers.& Beer schedule! These free networking events are on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 5-7 PM. Registration is required to attend. Visit BNMC.org/beakers to sign up.
On Wednesday, August 8th, the BNMC hosted its 2nd Annual Summer Block Party in partnership with the University at Buffalo and Roswell Park. This fun, festive event was free and open to employees who work on the BNMC and members of the community, featuring a BBQ dinner, live music, community organizations, lawn games and more!
With summer in full swing, it’s finally time to enjoy the warmth that this vibrant city has to offer. There are many ways to take in the sights, art, and culture of Campus while travelling from place to place. By now, you’re sure to have seen one of the most efficient ways to travel around Campus. They’re impossible to miss! They’re bright red bicycles with bright red baskets and even brighter yellow locks and free annual memberships are available for employees and students on the BNMC!
REDDY Bikeshare provides rentable bicycles at unique locations around the city of Buffalo. The bikes can be picked up at hubs and used for a small fee after signing up with the SoBi wp-content, then dropped off at hubs around Buffalo for free or possibly a small charge, depending on where the bike is parked.
There are slightly different rules for the REDDY Bikes on Campus. We’re lucky to have two hubs where you can pick up bikes, using our free REDDY Bikeshare code: GOBNMC2018. You can also lock your REDDY bike anywhere on Campus for free if you don’t have time to ride back to one of the hubs. It’s easier than ever to rent a bike and easiest for employees and students here!
Whether it’s to stay fit, get somewhere quicker than on foot, or to slow down and take in your surroundings, there are countless benefits to biking. Next time you need a ride somewhere, consider REDDY Bikeshare.
Visit their website for more details on the program and to sign up.
Places To Eat: There are more locations to grab a delicious bite on Campus than ever before! With options ranging from the Homegrown Kitchen to Joe’s Deli to Twisted Pickle, you’ll never have to worry about packing a lunch again. Unless you want to brown bag it, that’s totally cool. Discover food on the BNMC.
Tons of Events & Activities: The BNMC offers a robust lineup of free activities all year round to stay healthy, active, and involved in the community! We hold monthly, weekly, and special signature events around Campus for both employees and neighbors. From music to fitness to food – there’s something for everyone to enjoy here.
Transportation Perks: The BNMC rewards employees for being environmentally conscious! No matter how you commute, the BNMC offers options to make your ride into work easier. There are 29 EV charging stations on Campus with the ability to charge 40 vehicles, 233 bike parking spaces, a free REDDY Bikeshare membership for employees, and several employers now offer subsidized transit passes – just to name a few transportation amenities! Visit GOBNMC.org to learn more about commuter incentives, including two free parking passes per month and a Guaranteed Ride Home via Lyft.
Neighborhood Explorer Discount Program: 85+ businesses in the Allentown, Downtown, and Fruit Belt neighborhoods offer discounts to the 16,000+ employees and students on the Medical Campus. Discounts are redeemed with the BNMC Neighborhood Explorer Sticker, which employees can adhere to the back of their employer ID badge. For the full list of businesses and/or to sign-up for your sticker, click here.
Beautiful Public Art: New buildings, enthusiastic staff, and exciting innovation are not the only things making the BNMC a beautiful place. Around Campus are vibrant murals, extraordinary sculptures, and brilliant installations that make it even more dynamic! Check out the public art on Campus.
Summertime offers a great opportunity to get active and engaged on the BNMC! With a new event or activity every week, there’s no shortage of fun and healthy things to do on Campus. Our schedule boasts many of our longtime signature events like Tunes in the Tent, Walking on Wednesdays, and our Annual BNMC Fit Wellness Fair, plus several NEW offerings, including morning & evening yoga, bike breakfasts for our active commuters, and Medical Campus Monday walking tours.
Whether you’re into the local music scene, an active bike advocate, or a mall-walker looking for a change of pace — we promise, there’s something for everyone to be part of and enjoy!
Check out our schedule below and be sure to register where you see links.
JUNE
June 6: Tunes in the Tent with Colored Musicians Club | 12-1 p.m. | Ellicott Park, Ellicott & Virginia Sts. June 11:Medical Campus Monday Walking Tour | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Meet at the Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott St. June 13: Morning Yoga | 7:30-8:30 a.m. | Corner of Washington & Carlton Sts. June 20: Walks on Wednesdays led by Dr. Roseanne Berger, UB Jacobs School of Medicine | 12-1 p.m. | Meet at Main & Allen Sts. June 27: BNMC Fit Employee Wellness Fair | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Wyndham Garden Buffalo, 125 High St. Yoga EVERY Tuesday after work | 5:15-6:15 p.m. | Washington & Carlton Streets
JULY
July 9: Medical Campus Monday Walking Tour | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Meet at the Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott St. July 11:Morning Yoga | 7:30-8:30 a.m. | Corner of Washington & Carlton Sts. July 11: Tunes in the Tent with Live DJ | 12-1 p.m. | Ellicott Park, Ellicott & Virginia Sts. July 18: Walks on Wednesdays led by Shirley Johnson, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center | 12-1 p.m. | Meet at Roswell’s Kaminski Park, Elm & Carlton Sts. July 25: GO BNMC Bike Breakfast | 8-9:30 a.m. | Ellicott Park, Ellicott & Virginia Sts. Yoga EVERY Tuesday after work | 5:15-6:15 p.m. | Washington & Carlton Streets
AUGUST
August 1: Tunes in the Tent with Ellen Pieroni Quartet | 12-1 p.m. | Lawn @ Washington & Carlton Streets August 6: Medical Campus Monday Walking Tour | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Meet at the Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott St. August 8:Morning Yoga | 7:30-8:30 a.m. | Corner of Washington & Carlton Sts. August 8: BNMC Summer Block Party! | 4:30-7:30 p.m. | Roswell’s Kaminski Park & Gardens August 15: Walks on Wednesdays led by Lisa Schmidt, COO, Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute/Oishei Children’s Hospital | 12-1 p.m. | Meet at Colby Park, next to MiGO parking garage at 134 High St. August 22: GO BNMC Bike Breakfast | 8-9:30 a.m. | Ellicott Park, Ellicott & Virginia Sts. Yoga EVERY Tuesday after work | 5:15-6:15 p.m. | Washington & Carlton Streets
Nearby Farmers’ Markets
Roswell’s Market at the Park, Kaminski Park & Gardens, Elm. & Carlton St. | Wednesdays from 1am-1pm
Moot Community Center at 292 High Street | Thursdays from 10am-12pm (5 minute walk from Buffalo General Medical Center, Oishei Children’s Hospital, Gates Vascular Institute and Roswell Park)
Downtown Country Market on Main St. between Court & Church Streets | Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10am-2:30pm
Salvation Army at 960 Main St. | Tuesdays from 11am-1pm
BNMC Research Discovery Day Encourages Collaboration
BNMC Partners recently hosted the first Annual BNMC Research Discovery Day. More than 250 researchers, scientists, students, and leaders attended this collaborative event designed to promote the services and shared resources of the biomedical companies and institutions on the Medical Campus.
Dr. Johnson Lau, CEO and Board Chairman of Athenex was the luncheon keynote speaker, inspiring local researchers to dream big and take their idea or company global. More than 50 researchers, postdocs, PIs, technicians, companies, and vendors presented posters in an afternoon session designed to raise awareness of the services available right here in Buffalo.
The morning session focused on the power of collaboration and creative brainstorming, led by international creativity expert Dr. Roger Firestein. Partners from Hauptman-Woodward Institute, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, AMRI, Zeptometrix, and the University at Buffalo spoke about their research offerings and attendees were able to identify high-level collaboration opportunities.
This event would not have been possible without the generous support from KeyBank, and the dynamic planning committee led by leaders from Hauptman-Woodward Institute, AMRI, Zeptometrix, and Roswell Park. Many thanks to everyone who participated in this event – we hope to see even more next year!
Bike to Work Breakfast to Celebrate Cyclists and Improved Bike Amenities on Medical Campus this Friday
Improvements that support biking and commuting options are increasing on the Medical Campus, promoting health, environmental responsibility, and pedestrian-friendly streets.
WHAT: A breakfast gathering at the culmination of National Bike to Work Week to celebrate those who commute to work by bike and to highlight the many amenities and improvements on the Medical Campus specifically designed to create a bike-friendly culture.
The Medical Campus has the densest bicycle parking in the City of Buffalo with 233 spaces and secure bike parking, two Reddy Bike Stations with a total of 12 bikes for short term use, and geo-fencing around the Campus perimeter to allow users to leave Reddy Bikes anywhere on Campus rather than at a Reddy Bike station. Other amenities include a newly painted crosswalks at Ellicott and Virginia with more to be added this summer, covered and locked bike storage, and 100 additional bike racks added to the Campus this summer, including additional secure bike storage.
WHEN: Friday, May 18th 7:30 AM – 10 AM
WHERE: At the park at the corner of Ellicott and Virginia Streets on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
WHO: BNMC is hosting the event in partnership with Gobike Buffalo to celebrate bike commuters and those using active commuting options to get to work.
Collaborating partners in transportation planning will be on hand to share information about transportation options, programs and amenities on Campus that encourage Campus employees to try biking, walking, transit, and carpooling. Partners include GObike Buffalo, Go Buffalo Niagara, Reddy Bikeshare, NFTA, and others.
Breakfast and coffee provided by The Grove and Caffeology.
WHY: BNMC and its transportation partners are committed to creating a bike-friendly campus and encouraging local residents to try new modes of transportation that are environmentally friendly, promote health, and contribute to a cyclist and pedestrian-friendly city.
BNMC Invites Employees and Local Restaurants, Shops & Service Providers to Participate in Neighborhood Explorer Program
Discount program designed to encourage Medical Campus employees to support local businesses
With an influx of students and new employees after the opening of the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital and UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the BNMC, Inc. has re-launched and rebranded its Neighborhood Explorer Program to better connect the 16,000 employees and students on Campus with area businesses.
The Neighborhood Explorer program provides a variety of discounts to Medical Campus employees at wp-contentroximately 80 participating area businesses in Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC developed this program to encourage its employees to buy local and support the restaurants, shops, and service providers in the neighborhoods around the Medical Campus. With a growing population on the Medical Campus and new and existing businesses looking for their patronage, the BNMC decided to re-launch the program, invite new businesses to participate, and highlight the program to employees.
Participating businesses determine wp-contentropriate discounts to encourage Campus employees to try their products or services and are identified with a newly rebranded Neighborhood Explorer window cling that can be displayed in an entranceway or window to draw traffic. Medical Campus employees can receive a BNMC Neighborhood Explorer sticker to adhere to their ID badge that should be presented to businesses in order to obtain the discount offered.
Employees can sign up for the new sticker and view a list of participating businesses at BNMC.org/explorer. Stickers will be available for pick up at the Innovation Center lobby at 640 Ellicott Street on Wednesdays between 11:30am-1:30pm or at the Roswell Park’s Market in the Park this summer.
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus hosts an impressive group of biomedical research-based companies with overlwp-contenting interests. BNMC Research Discovery Day is a one-day program designed to facilitate collaboration between biomedical companies on Campus and increase awareness of local services and resources.
Learn more about research services, core facilities, and collaboration opportunities with companies on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
WHEN
Thursday, May 3
9am-4pm
WHERE
UB Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
955 Main St., Buffalo
WHAT
Collaboration Opportunities with Leading Researchers 9 AM-12 PM (*This session is invitation only. Please email euppington@hwi.buffalo.edu for information*) KEYNOTE by Dr. Roger Firestien, international creativity expert SHORT TALKS by AMRI, HarkerBio, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, UB’s NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences, Zeptometrix & more Open to directors, CEOs, leadership and other decision makers
Keynote & Research Services Available 12:30 PM-4 PM LUNCH KEYNOTE by Dr. Johnson Lau, Chief Executive Officer, Athenex POSTER SESSION by companies on the BNMC featuring core services available to scientists and researchers NETWORKING for all at Ulrich’s Tavern, 674 Ellicott St. to follow Open to all employees, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs on the BNMC, as well as academic and industrial researchers and scientists
KeyBank, BNMC, and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Table vendors include:
AMRI, Athenex, BioFire Diagnostics, Clinical and Translational Science Institutes Community Engagement Team, GenMark Diagnostics, Hauptman-Woodward Institute, LABRepCo, LPS, UB Rise, ZeptoMetrix
Sponsors – Sponsorships and tables are still available. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Erin Uppington at euppington@hwi.buffalo.edu, 898-8610. Deadline for sponsorships is April 18th.
Five things to know for BNMC’s Student Open House!
Pre-Register: If you haven’t yet registered your entire group, please do so now at bnmc-old.local/april21.
Be prompt: There are 8 stops on the tour and you won’t get to all of them. Registration opens at 9am – arrive at the Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott then and move quickly to make sure you can get to as many places as possible.
Be prepared: All the stops are listedhere. Review ahead of time so you know where you want to go. If one stop is too crowded, consider going to another one and coming back so you don’t waste too much time.
Ask questions: It takes more than 100 volunteers altogether to make this day a success. We all love to talk about what we do. Please ask questions! Ask what we were interested in at your age, where we went to school, how much training we needed. Ask about the hours we work and what our favorite (and least favorite!) parts of our jobs are.
Dress wp-contentropriately: This is a self-guided walking tour, traveling outdoors from location to location. While we hope it’s 75 degrees and sunny, we know that may not be the case. Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes. You will definitely get your steps in for the day.
As a small business owner, it is hard to know where to start to make connections with those who make purchasing decisions for large institutions on the Medical Campus. In an effort to support local businesses and introduce them to decision makers, the BNMC and its partners created the Procurement Work Council in 2013, as an outcome of the University at Buffalo’s Opportunities Advisory Council, to find ways to better connect business owners to purchasing professionals on Campus and create business opportunities for local firms.
The Council is made up of representatives from Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University at Buffalo, ECMC, the City of Buffalo, the U.S. Small Business Administration, among others. The goal is to learn more about local businesses and to connect them with decision makers with an emphasis on minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.
The Council hosts quarterly “BNMCWorks” events designed to showcase local businesses to purchasers, including the highly successful matchmaking networking events. These events provide an opportunity for business owners to meet one-on-one with purchasers to make a short pitch about their business and begin business relationships.
Small businesses are often invited to Work Council meetings to share their offerings and it can result in new relationships formed. In fact, a portion of the meeting is dedicated to sharing referrals and providing recommendations to other purchasing managers, helping both the institutions meet their needs and in opening new doors for local entrepreneurs. For more information, contact Marc Pope, BNMC community project manager, at mpope@bnmc-old.local.
It might not feel like spring quite yet, but pretty soon the weather will turn and it’ll be time to dust off your bicycle and break out your walking shoes. As an employee on the BNMC, there are plenty of ways to commute to work that are not only healthy, but have less impact on the environment, and can save you money!
With a focus on creating a healthy community, our GoBNMC program encourages the use of fewer single-driver cars on and to Campus. Sign up for any of our transportation programs at GoBNMC.org to discover options and savings!
Commuting Options & GoBNMC Perks:
Public Transit: The newly renovated Allen Street Subway station is located right on Campus inside the new Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The NFTA has also extended bus routes from the Southtowns to the Medical Campus with pick-up and drop-off locations at Carlton and Ellicott streets. Ask your employer about the BNMC corporate subsidy of at least $20 for monthly metro passes and pre-tax savings for transit to make it even more economical.
Carpool: If driving with one or more colleagues, you can take advantage of preferred parking spaces and a carpooling pass that allows you to split the cost of parking with up to four people (only one car can park at any given time). Pre-tax payroll deductions may make this even cheaper.
Bike: We have plenty of bike racks on Campus and bike storage with 24/7 member-only access at the corner of Ellicott and Virginia. Need to get to a meeting or make a quick trip for lunch or errands? Grab one of the many Reddy Bikes on Campus at your convenience! Annual memberships are free for Medical Campus employees with the promo code GOBNMC2017 at reddybikeshare.com.
Need a ride after getting to campus without a car? Take advantage of the Zipcar Carshare program to use a vehicle for a flat rate (includes gas & insurance). Free membership and discounted rates are available for Medical Campus employees. We also offer Guaranteed Ride Home if something unexpected comes up and you need to be there quickly!
Walk: Enjoy the scenery and the health benefits by getting to Campus on two feet!
Minority, Women & Veteran-Owned Businesses Invited to Purchasing Event on BNMC
The BNMC will host a “matchmaker” networking event on Thursday, March 22 designed to connect owners of small, local businesses with professionals who make purchasing decisions for the institutions on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and partner organizations. The event is free and open to all local businesses, with a particular emphasis on those businesses that are minority, women or veteran-owned, while space allows.
WHEN: Thursday, March 22 from 2 PM – 5 PM, Sign-up for meetings beginning at 1:45 PM
WHERE: Gaylord Cary Room in the Research Studies Center at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Across from Main Hospital Entrance)
WHO: The matchmaker networking opportunity will provide short one-on-one conversations with purchasing executives at the University at Buffalo, Roswell Park, and Kaleida Health on the BNMC, and other large purchasers including M&T and Catholic Health System.
Informal networking and light refreshments will also be available to participants throughout the event.
The event is designed for any local and women, minority and veteran business owners who want to learn how to do business with large institutions. This follows a highly successful event held in September that attracted nearly 70 participants.
Pre-Event Preparation: Interested participants are also invited to join a free pre-event webinar hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration on March 15 at 10 AM -11 AM to learn more about preparing materials, doing market research, creating a capability statement, and other issues pertinent to working with the Medical Campus institutions. The webinar can be found at http://events.sba.gov
The event is sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) and Roswell Park. Download the flyer.
About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC Inc.) is a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. It serves as the umbrella organization of the anchor institutions that make up the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus located within the 120-acre campus bordering Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC Inc. fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, its partners and the community to address critical issues impacting them, including entrepreneurship, energy, access and transportation, workforce and procurement, neighborhoods, and healthy communities, with the goal of increasing economic development and building a strong community. www.bnmc-old.local.
For more information, contact:
Marc Pope
Community Program Manager
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
mpope@bnmc-old.local | 716.218.7358
Green Team Keeps the BNMC Shining While Building Skills And Gaining Employment
If you have spent time on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus or in the BNMC’s Innovation Center, you have probably encountered one or more members of our “Green Team,” a group of individuals currently working as part of an wp-contentrentice-style program while handling building maintenance and landscaping for the BNMC. The small but impactful program helps nearby residents gain a variety of skills so that they can obtain, keep and realize success in future jobs.
The Green Team currently includes members of Buffalo’s refugee population who are working to improve their language skills along with their knowledge and abilities in areas that will provide opportunities for full-time employment. A total of 11 residents of the City of Buffalo have successfully completed or are currently part of the program, with members successfully “graduating” into new full-time, permanent jobs.
The workforce development program was created to provide a holistic wp-contentroach to preparing people who may have barriers to employment with the practical and life skills needed to be successful. In addition to building skills and experience by maintaining the BNMC’s multiple properties on the Medical Campus, the team also has classroom training in skilled trades such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, HVAC, and horticulture. A dedicated workshop, built by Green Team members and the BNMC team together at the Innovation Center, is used for both practical purposes and hands-on training.
Recognizing that life circumstances can create issues that negatively impact successful employment, the program also includes education and guidance in areas such as communication, financial literacy, time management, computer skills, resume writing and much more. We also work with our team to overcome hurdles to employment including obtaining a driver’s license and or finding childcare when necessary. Personal mentoring for team members is also an integral part of the program to better understand some of their challenges and to help them overcome barriers to future success.
Start your exploration of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus by registering and picking up your program in the Innovation Center lobby, 640 Ellicott St. Free parking is available across the street.
WHAT
This free, half-day event invites students in 7-12th grade, along with an accompanying adult, to tour state-of-the-art Campus facilities and experience hands-on STEM activities at each site.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from experts at Buffalo Manufacturing Works, Hauptman-Woodward Institute, the Jacobs Institute, Oishei Children’s Hospital, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, UB Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, UB NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, and Unyts.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Test drive the Robotic Surgery Simulator
See an active research laboratory
Try on a pair of Cinemavision googles
See where more than 50 simulation scenarios take place
Watch a pre-recorded surgery
Learn about crystals and how they are formed and used to study diseases
See robotic demonstrations and 3D printers in action
We are hwp-contenty to announce our Spring 2018 Startup School Series! The program is made up of seminars and workshops designed to provide entrepreneurs and startup business teams with the education and guidance they need to successfully design, launch, and grow their new companies. All sessions are free and open to the community, but registration is required via the links below.
Wednesdays from 12-1:30 PM | LEARN at the Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott St.
March 14, 2018 | Hiring Your First Employees with Holly Nowak, HMN Resources, LLC Register
March 21, 2018 | Developing Your Brand with Rob Wynne, Wynne Creative Group Register
April 4, 2018 | Perfecting Your Pitch with Rob Hunter, HigherMe Register
April 11, 2018 | Lifting Off With Analytics with Adam Stotz, TROVE Register
April 18, 2018 | Introduction to Blockchain with Jon Spitz & Paul Neubecker, Z80 Labs Register
April 25, 2018 | Podcasting for Business with Nate Benson, 43North Register
May 2, 2018 | Crowdsourcing for Business with Sam Marrazzo, BNMC Register
May 16, 2018 | Protecting Your Intellectual Property with Robert Simpson, Simpson & Simpson, PLLC Register
May 23, 2018 | SEO for Startups with Anthony Blatner, ModernMedio.io Register
Finding fresh, nutritious food in the workplace can sometimes be a challenge, especially with the lure of sugary snacks or vending machine fare close by. A number of area employers are trying to change that and are working together in the Buffalo Healthy Workplace Initiative, led by the BNMC, to make their workplaces healthier.
Funded through a five-year Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) grant from the NYS Department of Health that the BNMC is a lead partner on, the goal of the public health initiative is to reduce major risk factors of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases in 85 high-need school districts and associated communities statewide. As part of the grant, the Buffalo Healthy Workplace Initiative brings together diverse employers to learn from each other, develop best practices, and improve their focus on creating a healthier workplace for their employees.
Local employers including New Era Cap Company, GObike Buffalo, Walsh Duffield, the BNMC, Harmac Medical Products, Independent Health and others are working together and within their own organizations to make the healthy choice the easy choice for their employees. For many company health champions, sharing ideas and celebrating successes with others helps to keep motivation high.
There are currently 21 employers in the program with a goal of reaching 50 within three years. The BNMC’s healthy communities catalyst, Beth Machnica, leads participating companies through an initial assessment of their current health and wellness programs, helps identify areas for improvement, and facilitates connections to local community programs and resources that can help make healthy improvements in their workplace. A post-assessment is also planned to quantify results. The group meets monthly to learn from each other.
If you or your company is interested in becoming a champion of creating healthy workplace culture, visit BNMC.org/healthyworkplace or contact Beth Machnica at emachnica@bnmc-old.local to learn more.
The newly opened $270 million John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital was a page turner in the latest chapter of the burgeoning downtown Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
So was the December opening of the University at Buffalo’s $375 million new home for its Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
The completion of the new projects mark a turning point for the 120-acre campus at the epicenter of Buffalo’s renaissance.
In 2002, the campus was in its infancy with just three companies. Now boasting 4.5 million square feet of development and $1.4 billion in investments, the campus has moved beyond just medical institutions. It has taken shape with a diverse mix of health care, life science and technology companies, becoming fertile ground for entrepreneurs and their startups.
There is still more to come.
Campus planners are aiming for BNMC to rival medical campuses in places like Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Among the next steps are strengthening ties with higher education and the private sectors.
“We are so well positioned with all the institutions and assets that are here and now want to embrace the excellent universities and colleges,” said Matthew K. Enstice, CEO and president of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Inc. “We plan to build out” – meaning renovate – “more space for them to have a location so they can interact and be a part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that we have here.”
A big part of that vision is twp-contenting into local small and large companies, especially mature ones, and including them in the campus’ vision for its innovation district. “The world is changing so quickly in technology, that we’re putting a structure in place to help multiple, different companies innovate,” Enstice said.
Here’s what’s coming next on the Medical Campus:
• Design work is expected to start for renovation of existing buildings on the former Osmose Holdings site. In 2016, BNMC bought the 4.4-acre parcel, which is located at the northern edge of campus at Ellicott and Best streets and has parking for 200. It is expected to be a magnet for mature private-sector companies, along with universities and colleges, but will not be a second incubator, BNMC officials say.
• Ellicott Development Co. has a $4 million adaptive reuse development project underway at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, just north of the campus at Main and Best streets. To the south, Ellicott is planning a six-story retail and office building at 1091 Main St.
• Along the western edge of the campus, design work will begin for a redo of a critical stretch of Main Street from Goodell toward Canisius College. Meanwhile, a $7.5 million overhaul of Allen Street, including redesigned sidewalks and widened sections of the street, is expected to begin. Work will be done in phases, stretching from the eastern end of Allen toward Wadsworth.
• Workers will put the finishing touches on the exterior of UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, which opened to students earlier this month at 955 Main St. Final terra cotta panels are being installed on the Washington Street side of the building by spring. Most of the university’s labs are being moved in from mid-January through mid-March. With the medical school fully operational, 2,000 faculty, staff and students will be there daily.
• The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s newly renovated Allen Medical Campus Station has been integrated into the medical school. The station features “Gut Flora,” a colorful public art sculpture by Shasti O’Leary Soudant, and a newsstand opens this month. A one-block tunnel that serves as a pedestrian passageway to Washington Street will open beneath the medical school.
• The campus’ ninth pedestrian skybridge will be designed and constructed later in the year. It will span High Street, linking the Conventus medical office building to the UB Medical School. The new $1.5 million connector comes after three other skybridges just opened in November: one from Conventus to Oishei Children’s Hospital, another from Children’s Hospital to Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, and a third leading out the back of Children’s Hospital to a new parking ramp at 854 Ellicott St.
• By late May, the $40 million, 1,825-space parking ramp behind Oishei Children’s Hospital at 854 Ellicott will be completed. The top half of the eight-story ramp has been under construction since late 2017. The bottom half of the eight-story ramp opened Nov. 10 with Oishei Children’s Hospital.
• The 128,000-square-foot Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott St. will be completely full by the end of March.
After Amherst native Matthew K. Enstice wrwp-contented up stints in the entertainment industry that took him to Broadway Pictures in Los Angeles and “Saturday Night Live” in New York City, his career dramatically swerved back to Buffalo.
He landed at the helm of the nonprofit organization overseeing the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Now, 17 years later, Enstice finds himself at the pulse of the expanding campus footprint, as he guides a shifting momentum in the campus’ growth.
With a collective projected workforce of 16,000 this year, the Medical Campus continues to make its mark – from hospitals to clinical and research facilities.
“We deliver health care here, and we’re going to do high-end health care here, but it’s changing,” said Enstice, president and chief executive officer of BNMC Inc. “Health care, as you know it, is a very, very different place. As that changes and evolves, you’re going to see opportunities in our community to utilize technology to develop companies for the future.”
The Medical Campus is already home to startup companies, entrepreneurs building businesses and high-tech companies. The momentum shows no signs of tapering off.
The future vision for the campus reflects a dedicated shift toward making room for local companies as they cut their teeth on new initiatives. The Medical Campus also looks to expand its innovation district to a 4.4-acre site on the northern edge of campus that once was the home of Osmose Holdings.
A visionary with high energy, Enstice is related to the prominent Jacobs family. His late father-in-law, Dr. Lawrence D. Jacobs, was a neurologist and world-renowned researcher specializing in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Often wearing a blue or white button-down shirt and khakis, he is known for his casual attire and carefree manner. He rarely breaks out a tie or suit.
Enstice recently met with The Buffalo News inside the campus Innovation Center to talk about the campus’ growth and future.
Q: What do monumental projects such as Children’s Hospital and the UB medical school say about the future of the campus?
A: People talked in years past that Children’s wasn’t moving over and there was a lot of controversy. But I think it showed how the community coming together can do great things, and that’s what Children’s is a true sign of.
Right now, the (medical school) has a major presence in the city. That, to me, is a game changer that I don’t think we can define right now.
I was sitting there at the opening, looking right out the window down Allen Street, and it was just amazing to envision what is Allen going to be like. What was so wild to see, was that I used to never see people walking there and there must have been 20 or 30 people coming out of that subway. It’s just the fact that we have so much traffic starting to develop down here. And that’s a real positive.
It’s just the beginning of more opportunities for our community to leverage these great assets and great organizations being here on the campus.
Q: How does Buffalo’s regional health care hub fit within the national mix?
A: I think that we’re one of the leading innovation districts. I just don’t think about it as health. If you look back to what Jerry Jacobs commissioned for looking at the future of medicine, it’s changing dramatically. And I believe we’re very well positioned because of our computer science school, our school of engineering and our ability to be leaders in the technology field. That’s what I think of.
So, we’ve been on the map. Having Children’s and the medical school down here, puts it on the map even more.
What we need to figure out how to do, and what we really want to do, in our next phases of development is to integrate the school of engineering and the schools of business.
How does Canisius College play a role here? How does Niagara University play a role here? How does Buffalo State College play a role here? We are so well positioned with all the institutions and assets that are here. So we plan to build out more space for them to have a location so they can interact and be a part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem that we have here.
Q: What kind of involvement?
A: Let’s look at the future of medicine and all the work that we’re doing in energy, all the work that we’re doing in transportation. What’s the major driver behind those industries as they’re changing? It’s technology. We’re well positioned in building our community out to have a technology foundation that can enable health care, energy, transportation.
I’m talking this campus. We have all the resources. I don’t think we’ll build a building for a college. We want to build an environment where local businesses, big companies, are going to have a presence here.
Our plan is to build out space to embrace the local economy. I think, for too long, a lot of local businesses have not been engaged, because there hasn’t been a vehicle.
I believe that if you look across as to what’s going to help strengthen local companies, they have to be a part of what we’re doing. I think we can all help one another. That is what this is all about. How do we build a platform and a foundation in technology for everybody? Tech is not the next chapter. It’s the current chapter. It’s really what is going to be our great opportunity for the future.
We’ll use the footprint of the existing (Osmose) space that we have. As of right now, we are not planning to build a new building in the near future. We are planning to renovate the existing space. I think, over time, various companies will start to come in, but within the year is our goal is to start to see this development really start to take off.
Q: What would you say to naysayers who didn’t think this vision for the campus would ever materialize in the fashion that it has so far?
A: If you stay together and you’re straightforward and honest with one another, great things can hwp-contenten. That is at the core of what builds all the great stuff that’s down here on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus … If you look at the 4.5 million square feet of development, the $1.4 billion worth of investment, that was because people worked, planned, developed together.
Q: What is the greatest challenge facing the campus?
A: I think the greatest challenge is that people continue to work together and support one another … I think the biggest challenge you have is that sometimes people forget what got you here.
Q: Parking is a constant complaint or concern, and there’s a huge push to get people to use public transit more.
A: We have off-campus shuttles running. We have public transportation being utilized and programs in place. And it’s starting to work. People are actually trying it and it’s working. While it’s not perfect, it is an option. And so to me, we will always have a parking spot here for every patient and visitor that comes down here.
What we would hope to see is that more people live in and around the campus, in and around the subway station.
The mayor continues to talk about reinvesting in Main Street with infrastructure. He’s committed $10 million so far, going toward Canisius. We want to see the mayor continue on that and go all the way and connect us to Canisius College. … I believe if you continue to do that, you’ll see more residential units pop up on Main Street. You’ll see more people using the transit. That’s what we want to see.
Q: There are signs of spinoff development in Allentown. But for the Fruit Belt neighborhood, there always seems to be an undercurrent of concern, gentrification, trying to preserve the Michigan Avenue corridor, and a push for more parking. What do you foresee for the Fruit Belt?
A: For the Fruit Belt, I hope that there’s continued investment there in the infrastructure. The mayor has done a great job at fixing the streets, the sidewalks, the trees and the lights. I hope they continue to do that because I want to see more people invest in that neighborhood. … We believe that will be a positive if the community is part of the solution there.
I’m really intrigued by what’s going on in Masten, Fruit Belt and Allentown – to me, they’re very similar in the sense that they’ve always been engaged in a part of the process with what’s going on with the campus. Everybody’s always talked about it. Everybody’s had a light on it.
What I’m interested in is what is going on to the north. We believe there’s going to need to be more of an engagement there. I think it’s a community that people maybe have not paid as much attention to. But they’re on the border of all this stuff that’s going on here. So, it’s probably already hwp-contentening and we don’t know it.
Matt talks with Bill Maggio, a health care, medical diagnostics, and business development executive from Buffalo, New York. They talk about the Jacobs Institute’s recently released landmark report on The Future of Medicine, and the role of health care systems in transforming how care is delivered. Bill highlights his role as an investor as well as a leader in the local start-up community as past chair of 43North business competition to spur economic development in Buffalo. They touch on his lifelong love of music as a classically-trained pianist as well as the impact rowing has had on his life.
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) to Create Smart Corridor for Main Street
Plan to be developed to integrate smart transportation infrastructure and technology to create an innovative, greener, safer, and more accessible street
Buffalo, N.Y., January 11, 2018 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) has received $75,000 in funding to develop an innovative solution for smart transportation infrastructure and technology, on Main Street along the BNMC, in downtown Buffalo. The BNMC project will complement the City of Buffalo’s ongoing Complete Streets initiative.
The project, Creating a Smart Corridor Plan for Main Street in Buffalo, N.Y., will focus on the current conditions, best practices and opportunities for improving energy efficiency, emissions reduction, access and mobility, and traffic safety on a densely populated section of Main Street. The study will result in specific recommendations and anticipated costs for improvements to the City’s central thoroughfare that runs from downtown, northeast to the City’s northern suburbs.
The study, which is being funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and New York State Department of Transportation, supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s nation-leading energy goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.
The study will be conducted at the same time that the City of Buffalo is beginning the design process for a large-scale $13 million streetscape improvement project on Main Street from Goodell Street to Ferry Street, adjacent to the Medical Campus. The BNMC and the City of Buffalo plan to work together to identify opportunities for the implementation of smart transportation infrastructure and technology at the same time. The primary goal of the project will be to create a more innovative streetscape to ensure a greener, safer, more efficient and integrated transportation system for the future.
Main Street in the City of Buffalo, already a densely populated, mixed-use street with a multiple transportation options, has undergone a tremendous amount of new development, particularly near the thriving BNMC. It has been identified as a top priority for reconstruction though multiple planning efforts. As the area grows, there has been increasing interest in updating aging infrastructure, adding traffic calming measures, improving pedestrian and bicycling access and infrastructure, and improving access to the Metro Rail Stations along Main Street.
According to William Smith, Director of Access and Planning for BNMC, “The funding affords us the ability to identify opportunities to improve the street for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists while at the same time, to plan for the future with new technologies such as sensing technologies, wireless communications, autonomous vehicles, and dynamic and smart parking technologies that can help Buffalo become a model of efficiency, safety, and more sustainable environmental wp-contentroaches.” He added, “The timing is ideal, as we have the opportunity to work with the City of Buffalo as they embark on streetscape improvements that may allow us to integrate our recommendations simultaneously, vastly improving Main Street for all.”
“The Main Street corridor through the Medical Campus area is ripe for infrastructure improvements to compliment the development that continues to transform this area. My administration has led the way in initiating the transformation of Buffalo’s transportation network following the Complete Streets model that accommodates bicycles, pedestrians and motorists in an equitable manner. Working with the BNMC on this grant will afford the opportunity to advance the Complete Streets model with the latest technology,” Mayor Byron W. Brown said.
Work on the Smart Corridor Plan will begin this year and include developing an RFP process to choose a subcontractor who will work with BNMC and the City on smart corridor design considerations, anticipated benefits and associated costs; developing a project steering committee to guide the project, ensure coordination among stakeholders, provide relevant data, insight and information, and to review and comment on project findings; and developing a Smart Corridor recommendations report which will include a review of existing plans, technologies and conditions, an outline of best practices and potential opportunities, and specific recommendations and anticipated costs.
As part of its effort to develop a set of recommendations on design and technology considerations, BNMC expects to focus on elements including wireless communications; sensing technologies; connected and autonomous technologies including connected safety systems; dynamic traffic control and crossing signalization; smart parking technologies; transit technologies including real time data and systems coordination; and renewable energy and energy efficiency wp-contentlications.
In addition to the City of Buffalo, BNMC expects to work with representatives from BNMC member institutions, transportation service providers, utility companies, surrounding neighborhoods, and local and national experts in the field of smart transportation and city planning. The overall project is expected to be completed in 12 months.
About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. It serves as the umbrella organization of the anchor institutions that make up the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus located within the 120-acre campus bordering Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC Inc. fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, its partners and the community to address critical issues impacting them, including entrepreneurship, energy, access and transportation, workforce and procurement, neighborhoods, and healthy communities, with the goal of increasing economic development and building a strong community. www.bnmc-old.local.
There’s a new gateway to the BNMC, for both pedestrians wp-contentroaching from the Allentown neighborhood, as well as transit riders disembarking at the Allen-Medical Campus station. UB’s new building, the state-of-the-art Jacobs School of Medicine, provides employees, students, and neighbors a new experience as they enter the Medical Campus. Transit riders come up the escalator into a gleaming new station, complete with bright public art and digital wayfinding. The Medical School, Buffalo’s signature transit-oriented development, allows passage through to the Medical School today, and will soon help connect employees and patients to many of the buildings across the BNMC. In addition, the Washington Street side of the transit station has reopened, providing easy access into the heart of the BNMC.
Learn more about our healthier, sustainable and more affordable transportation options at GoBNMC.org.
This fall, our team was proud to host the Topcoder Open (TCO), a prestigious global programming, design, and data science competition, and welcome the world’s top technology talent – representing 29 different countries – to our Innovation Center on the BNMC.
Hosting Topcoder was a big win for Buffalo and the BNMC as it allowed us to showcase our community to some of the top technology talent in the world and bridge the connection between technology and the medical field. Topcoder moves us one step closer to aligning current technical capabilities and our educational networks with our vision of building an ecosystem that grows and fosters technological and economic development.
Topcoder, the leading workforce marketplace with 1.1 million developers, designers, and data scientists around the world, chose BNMC to host this year’s finals competition as the city of Buffalo has recently emerged as a center for innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in life sciences. TCO has been recognized as the world’s premier competition for the most talented technical minds; many of the world’s most respected tech companies keep a close watch on the competition and often hire top performers immediately. Past winners have gone on to successful careers at Google, Facebook, Blizzard Entertainment and Cisco.
At the Event
BNMC hosted the four-day competition, primarily in the Innovation Center, that culminated in Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul presenting a total of $60,000 to six top winners of the TCO. The multi-day UI Design Application Competition, sponsored by M&T Bank, challenged participants to develop an wp-content to connect eighth grade students at Westminster Community Charter School with adult mentors to help guide them through high school, college and life challenges after graduation.
We also held a number of complementary events surrounding TCO including school visits by the competitors and local tech talent; a video gaming competition attracting competitors from throughout New York State and Southern Ontario; and an Innovation Summit, sponsored by the BNMC and Topcoder, featuring leading experts from across North America who discussed issues including artificial intelligence (AI), the gig economy, and the future of digital along with other topics. BNMC also sponsored a local algorithm competition for college students and a STEM video challenge, powered by AT&T, awarding $1700 to nine local middle & high school students from the city of Buffalo and surrounding suburbs.
Why the BNMC?
The BNMC brings together design thinkers, social innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, physicians, and researchers in Buffalo, New York. The Medical Campus is already home to disruptive new technologies and scientific advancements driven by thought-leaders in clinical care, research, education and business. Continuing to stay ahead of technology is critical to the future of medicine and to the further development of life sciences, materials informatics and biotechnology companies.
Thanks to the leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York State, Buffalo is on its way to becoming a technology supercenter by building on the density of our resources.
WNY boasts more than a dozen colleges and universities, including the University at Buffalo, a premier research-intensive public university with a significant computer science and engineer department and an academic supercomputing facility of more than 170 Tflops of peak performance computer capacity; leading-edge hospitals and health care providers; world-renowned research institutions; and socially innovative private companies.
From world-class clinicians and researchers delivering outstanding health care and working toward medical breakthroughs, to innovative entrepreneurs bringing talent and business acumen, the Medical Campus is leading Buffalo’s economic renaissance.
Our team at BNMC is creating a dynamic Innovation District here in Buffalo by asking how we can better further the economic growth of our member institutions and partners, ignite urban revitalization, and build a strong thriving community.
The Innovation Center (powered by BNMC) is the largest business incubator in Buffalo, currently serving more than 100 companies, including 43North, the largest ($5.5M) business plan competition in the world, and the Z80 Labs technology accelerator.
