BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Hispanic Cultural Institute is now less than two months from groundbreaking. This project has been years in the making.
This institute will be the first of its kind in Upstate New York.
The Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY board directors had recently had a meeting with the planning board. They had the location rezoned. The next step is to get the permits.
So far, they've raised over $17 million that will go directly to the institute. This money has been raised through fundraisers like their annual community breakfast. The other part of the funding has come through local and state grants.
The new institute will have things like a museum, an art gallery, and learning labs. There will also be guitar, language, and cooking classes. They hope to host their community breakfast at the institute in the future and also rent out spaces for community members. Their goal is not only to celebrate their culture but also to share it with others.
"We want the next generation to understand why their families migrated here, why we are here, what are the foods that we eat, how to dance, speak the language and pass the language and also welcome people who want to learn about the culture and the language," Dinorah Santos, a board director with the Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY, said.
The board plans to have groundbreaking in September, which is around the same time as Hispanic Heritage Month.
The institute will be located at the corner of Niagara and Hudson Streets on Buffalo's west side.