Category: Community

Buffalo Public Schools Seeks Local Chefs to Participate in Buffalo Farm-to-School Chef Challenge

by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Outreach3 Comments on Buffalo Public Schools Seeks Local Chefs to Participate in Buffalo Farm-to-School Chef Challenge

Buffalo Farm to School Chef Challenge
Press Release/August 10, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Susan Kirkpatrick

skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local 716-866-8002

 

Buffalo Public Schools Seeks Local Chefs to Participate in Buffalo Farm-to-School Chef Challenge

Challenge Issued to Develop New Menu Ideas to Take Advantage of Local, Seasonal Food that Conform to USDA Standards

Buffalo, N.Y., August 10, 2016 – Buffalo Public Schools is seeking local chefs to participate in the Buffalo Farm-to-School Chef Challenge as a means to seek input on recipe development for student lunches that conform to USDA standards and that incorporate local, seasonal food.  Participating chefs will compete against one another as well as against a team of Buffalo Public School students.  Winning recipes will be highlighted on the December school menu in participating Buffalo Public Schools.

The student team, made up of 8-10 students in grades 7-12 will be led by Chef Bobby Anderson, famed Chef recognized for his role in the Season 4 Fox television series Hell’s Kitchen, where he finished 4th place out of 17 contestants under the fiery tutelage of Gordon Ramsay.  Chef Bobby now serves as the Executive Director of F Bites, an organization that uses culinary instruction as a vehicle to develop leadership, professional skills, as well as college and career readiness in youth and adults.

Interested chefs will be challenged to prepare a complete school meal that meets the nutritional requirements as mandated by the USDA Child Nutrition Meal Requirements.  Meal preparation, judging and sampling will take place on October 4 at an event to kick off the 2016-2017 Farm-to-School Program at Southside Elementary School.  The event is intended to engage and educate the school community about local farms and the importance of eating healthy fruits and vegetables.  Interested chefs can learn more and download the wp-contentlication form HERE.  All wp-contentlications must be received no later than August 25.

The Farm-to-School program began last year and is a pilot program for 12 Buffalo Public Schools that have introduced locally grown, seasonal produce to school lunch menus. The Farm-to-School program highlights seasonal offerings, encourages student trial and asks for feedback. The program’s goals are to introduce more fresh, locally grown produce in school lunches and to encourage healthy eating habits in students.

On-site meal preparation and cook time will be held from 2 pm – 4:30 pm and judging and public sampling will take place between 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm at the October 4th event.  The school district will provide all ingredients for the meal preparation.  Meals will be judged on meeting USDA criteria including the use of 2 ounces of protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and how successfully the meal meets the nutritional guidelines of less than 30 grams of fat, less than 10 grams of saturated fat, less than 640 milligrams of sodium and be between 550-650 calories.

Bridget O’Brien Wood, Food Service Director Buffalo Public Schools commented, “The Buffalo Farm to School, Harvest of the Month pilot program has really afforded our students the opportunity to have a voice in their school nutrition program.  These students are trying locally grown foods and learning about New York State agriculture, and they get to tell us what they think about the new menu items. This Chef Challenge is another way to engage our youth in a fun, friendly competition with local area Chefs who can help create wp-contentealing recipes that will be incorporated into the school meal program! We can’t wait to see what they cook up in October!”

Chef Anderson added, “Both the Buffalo Public Schools and our team at F Bites see the importance of engaging kids in the power of their own future. This Chef Challenge allows them to use their creativity and explore new opportunities while having a role in creating healthier schools. By creating menus for their classmates, we hope to further their engagement and their understanding of healthier food choices.”

The winning meal will be chosen based on the highest number of points awarded for meeting nutritional standards, as well as for taste, visual presentation, ease of replication, and other factors.

Partners in the Farm to School Program include the Buffalo Public Schools, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP), Grassroots Gardens, and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc (BNMC).  Pilot schools encompass grades Kindergarten through 12 and include Buffalo Public Schools #27, #32, #33, #43, #54, #64, #94, #195, #198, #81, #93, and #301.

 

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Offers “Walking on Wednesdays”

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Event, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Wellness4 Comments on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Offers “Walking on Wednesdays”

1934723_10153808804358351_1647284586645084418_n
MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT:  Susan Kirkpatrick

skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local/716-866-8002

 

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Offers “Walking on Wednesdays”

Free guided tours offer lunchtime exercise and an insider’s guide to the growing Medical Campus

 

What: “Walking on Wednesdays” (W.O.W.) is a series of free guided tours of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus in Downtown Buffalo every Wednesday throughout the summer in partnership with The Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo.  A representative from the Wellness Institute will guide the tours each week in conjunction with a guest tour guide from the Medical Campus.

When:  Each Wednesday at 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM. June 1 through August 31, 2016. Rain or Shine!

Where: All Walks begin and end at Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Kaminski Park, located at Carlton and Elm Streets. A weekly Farmers Market is also offered there between 11 AM – 2 PM on Wednesdays!

Who: The Walks are ideal for employees on the Medical Campus, as well as for visitors and the interested public and will be led by a variety of guest tour guides.  June guides and topics include:

June 1 – Mark McGovern, BNMC’s Senior Project Manager/Construction Update

June 8 – Justin Booth, GObike Buffalo’s Executive Director/Biking infrastructure along Main Street

June 15 – Matt Enstice, BNMC’s President & CEO along with Tom Beecher, Chair Emeritus/Medical Campus history and progress

June 22 – Craig Coyne, Senior Planner at Roswell Park Cancer Institute/RPCI’s new Clinical Sciences Center

June 29 – Ekua Mends-Aidoo & Sarah Warner, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus/Neighborhood Explorer program overview

Coordinated by the Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo and sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

 

Why:  Add to your “step count”

Get a break from your workplace

Refresh your spirit

Enjoy the fresh air and Buffalo’s beautiful summer weather

Learn more about the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Learn more:   Visit bnmc-old.local/wow

About: 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. bnmc-old.local.

 

# # #

 

 

“Tunes in the Tent” Resumes on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus July 7

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Event, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s), Networking5 Comments on “Tunes in the Tent” Resumes on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus July 7

1934723_10153808804358351_1647284586645084418_n
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/July 5, 2016                                                       

For more information, contact: Susan Kirkpatrick, skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local

MEDIA ALERT & PHOTO OP

 

“Tunes in the Tent” Resumes on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus July 7

BNMC Presents Free Lunch Time Concert Series Featuring Local Musicians Employed
on the Medical Campus

 

What: The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. will resume  “Tunes in the Tent,” its popular lunchtime concert series, each Thursday at noon in the heart of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.  The 6-week concert series will feature local bands, all of which include at least one Medical Campus employee. The free concert is open to the public and all are encouraged to grab lunch and enjoy these talented employees and other local musicians performing original music and popular favorites every Thursday this summer!

Where: At the corner of Ellicott and Virginia Streets on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, (across from Hauptman Woodward Institute at 700 Ellicott Street)

When: Every Thursday at noon, beginning July 7th and running through August 11th

Who: Medical Campus employees, visitors and any one who lives or works near the Medical Campus is invited to join the fun! All are encouraged to bring lunch or take advantage of local food trucks that will offer lunch options on-site to enjoy with the tunes!

Line Up:        The Larkin Plan/July 7

The Wilde’s/July 14

Rick Jameson/July 21

Ten Cent Howl/July 28

Nelson Rivera & Jazz Conception/August 4

Theresa Quinn Trio/August 11              

Visit Facebook.com/BNMCSummer to stay up to date on all upcoming events!

About the BNMC

The 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 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. bnmc-old.local.

 

###

 

Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Powered by AT&T

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Homepage, Member Institution(s), News4 Comments on Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Powered by AT&T

“Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Powered by AT&T” Expected to Attract Hundreds of Middle and High School Students
Day Includes Exploration of STEM Careers, Internships, and Volunteer Opportunities

What: “Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is a half day event to introduce future careers, internships and volunteer opportunities to area students in grades seven through twelve and their parents.  Student will have an opportunity to tour the campus, participate in hands on activities and hear from experts at University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Kaleida Health, Hauptman-Woodward Institute, the Jacobs Institute, Unyts, Buffalo Manufacturing Works, and the Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center.

When: Saturday, April 23, 2016, 9 AM – Noon

Where: Start your tour of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus in dig at the Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott Street, Buffalo and then tour facilities on your own at your own pace.  Representatives from participating organizations will direct attendees and share information about each stop on the tour.

Activities:

  • Test drive the Robotic Surgery Simulator (RoSS®) that’s used to train surgeons
  • Use a microscope to view cancer cells
  • Hold a human brain
  • View a catheterization lab
  • Watch a pre-recorded surgery
  • See robotic demonstrations and 3D printers in action
  • Take a turn as a virtual welder
  • Buy lunch from Lloyds Taco Truck (located on Campus throughout the event)
  • And much more!

Who: Sponsored by AT&T, the event is hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, iSciWNY, and its partner institutions.

Media is encouraged to attend, excellent photo and broadcast opportunities (See attached program)           

Why: “Picture Yourself On the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus” is designed to expose area students and their parents to the many and varied career options offered here and to provide “hands-on” opportunities to imagine working on the Medical Campus or in similar settings.

About: 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. bnmc-old.local.

 

 

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to Host Internship Fair

by BNMCin Career Opportunities, Community, Event, Homepage, Innovation Center, Networking1 Comment on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to Host Internship Fair

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to Host Internship Fair
Life science, business, marketing, technology companies looking for spring and summer interns

What:  The Buffalo Niagara Medical Center, Inc. (BNMC) will host an Internship Fair to connect area companies with undergraduate and graduate students for spring and summer internships. Nearly two dozen companies in varying fields, including life sciences, technology, business, marketing and more, will be on hand to meet with an estimated 100 local students for potential internship positions.

When: Thursday, March 3, 2016 from 4 pm – 7 pm

Where: dig at the Innovation Center

The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center

640 Ellicott Street

Buffalo, N.Y.

Participating

Companies: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, 43North, SelectOne, Pitch + Pivot, Hauptman Woodward Institute, The Jacobs Institute, ClearView Social, Thimble, Cytocybernetics, ACV Auctions, Lumsden & McCormick and many more.

Students: Undergraduate seniors and graduate students will be meeting and interviewing for a chance to gain valuable work experience at some of Western New York’s  most innovative companies for a variety of paid/unpaid internships for the Spring and Summer of 2016.

Sponsor: SelectOne, a professional employment agency and search firm providing staffing services and recruitment opportunities to a broad range of industries and  companies in the Buffalo, NY region.

To Register: Interested students can register at http://conta.cc/1SSH9Ve; companies that are interested in participating can contact Vic Nole at vnole@bnmc-old.local.

About: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 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. bnmc-old.local.

 

 

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) named a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists

by BNMCin Biking, Community, Environment, Healthy Communities, Homepage, News, Transportation4 Comments on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) named a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists 
GO BNMC Program has championed biking and other alternative transportation options for over a decade

Buffalo, N.Y., February 18, 2016 – The League of American Bicyclists has recognized the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) with a Gold Bicycle Friendly Business (BFBSM) award, joining more than 1,100 visionary businesses from across the country.  The City of Buffalo is recognized as one of only three bicycle-friendly communities in New York State by the League of American Bicyclists and the BNMC is the only organization to be honored with a Gold designation in Western New York.

With the announcement of 73 new and renewing BFBs today, the BNMC joins a cutting-edge group of 1,132 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies in 49 states and Washington, D.C. that are transforming the American workplace.

“The business community’s investment in bicycling is playing a central role in making the country a safer, hwp-contentier, and more sustainable place to live and work,” said Amelia Neptune, League Bicycle Friendly Business Program Manager. “We wp-contentlaud this new round of businesses, including the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, for leading the charge in creating a bicycle-friendly America for everyone.”

The BNMC has been an active advocate for alternative transportation options including biking through its GO BNMC program. The non-profit organization, in partnership with GObike Buffalo, has worked for over a decade on increasing active living opportunities throughout the City of Buffalo, promoting biking to work, and ensuring infrastructure on the Campus and within the surrounding neighborhoods supports and promotes alternative transportation options. In addition to carpooling, transit and walking, the BNMC encourages bicycling as an easy option for transportation to and from the dense urban campus to promote active living, ease parking congestion and improve the environment by lessening pollution from motor vehicles.

The BNMC provides amenities such as ten dry, secure bike storage options throughout the Medical Campus, and incentives such as the Secure Bike Parking Bundle that includes access to a dedicated Bike Storage facility, the Guaranteed Ride Home program, and a GObike membership.  Buffalo BikeShare is also available on the Medical Campus as an amenity for employees and visitors who may want access to a bike for short-term use. Moving forward, the BNMC will have access to a variety of tools and technical assistance from the League to become even more bicycle-friendly.

William Smith, Director of Access and Planning for the BNMC commented, “We are thrilled to join our partner, GObike Buffalo as a Bicycle Friendly Business in Buffalo. Over the past decade, our efforts to promote biking and build necessary infrastructure on Campus has resulted in a strong biking culture among employees. When our employees and visitors bike, great things hwp-contenten including a decreased carbon footprint, reduced health care costs, and an active and healthy work culture.  We are proud to set an example for our community on the benefits of biking, alternative transportation, and the benefits of active, healthy living.“

To wp-contently or learn more about the BFB program, visit the League online at www.bikeleague.org/business.  To learn more about GO BNMC, visit www.gobnmc-old.local.

About the Bicycle Friendly AmericaSM Program

The Bicycle Friendly CommunitySM, Bicycle Friendly StateSM, Bicycle Friendly Business and Bicycle Friendly UniversitySM programs are generously supported by program partner Trek Bicycle Corp and Silver-level BFA Sponsor Planet Bike. To learn more about building a Bicycle Friendly America, visit www.bikeleague.org/BFA.

The League of American Bicyclists is leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. As leaders, our commitment is to listen and learn, define standards and share best practices to engage diverse communities and build a powerful, unified voice for change.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC)

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 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. bnmc-old.local.

 

 

Join Our Team!

by BNMCin Career Opportunities, Community2 Comments on Join Our Team!

The BNMC, Inc. is currently hiring a maintenance mechanic.
Maintenance Mechanic Job Description

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is pleased to announce a call for wp-contentlications for a Maintenance Mechanic. This person will perform a variety of equipment and systems maintenance duties necessary for the efficient and effective management of the Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center and other BNMC owned properties on the campus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The Maintenance Mechanic will be required to provide a variety of support services including (but not limited to the following):

  • Sufficient experience to provide strong working knowledge of maintenance and repair practices and techniques
  • An understanding of building systems operations to include interior and exterior of buildings, roof, grounds, parking lots, Plumbing,HVAC, electrical, sprinkler system, building management software, troubleshoot problems and make repairs where wp-contentlicable
  • Daily repair and upkeep of properties
  • Respond to tenant requests in a timely, courteous and professional manner
  • Complies with all wp-contentlicable codes, regulations, governmental agency and Company directives related to building operations and work safety.
  • Performs assigned day-to-day repairs, emergency and preventive maintenance.
  • Completes maintenance and repair records as required.
  • Responds quickly to emergency situations, summoning additional assistance as needed.

 

Requirements

Able to pass a background check and drug screen,

Available to work during standard business hours and on-call basis

A Valid NYS Driver license 

REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: 

Mechanical maintenance experience of 5 years minimum in an industrial or multi-tenant commercial facility.
Strong mechanical and electrical skills required with some knowledge of plumbing and construction.

REQUIRED PERSONAL SKILLS:

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Pleasant, engaging, and confident demeanor
  • Ability to problem solve and prioritize work
  • Work effectively in a team environment
  • Resourceful in obtaining needed information and resources
  • Detail oriented
  • Capable of maintaining confidentiality
  • Willingness to continue education and training

Preferred qualifications:

  • Electrical or HVAC Journeyman
  • 2 year degree
  • Strong computer and technology skills

Please forward resumes to employment@bnmc-old.local – posting closes on November 13, 2015.

 

BNMC, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.  Position includes excellent benefits.  For more information on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, visit bnmc-old.local

City Officials Announce Tentative Agreement re: Long-Term Lease of Ellicott Goodrich Garage

by BNMCin Community, Employees, GO BNMC, Parking, Transportation1 Comment on City Officials Announce Tentative Agreement re: Long-Term Lease of Ellicott Goodrich Garage

Mayor Brown and Council President Pridgen have announced a tentative agreement between the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus for a long-term lease of the Ellicott Goodrich Garage which, if passed, would allow the BNMC to build a new parking garage on that site which is adjacent to the Buffalo General Medical Center, Gates Vascular Institute/CTRC, and the Oishei Children’s Hospital and Jacobs School of Medicine (both currently under construction). This would add parking for patients, visitors, and employees to the current transportation system.
 

Where will the displaced parkers be temporarily located during demo/construction?

Parking occupancy overall the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is currently at 70 percent, meaning we have ample additional parking to accommodate those who currently park at the Ellicott Goodrich Garage (EGG) in other locations. We have space in the Michigan Goodrich Garage (MiGo) to temporarily accommodate the parking needs of patients and visitors who are currently parking in the EGG. The MiGo is located on the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and High Street, directly adjacent to the Buffalo General Medical Center (BGMC) and the Gates Vascular Institute (GVI), and provides relatively easy access via walking or shuttle to and from the hospital facilities.

The BNMC Transportation and Parking Project Management Group (including staff from the BNMC, Kaleida Health, UB, and Roswell Park) have been working diligently on a strategy to ensure that that all patients and visitors can easily be relocated to the MiGo, as the garage was built with this additional capacity during reconstruction in mind. Kaleida and BNMC will also operate a complimentary and wheel-chair accessible shuttle service to safely and efficiently move patients and visitors between the MiGo and BGMC/GVI main entrances. Valet services will also be enhanced at both the GVI and BGMC entrances to accommodate an anticipated increase in valet traffic.

No existing MiGo parkers will be displaced from the garage, although employees will be asked not to park on those levels reserved for patients and visitors.

How are you mitigating additional employees parking in the neighborhoods during this time?

We do not expect any of the temporarily displaced parkers from the EGG to park in the Fruit Belt and/or Allentown neighborhoods. The vast majority of people who park in the EGG are patients and visitors of BGMC and GVI.  We will continue to direct them to first-class valet services at the main hospital entrances as well as parking and shuttle options in the MiGo. In addition, the relatively low number of employee permit holders who currently park in the EGG will also be given access to the MiGo.

The BNMC continues to work to mitigate the impact of employee parking in the Fruit Belt.  The BNMC and our partners are also in the midst of a Parking Study funded by the NYS Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to help inform legislation and develop a model residential parking program in the Fruit Belt neighborhood. We are currently in the data collection phase of the Parking Study, working with Fruit Belt residents, institutional partners, and local elected officials to assess current employee parking behaviors and surveying residents to determine their unique parking challenges and needs. The BNMC staff hosted several events and went door-to-door to survey residents, churches and business owners; we expect to have results to share by November 2015.

How will this new garage fit into the BNMC’s overall parking strategy?

This new garage provides a dramatic increase in convenient parking and improved customer service for the growing number of patients, visitors, and employees on the Medical Campus, in particular within the Buffalo General Medical Center, Gates Vascular Institute, the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.  As a quickly growing Medical Campus in a dense and urban area, there is a critical need to ensure ample parking for patients and visitors while at the same time ensuring safe, efficient and sustainable transportation access for employees, students and neighborhood residents alike.

What is the timing for garage construction?

Demolition of the current EGG and construction of the new garage is expected to take 18-21 months depending on start date. The parking facility is expected to be partially occupied in May 2017 and fully constructed by November 2017. The contract will include MWBE construction goals.

How many spaces will this add to the BNMC parking system, and is it enough to accommodate the expected growth in the number of employees?

The EGG will expand from its current 892 parking spaces to just over 1,800 spaces. We are also in the process of acquiring additional off-Campus parking which will provide a modest increase to our overall parking inventory. It is the BNMC’s mission to work with our partners to develop a wide array of parking and transportation options to accommodate nearly all commuting needs for the entire BNMC population.

Currently, BNMC, with the assistance of its Transportation Project Management Group, has been exploring a number of nearby satellite parking options, including those on the NFTA Metro Rail line to the north and south.

In addition, we continue to work with our regional partners to manage and grow the GO BNMC commuter toolkit, an innovative program designed to provide employees with better access to healthier, greener and affordable transportation options.

Has GO BNMC been successful?

Yes, over the past three years we have developed several programs that have successfully encouraged drive-alone commuters to consider changing over to alternative modes of transportation (e.g. transit, carpool, biking, and walking).  This includes incentive programs, educating employees about their options, and providing infrastructure improvements for safer and more efficient travel modes.  Since launching GO BNMC, we have seen a 4% reduction in the number of employees driving alone to the Medical Campus.  Moving forward, we are also seeing an increase in housing options in the downtown area, in the surrounding neighborhoods, and along the Metro Rail line. BNMC and partners are also working to create programs to encourage employees to live in these areas, which provide greater access to these alternative commuting modes and, in turn, dampen our on-campus parking demands.

Working Together to Change Our City’s Future

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Homepage6 Comments on Working Together to Change Our City’s Future

Working Together to Change Our City’s Future

– Matt Enstice // blog – 

After-03973As I walk through the Medical Campus and take in all of the construction buzzing all around me, I begin to think about what’s been accomplished and what’s next. Something always comes right to mind as I look back, and it might not be what you’d expect. When I think about what has been accomplished on our Medical Campus, my thoughts go to something far more important, to our community rather than buildings: a change in perception.

There have been many articles recently from New York to Washington to Los Angeles about Buffalo’s ongoing renaissance. Those articles tend to focus on noteworthy physical developments that have taken place here — the cranes in the air, wind turbines churning, craft breweries and food trucks seemingly around every corner.

While those physical developments are remaking the look of our city, the true revolution is that more and more people are shunning the advice of “Buffaloathers” of past generations and choosing to make Buffalo their home. For instance, young college graduates have been rediscovering our city in the beginning of the new century in greater and greater numbers. Last fall the New York Times reported that from 2000 to 2012 there was a 34% change in the number of college graduates aged 25 to 34.

That said, I believe that the most prominent individuals who have chosen Buffalo are not millennials but Kim and Terry Pegula, and their decision is as large as any of the buildings I see rising up around the medical campus. They could have invested anywhere in the world but chose Buffalo, and it has helped transform the mentality of our city. We’ve gone from directing people to look for success outside of Buffalo to telling them, “Why would you want to leave Buffalo; you can succeed here!”CLmbf1GWoAAk_s3

As the owner of Bills and the Sabres, the Pegulas have gotten rid of the attitude that just making the playoffs is something to be satisfied with — the goal is to win the Super Bowls and Stanley Cups. To that end, the Pegulas have outshined their rivals and attracted to the area world-class talent to play and coach for the Bills and Sabres.

Our community needs to follow in their footsteps and draw more of the best and the brightest to our area. Let’s attract more pre-eminent doctors, more first-rate researchers, more successful entrepreneurs and more leading businesses to our community.

Buffalo has always had the assets and infrastructure in place to become a vibrant city in which our people and businesses thrive. It is our turn now to make sure we have the people in place to utilize the buildings we are constructing to ensure our community is successful.

CL0HJ91WEAAfY3aThis has always been a focus for the BNMC, our vision is in fact “to attract the best and the brightest”. A combination of world-class facilities and a reinvigorated community that people want to be a part of will allow us to do just that

I am going to start to write more regularly on our MutualCity methodology that we believe is the model to help revitalize cities by leveraging the economic assets of anchors. In doing so I will also introduce you to our team members who are the ones leading the way with the implementation of MutualCity.

Another Voice: Medical Campus shares common goals with neighbors

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Homepage4 Comments on Another Voice: Medical Campus shares common goals with neighbors

By Matt Enstice
The Buffalo News recently highlighted the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the creation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem for new and growing companies. This growth, coupled with economic development on and near the Medical Campus, is bringing a sense of optimism and excitement to Buffalo.

For some in the adjacent neighborhoods, however, growth brings with it a sense of concern about its impact and whether they can share in Buffalo’s renaissance. The good news is that the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus shares many of the same goals as our neighbors and the organizations that serve them.

The strategic vision of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC), the nonprofit created to address shared issues among member institutions and nearby neighborhoods, is to revitalize our community on and beyond the campus. The BNMC is actively engaged in initiatives that ensure that the needs of stakeholders – patients, neighbors, visitors, employees and our overall community – are considered and planned for as the campus grows.

This wp-contentroach, called MutualCity, is designed to leverage the assets of the Medical Campus to help to build a stronger Buffalo.

We know we can’t do this alone, which is why we seek opportunities to learn more. We have canvassed our neighborhoods to gain input on issues, including barriers to jobs and transportation issues. We host open “Four Neighborhoods, One Community” meetings to discuss critical issues with neighbors, and we regularly attend neighborhood meetings and events.

We are connecting nearby residents and employers by opening up communication, sharing job and business opportunities and providing training. We offer mentoring and workspace to those who want to create and grow businesses. We are addressing access by promoting alternative transportation options, including carpooling, biking, CarShare and transit while creating a healthier environment. By improving streetscapes, we are working to create a safe, walkable and accessible campus designed to enhance a sense of neighborhood.

We are working with local officials to study parking issues and encourage changes to current policies that will help local residents. We also support efforts made through the City of Buffalo and others to help local homeowners and renters stay in their neighborhoods.

The positive impact of the Medical Campus is being realized in many ways, including improved health care and in educating the next generation. By continuing to work together, we believe we can help build a new Buffalo that is enjoyed by all.

Matt Enstice is president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

BNMC Statement in Support of Parking Permit Legislation for Fruit Belt Residents

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Fruit Belt, GO BNMC5 Comments on BNMC Statement in Support of Parking Permit Legislation for Fruit Belt Residents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2015

BNMC Statement in Support of Parking Permit Legislation for Fruit Belt Residents

The BNMC, the not-for-profit organization formed to address shared issues among institutions on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and our adjacent neighborhoods, strongly supports legislation proposed by State Senator Tim Kennedy and Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes and supported by Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen, that would ensure that Fruit Belt residents have access to parking in their neighborhood through a new parking permit system designed specifically for the Fruit Belt.

We are very cognizant of the fact that as the Medical Campus grows, the need for an adequate parking and transportation system for local residents, employees, patients, and visitors will continue to grow as well. We have been working diligently with a number of local stakeholders including our neighbors, the Medical Campus institutions, the NFTA, Department of Transportation and the City of Buffalo to develop overall strategies and programs to address parking and transportation needs, including providing various parking options, enhancing and creating new alternative modes of transportation, and programs aimed at incentivizing use of carpooling, public transit, biking, and walking.

The BNMC, working closely with nearby residents and local elected officials, has secured funding from NYSERDA/NYSDOT to facilitate the planning and implementation of a residential parking benefits district that will effectively manage the on-street parking supply and demand as well as improve the access, mobility and quality of life of Fruit Belt residents.

For the Medical Campus to be successful, we must consider the needs of our adjacent neighborhoods as well as the needs of the employees, patients, and visitors. We believe this legislation will help to ease the current situation that often leaves local residents with few options for parking near their homes. We wp-contentlaud the work of Senator Kennedy and Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes and the rest of the Western New York delegation, as well as Councilmember Pridgen, and urge the New York State Legislature to pass this legislation.

###

Tunes in the Tent Kicks-Off June 2nd

by BNMCin Allentown, Amenities, Art, Attractions, Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Event, Homepage, Networking, Outreach4 Comments on Tunes in the Tent Kicks-Off June 2nd

tunes in the tent 2015Tunes in the Tent is back from noon-1pm on June 2nd! Tunes in the Tent is a popular, free musical performances  for Campus employees and community members. Our kick-off celebration features Ten Cent Howl in the park located along Ellicott Street at Virginia (across from HWI)! Here’s a sneak preview.
We’ll be hosting group and solo musical acts; the entertainment will feature Campus employees and local community bands. Grab your lunch,or buy them from The Roaming Buffalo or La Belle Epicure, and enjoy the local musical talent. Tunes in the Tent is free and open to the public.See this  year’s lineup below!

Tunes in the Tent schedule 2015:

6/2/2015- Ten Cent Howl

6/9/2015- Bruce Wojick

6/16/2015- Jamie Holka

6/23/2015- Mari McNeil

6/30/2015- Mark Winsick

7/7/2015- The Observers

7/14/2015- Alison Pipitone

7/21/2015- Ten Cent Howl

7/28/2015- Theresa Quinn Trio

8/4/2015- Dee Adams & Dave Kimball

8/11/2015- Rosewood Bridge

8/18/2015- The Larkin Plan

8/25/2015- TBD

Walking on Wednesdays is Back!

by BNMCin Allentown, Attractions, Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Environment, Event, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Networking4 Comments on Walking on Wednesdays is Back!
Walk during your lunch hour with your co-workers! Walking on Wednesdays (W.O.W.) , a great mid-day break walk, will get you back to work refreshed and ready to tackle the afternoon.

Join us at the RPCI Kaminski Park every Wednesday on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Walks are wp-contentroximately 1.5 miles. All walks begin at 12:10 p.m. and end at 12:40 p.m. Be sure to dress for the weather as walks take place whether it rains or shines, except if there is lightning.

Stop by the RPCI Farmer’s Market beginning June1 every Wednesday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. before or after each walk to get some fresh vegetables, fruits, jams, baked goods and more.

For your comfort and safety, please remember:

  • Wear proper, comfortable footwear
  • Watch for eye-level bushes and trees
  • Watch for broken concrete, potholes and uneven surfaces
  • Obey all traffic signs and signals
  • Alert walk leaders and other walkers of unsafe conditions
  • Walk leaders have cell phones and should be notified of any incidents so they can summon help if necessary
  • Sun protection: sun block, (should be wp-contentlied a half hour before exposure) sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat
  • Adequate hydration before, after and during the walk.
  • Have fun!

BNMC-0240 WOW poster update v2-page-001

Allen Medical Campus Metro Rail Station Temporary Closure

by BNMCin Allentown, Biking, Campus-wide, Community, Construction, Employees, GO BNMC, Homepage, Member Institution(s), Parking, Transportation5 Comments on Allen Medical Campus Metro Rail Station Temporary Closure

metroBeginning on Monday, April 20, 2015 the Allen Medical Campus Metro Rail Station will be temporarily closed. The  station is expected to be closed for wp-contentroximately 3-4 weeks. Between these dates, there will be no passenger access to the Allen Medical Campus Rail Station. The closing is a result of ongoing construction taking place at the Allen Medical Campus Metro Rail Station, as the University at Buffalo continues to build its new School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences facility, which will be built over the existing rail station.
During the temporary closure, there will be free, daily Metro Bus Shuttle service (see schedule) available to avoid disruption of service to Metro Rail customers. Shuttle intervals will coincide with the daily rail schedule at 10- minute intervals during peak periods. Shuttle buses are ADA accessible for individuals with mobility devices.

Here are some tips to help make your commutes stress free:

  • On your way to work get off the Metro Rail at the Summer-Best station.
  • Make sure to have your rail card with you for access to shuttle busses.
  • Take the shuttle bus to the Summer-Best station.
  • Take the Metro Rail to your final destination.

For your safety, NFTA officers will be amping up surveillance along the temporary Metro Bus Shuttle route. Specific attention will be paid at and near all shuttle route stops.

Questions? NFTA Metro staff will be present at rail stations during peak hours between

April 14 – 17 to help answer any questions you may have. Also, for more information, you may call the NFTA at 855-7211.

Looking for a healthier, greener and more affordable ways to get to work? Checkout out GOBNMC.

Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus! Presented by the BNMC and iSciWNY

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Homepage, Member Institution(s)3 Comments on Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus! Presented by the BNMC and iSciWNY

Picture Yourself on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus!Presented by the BNMC and iSciWNY
Powered by AT&T

7-12th grade students and parents are invited to learn more about careers and internship opportunities in clinical care, research, education and entrepreneurship in the hospitals, research institutes, and other organizations on the Medical Campus. RSVP & learn more.

Don’t miss these hands-on experiences led by teams from:

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

UB’s Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences

Kaleida Health’s Gates Vascular Institute

Jacobs Institute

Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute

Unyts

BNMC, Inc.

Program begins at 9:00 am, tours begin at 9:15 am and run through 11:45 am.

Start at dig at 640 Ellicott Street (parking in lot across the street). *This is a walking tour so please dress wp-contentropriately!

This event is free but registration is required by April 15th!

Event to Showcase Resources for Entrepreneurs

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Entrepreneurs, Homepage, News1 Comment on Event to Showcase Resources for Entrepreneurs

For Immediate ReleaseContact:
Susan Kirkpatrick
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local/716-866-8002

 

Event to Showcase Resources for Entrepreneurs

Free public event includes 20 organizations that assist those starting businesses in WNY

 

BNMC-0175 Entrepreneur Fair v51Buffalo, N.Y., February 19, 2015 – Ignite, the business development office of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC Inc.) will host an event for the community on March 21 to showcase the many and varied resources available to those interested in, or already involved in starting a new business in Western New York. The event will include 20 organizations dedicating to supporting start-ups.

The first-of-its-kind event will be held in dig, the BNMC’s co-working and event space on the Medical Campus at 640 Ellicott Street. It will be held from noon until 5 pm and will include opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn more about organizations that can assist in developing business ideas, creating business plans and models, securing funding and tax incentives, building networks and providing additional services relevant to new businesses.

According to Vic Nole, director of Business Development at BNMC, Inc., “There has never been a better time to start a business in this community given the creation and emergence of so many organizations dedicated to helping start ups. It is important to show those with an idea or a start-up business how to access the resources that they need most effectively. This event will bring together the leaders of Western New York’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem and provide an opportunity for the public to get to know what they have to offer.”

Participating organizations include Algonquin Studios- VCamp, Buffalo Angels, Buffalo State College Small Business Development Center, Buffalo Urban League, dig, FIKA, 43North, Innovation Hotspot, Jacobs Institute, Launch NY, StartUp Grind Buffalo, StartUp NY, The Foundry, UB Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, UB Center for Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, UB Center for Excellence in Materials Informatics, Westminster Economic Development Initiative, Western New York Venture Association and Z80 Labs.

The event is free and open to the public, however registration is required. To reserve a spot, go to digbuffalo.org/ignitestatups.

About Ignite

Ignite is an initiative of the BNMC Inc. and includes a full complement of resources designed to identify, evaluate, and support new business opportunities for the purpose of creating and incubating all types of new companies and jobs in the Buffalo region. It includes workspace, business services, mentoring, access to capital, programming, networking opportunities and collaboration to help entrepreneurs and innovators move ideas into businesses that can create jobs.

 

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. bnmc-old.local.

 

BNMC, Inc., First Niagara Award First Two Grants For Seed Capital Accelerator Program

by BNMCin Community, Entrepreneurs, Homepage3 Comments on BNMC, Inc., First Niagara Award First Two Grants For Seed Capital Accelerator Program

October 23, 2014, BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. and First Niagara Bank N.A. announced today two of the first awardees for its Seed Capital Accelerator Program.
The first grant recipients – Public Health Communications LLC and F Bites – will use the funds to help improve the physical and economic health of the communities on and around the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

“We are pleased to announce our first round of grant recipients,” said Vic Nole, director of new business development for the BNMC, Inc. “These two companies are terrific examples of what we were hoping to see with this funding – entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that can positively impact our community, not only in creating jobs but also in supporting a healthier community.”

“First Niagara is committed to boosting business development and job creation in our City, and playing a pivotal role in the redevelopment taking place on and around the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. We are proud to provide the resources business owners need to help create a vibrant downtown where people can live and work,” said Buford Sears, First Niagara Regional President, Western New York.

Public Health Communications, LLC, led by local businessman John Seman and working in collaboration with the Erie County Health Department for content development, received $9,900 for a pilot project to deliver vital public health, safety, and wellness information via a network of digital signage installed in physician waiting rooms, health care clinics, emergency rooms, and other health related areas.

“Digital signage is emerging as a powerful medium for delivering dynamic, engaging and impactful messages,” Seman said. “Patients spend an average of 20 minutes in physician waiting rooms, creating an ideal environment for presenting information that empowers them to take a more active role in the health care.”

The pilot will also serve as a market research initiative to gauge the impact, recall, and action taken based on information presented on the digital signage. Arbitron Research studies indicate that 76 percent of people watch digital signage, 63 percent recall the messages, and 28 percent take previously unplanned action based on the information presented. The goal is to install 100 digital signs across Erie County over the next 3-5 years, thereby improving the health of the entire region.

The second company to receive funding in this round is F Bites, a youth empowerment and training company led by Chef Bobby Anderson, which will receive $10,000. F Bites founder and executive director Chef Bobby, as he is known, wp-contenteared on the national television series “Hell’s Kitchen” several years ago, and returned to Buffalo with a goal of improving the lives of youth in the region. His company offers vocational training as well as nutrition and financial literacy education to youth and young adults through after school programs and at special events within Erie and Niagara Counties.

“I have always known that cooking was a universal language, and it’s a very effective tool to teach the soft skills necessary for career advancement and increase awareness about healthy eating,” said Anderson. “We have been successful with what we have been doing, but receiving this grant will allow us to expand our operations and increase collaborative efforts with other local youth organization, thereby having an even greater impact on kids and families in our region.”

The company has been in operation for five years in Niagara County and seeks a larger presence in Erie County. F Bites will use its funding for business consulting and operating expenses, including hiring attorney services to obtain 501(c)3 status. They also plan to open an eatery on or near the Medical Campus to provide healthy food options prepared and served by the youth in the training program.

More than 85 percent of students graduating from the F Bites program over the past five years are currently enrolled in school or employed part- or full-time. These students are trained for existing employment opportunities, and with the expansion of F Bites will have an opportunity to go to work directly for the organization.

The BNMC Inc. is still accepting wp-contentlications on a rolling basis for the balance of the funding. For more information, visit bnmc-old.local/seedcapital.

 

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. bnmc-old.local

 

###

Kaleida Health to Break Ground for the New John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Construction, Employees, Homepage, Member Institution(s)4 Comments on Kaleida Health to Break Ground for the New John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital
The John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital groundbreaking ceremony will held today Wednesday, October 8th, 2014. Physicians, employees, donors and other dignitaries will be on hand to kick off construction on the new $270 million facility.

image001The Oishei Children’s Hospital will replace the current Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, which is located on Bryant Street.

The historic project will right-size and consolidate services in a 12-floor, 183-bed, free-standing, modern facility on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. It will be an integral part of the campus, linking with the Buffalo General Medical Center, the Gates Vascular Institute, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the new UB Medical School and more.

Last week, Kaleida Health announced its financing for the project. In August, site preparation began.

Construction is anticipated to take wp-contentroximately 34 months , with the new hospital opening in 2017.

New Signage Adds to Improved Medical Campus Streetscape

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Homepage, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s)3 Comments on New Signage Adds to Improved Medical Campus Streetscape

New Signage Adds to Improved Medical Campus Streetscape

Lighting, pathways, gardens and public art enhance public spaces

Buffalo, N.Y., October 7, 2014 – New, colorful directional signage is being installed on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, nearly completing significant streetscape enhancements to the Campus that began in 2010.  The wayfinding system, developed by Corbin Design, will have a cohesive look and will direct patients and visitors to the major campus destinations.

20141007_133516The 44 signature signs will be installed throughout the Campus, from Goodell to North Street and Main to Michigan. In addition, informational kiosks that include full campus maps and other information about the Medical Campus will be located at major pedestrian areas.

The signage is one more step in the improved look of the Campus that includes the completion of Ellicott Park, a $6.3 million federal streetscape project that extends along Ellicott Street from Goodell to Best Streets. Designed by nArchitects, the 3,300 linear park runs through the heart of the Medical Campus and includes angled paths, islands, and plazas, as well as banded concrete, illuminated benches, a diverse planting scheme, and signature LED lighting – the first of its kind in the city of Buffalo. Ellicott Park was developed with input from a variety of Medical Campus stakeholders and was designed to encourage purposeful interactions between employees, patients, visitors, and neighbors, increase active living opportunities, and provide better access to the Campus institutions.

In addition to input on design and development of streetscape improvements, Medical Campus stakeholders are also taking an active role in the ongoing upkeep of the surrounding areas.  The BNMC Inc. team has adopted specific garden beds in Ellicott Park and are actively weeding, cleaning and handling general maintenance to ensure that the beds look their best at all times. Other Medical Campus businesses and organizations are encouraged to adopt a bed in the linear park. Those that adopt a bed are supported by BNMC Inc. Green Team members and are recognized with signs in the adopted bed.

The investment in improving the overall streetscape on the Medical Campus creates a unique environment, while providing a safe and walkable public space. Many improvements are also energy efficient and environmentally friendly, such as the 21 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the campus and the LED lighting in the public right of way on Ellicott, as well as the installation of a bio-retention facility to filter contaminants that would otherwise enter the Great Lakes and adding solar/wind powered lighting in the parking lot across from the Innovation Center.  In addition, exterior public art has been added at the corner of High & Ellicott in partnership with the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation and on the MiGo parking garage at Michigan and High Street in partnership with a community art committee.

While the enhanced public spaces are designed primarily for employees, patients and their visitors, BNMC, Inc. actively encourages the public to visit the Medical Campus as well.  Initiatives such as “Tunes in the Tent,” musical events held every Tuesday at noon at Ellicott Park over the summer, and the “Walking on Wednesdays” program that provides walking tours through the Medical Campus are open to the public.  Learn more about the BNMC at bnmc-old.local.

 

About BNMC, Inc.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC, Inc.) is a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. The non-profit BNMC, Inc. serves as the umbrella organization for the anchor institutions comprising the region’s premier health care, life sciences research, and medical education institutions located within the 120-acre campus. 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. bnmc-old.local

Commercialization is Heating Up in Western New York!

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Entrepreneurs, Homepage, Life Sciences Companies, Networking2 Comments on Commercialization is Heating Up in Western New York!

BNMC Logo RGB Stacked                                             FURNACE          

           DIG 1                                                     LAUNCH

Commercialization is Heating Up in Western New York!

Join us on September 17th for a free seminar about the process for commercializing new technologies from the U.S. Department of Defense through the Furnace New York Accelerator program – and how Launch NY can assist!

RSVP!

WHEN:  Wednesday, September 17, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

WHAT: 6:00     Registration

 6:30     Wiley Larsen, Venture Manager, Furnace Accelerator
Topic: Adopting Department of Defense technologies that are ready for commercialization

 7:00     Marnie LaVigne, President & CEO, Launch NY
Topic: Facilitating the launch and growth of high potential companies in upstate New York

 7:30     General Q&A

 8:00     Join fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and business developers for informal networking

 

WHERE: Dig in the Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center, 640 Ellicott Street, Buffalo NY

Car and bike parking are available in the lot across the street. dig is two blocks southeast of the Allen/Medical Campus NFTA station.

RSVP: This event is free but registration is required. Please RSVP by Friday, Sept. 12th at bnmc-old.local/events/furnace

The Buffalo News: National foundations investing in Buffalo

by BNMCin Allentown, Campus-wide, Community, Fundraiser, Homepage, Innovation Center, Investment Opportunities, News3 Comments on The Buffalo News: National foundations investing in Buffalo
The cooperation and recent track record of Buffalo’s economic development efforts has caught the eye of an unlikely source of investment capital: national charitable foundations.

Lured to the city by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, executives from several deep-pocketed nonprofits want to put their vast dollars to work in one of the nation’s most downtrodden cities as it undergoes what many see as a revival.

They say they are intrigued by the new sense of public and private-sector teamwork in the region, and are considering targeted investments in key projects to improve the economy and quality of life. The goal is to create conditions that encourage the growth of small businesses and jobs, so individuals and families can earn more money and accumulate wealth.

The foundations are eying the components of the regional economic development plan – such as technology manufacturing and medical research – as the mechanism to do it.

“We are very impressed with the cooperation and the intergovernmental and public-private partnerships that have already been developed in Buffalo and the surrounding area,” said Frank Altman, founder, president and CEO of the Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF), one of the national groups. “We just think there is a real opportunity to get behind that.”

The foundations want to invest from their core holdings in projects, businesses and initiatives, hoping to make a greater impact on the community. Projects may include building new and improved housing, fostering the creation of new jobs, training workers, supporting new businesses, and encouraging environmental and social initiatives.

Representatives of eight national foundations and three national investment firms gathered in Buffalo for a daylong summit in June with 50 attendees in all, and officials hope to build on that in the fall.

Specific opportunities that the Community Foundation is pitching include:

• Training programs for jobs that pay “family-sustaining” wages

• Investing in businesses in “economically distressed communities”

• Buying government bonds

• Investing in companies with “strong environmental records”

• Offering credit to a local land trust to buy land for preservation

• Buying and developing commercial or mixed-use properties in specific areas

Investors were particularly interested in the new Advanced Manufacturing Institute and companies participating in the 43North business plan competition, according to Community Foundation.

The foundations expect to earn enough on their investments to sustain their holdings.

“We’re a community that’s really on the move in terms of economic development, and these investors are coming to town to meet with local economic development leaders to begin the conversation of opportunities where they can put capital to work in the local community,” said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, which is spearheading the effort and coordinating the partners along with the F.B. Heron Foundation.

“It’s clearly about economic development, but it’s not about grants,” she said. “These foundations are coming in to look for opportunities in which they can invest their actual endowment.”

That would bring significantly more outside dollars into the community to leverage local money. And it could add to the national attention that Buffalo is gaining from the state’s Buffalo Billion economic development initiative, the growth of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the University at Buffalo, and the surge in development.

“The word is getting out about Buffalo as an up-and-coming city and this is validation of that,” said Dottie Gallagher-Cohen, CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. “What I see with this is tremendous horsepower in capital.”

Broader focus

“Mission-related” or “impact” investing is a change for philanthropic organizations long focused on social, environmental and economic change through grants and donations. Philanthropic leaders have concluded that the challenges facing many communities and families are so serious they have to shift gears to make more of an impact.

“Poverty is not marginal anymore. It’s not if we help someone get access to a loan, they can buy a house. If they don’t have a job, having access to a loan is not good, and owning a house is not always good, either,” said Clara Miller, president of the $300 million F.B. Heron Foundation in New York, which seeks to address poverty and related issues through socially responsible investments.

“So we said maybe we should go farther down the food chain and say how can we intervene to make sure people have jobs,” she said.

Nonprofit charitable foundations are required by the Internal Revenue Service to spend at least 5 percent of their total return each year. Heron, for example, has provided a $1.5 million grant to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

“BNMC offers one of the most tangible and inclusive expressions of successful economic development and job creation in an ex-industrialized American city,” Heron says on its website. “Anchor institutions, the historically low income surrounding neighborhoods, and community groups are all at the table.”

The newer concept calls for charitable organizations to invest their core endowment directly in communities, seeking investments that will generate social or environmental benefits, and still provide market-rate or near-market-rate returns. That could include support for job-training or job-creation initiatives, funding a “green” economy, small business financing or loan guarantees, private-equity stakes in companies, or investments in stock, bonds or even commercial and residential real estate development.

“This is very new to our community, this whole concept,” Dedecker said. “It’s a powerful opportunity for our community at this time.”

Besides Community Foundation, Heron of New York City and Minneapolis-based CRF, participants include Florida-based Community Capital Management, New York-based National Development Council, EKO, Hitachi Foundation of Washington, D.C., the Kresge Foundation of Detroit and George Soros’ Open Society Foundation of New York. Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and New Island Capital have also been contacted.

The organizations have engaged in similar work in cities across the country, including Chicago, Boston and Cleveland, and their focus ranges from jobs and business development to the environment and housing.

For example, besides grants, Heron also has issued loans, bought debt or made private-equity investments in businesses and communities through funds in California, the San Francisco Bay Area, northwest Louisiana, Boston, New Hampshire and the Appalachian region. Another nonprofit that is not involved here, the Minneapolis Foundation, provided a $1 million working capital loan fund through another nonprofit to enable minority- and women-owned businesses to participate in the construction of a new football stadium for the Vikings.

“The for-profit sector looks for places that are already on the way up and make a lot of money from doing that. The philanthropic sector has a different model,” said Mark Popovich, vice president of programs at Hitachi Foundation, which focuses on quality job creation and career advancement, particularly in health care and advanced manufacturing, and on entrepreneurship. “We’re looking at places that aren’t the most vibrant economic communities, because that’s where the opportunities exist to invest with local investors to support change.”

 

Source:
Epstein, Jonathan D. . (2014  August 24). National foundations investing in Buffalo. The Buffalo News. Retrieved from  http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/national-foundations-investing-in-buffalo-20140824

BNMC, Inc. Now Accepting Applications for Seed Capital Accelerator Program, Sponsored by First Niagara Bank Program Designed to Support New and Growing Start-ups on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, News5 Comments on BNMC, Inc. Now Accepting Applications for Seed Capital Accelerator Program, Sponsored by First Niagara Bank Program Designed to Support New and Growing Start-ups on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, July 22, 2014

Contact:
Kari Root Bonaro, BNMC, Inc.
716.218.7157, kbonaro@bnmc-old.local

 

BNMC, Inc. Now Accepting Applications for Seed Capital Accelerator Program, Sponsored by First Niagara BankProgram Designed to Support New and Growing Start-ups on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus 

(Buffalo, NY – July 22, 2014) The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC, Inc.) is now accepting wp-contentlications for its Seed Capital Accelerator Program, sponsored by First Niagara Bank.  First Niagara has provided funding to support new and existing start-ups that are affiliated with the BNMC’s Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center or entrepreneurship programs.

The new fund will provide up to $10,000 in seed funding to enable start-ups to overcome short term business obstacles, and to reach project milestones that are designed to get products and services to market quicker – thus yielding measurable longer term returns on investment.  Grants and loans will be awarded to businesses that have sustainable growth potential, a legitimate funding need, and are making a contribution to the social and business communities on and around the Medical Campus.

“This generous funding from First Niagara will allow us to further support the entrepreneurial ecosystem on the Medical Campus,” said Vic Nole, director of new business development for the BNMC, Inc. “We look forward to helping even more start-ups move from ideation to incubation, creating jobs and re-building our community.”

Program Description

BNMC, Inc. will make available grants or loans to eligible business owners under the program for the following purposes:

  • To purchase equipment or other capital goods.
  • For operating expenses that are directly related to a specific revenue generating project.
  • To acquire inventory required to satisfy a signed purchase order.
  • To pay up to 50% of a new hire’s salary for up to 90 days.
  • To pay for education, mentoring, or training for entrepreneurs and business owners that is directly related to the creation of a new business or the growth of an existing business within the Community.

The program will be directed to companies that are located on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, or to companies (or entrepreneurs) that are being assisted with their formation and growth plans by the business development office at the BNMC, Inc.  Specifically, grants will be provided to either:

  • Revenue generating companies that sell goods and services,
  • Community building companies that provide goods or services to persons on or near the Medical Campus, or
  • Companies that need capital to deliver on projects for BNMC member institutions.

For program wp-contentlications please contact:

Vic Nole, Director of New Business Development, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

vnole@bnmc-old.local.

Learn more at bnmc-old.local/seedcapital

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. The BNMC, Inc. 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.

###

 

 

First Niagara Bank, N.A. and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. Seed Capital Accelerator Program

by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Entrepreneurs, Homepage, Innovation Center2 Comments on First Niagara Bank, N.A. and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. Seed Capital Accelerator Program

BNMC LOGO       FN LOGO
The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC, Inc.) is now accepting wp-contentlications for its Seed Capital Accelerator Program, sponsored by First Niagara Bank. First Niagara has provided funding that will be used by BNMC, Inc. to support new and existing start-ups that are affiliated with BNMC, Inc.’s Innovation Center or entrepreneurship programs.

The new fund will provide up to $10,000 in seed funding to enable start-ups to overcome short term business obstacles, and to reach project milestones that are designed to get products and services to market quicker – thus yielding measurable longer term returns on investment. Grants and loans will be awarded to businesses that have sustainable growth potential, a legitimate funding need, and are making a contribution to the social and business communities on and around the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

BNMC, Inc. will make available grants or loans to eligible business owners under the program for the following purposes:

  • To purchase equipment or other capital goods.
  • For operating expenses that are directly related to a specific revenue generating project.
  • To acquire inventory required to satisfy a signed purchase order.
  • To pay up to 50% of a new hire’s salary for up to 90 days.
  • To pay for education, mentoring, or training for entrepreneurs and business owners that is directly related to the creation of a new business or the growth of an existing business within the Community.

The Program will be directed to companies that are located on the Medical Campus, or to companies (or entrepreneurs) that are being assisted with their formation and growth plans by the business development office at the BNMC, Inc. Specifically, awards will be provided to either:

  1. Revenue generating companies that sell goods and services,
  2. Community building companies that provide goods or services to persons on or near the Medical Campus, or
  3. Companies that need capital to deliver on projects for BNMC member institutions.

To wp-contently or for more information, please contact:

Vic Nole, Director of New Business Development, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., vnole@bnmc-old.local.

Seed Capital Accelerator Program Application

 

Read more:

BNMC, Inc. Now Accepting Applications for Seed Capital Accelerator Program, Sponsored by First Niagara Bank Program Designed to Support New and Growing Start-ups on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – See more at: https://bnmc-old.local/bnmc-inc-now-accepting-wp-contentlications-seed-capital-accelerator-program-sponsored-first-niagara-bank-program-designed-support-new-growing-start-ups-buffalo-niagara-medical-campus/#sthash.DrkIuJDR.dpuf

BNMC, Inc. Now Accepting Applications for Seed Capital Accelerator Program, Sponsored by First Niagara Bank Program Designed to Support New and Growing Start-ups on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

First Niagara Announces $500,000 Business Development Fund to Highlight Company’s $4.0 Million Investment in Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Watch the video to see how all of the grant recipients will work to support small business growth near the BNMC.

First Niagara Announces $500,000 Business Development Fund to Highlight Company’s $4.0 Million Investment in Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – See more at: https://bnmc-old.local/first-niagara-announces-500000-business-development-fund-highlight-companys-4-0-million-investment-buffalo-niagara-medical-campus/#sthash.l65pyfNn.CN6TqNH9.dpuf

BNMC Update 2014

by BNMCin Allentown, Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Energy, Entrepreneurs, Homepage, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s), News, TransportationLeave a Comment on BNMC Update 2014

The Connections that Make a Community

photo 2On Thursday, June 12th, Bill Joyce, chair of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. board of directors, and Matt Enstice, president & CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., presented an update on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.  The update focused on where the  BNMC stands and its future with a strong emphasis on the current initiatives underway that impact the local community at large.

the Medical Campus is home to a thriving medical community, cutting-edge research, world-class health care facilities, and both established and emerging private sector companies. Leveraging those assets, the BNMC, Inc. has an ambitious vision to integrate energy, transportation, food systems, entrepreneurship, housing, education and jobs that will change Buffalo’s future.

 

photo 4The BNMC, Inc. focuses on: Entrepreneurship, Jobs and Workforce, Transportation, Energy, Neighborhoods, Housing and Healthy Communities. Learn more about the BNMC Initiatives.

View the BNMC Update 2014.

 

Chair of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Board of Directors – See more at: https://bnmc-old.local/about/board-of-directors/#william%20l.%20joyce

Chair of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Board of Directors – See more at: https://bnmc-old.local/about/board-of-directors/#william%20l.%20joyce