The Central Terminal Restoration Corp, (CTRC) welcomes Thomas Beauford Jr., Thomas A. Kucharski and Gustavo A. Lima to the Board of Directors. The not-for-profit board is stewarding development of the Buffalo Central Terminal – a majestic historic landmark – as a lasting cultural and economic hub for the community.
Stephanie Clark, Chair of the board states, “We are happy to welcome Thomas Beauford, Thomas Kucharski, and Gustavo Lima to our leadership. With tremendous public and philanthropic support for revitalization, the Buffalo Central Terminal has unprecedented momentum right now. These three talented community leaders have strong skill sets that will add tremendous value to the future of the Buffalo Central Terminal.”
Thomas Beauford Jr. is a business executive with over 20 years of strategic leadership experience in private industry and community board service. He is currently the President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League and was appointed to lead the historical civil rights, social justice, and community empowerment organization in August of 2020. He has a deep commitment to community service and currentlyserves as a board member of Kaleida Health, Univera Regional Advisory Board, Visit Buffalo Niagara, and Northland Workforce Training Center.
Thomas A. Kucharski has served as President and CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara since 2000. Under his leadership, Invest Buffalo Niagara has grown from a start-up initiative to an innovative regional economic development organization that has secured more than 400 successful project wins representing $4.4 billion in investment in the region and over 42,000 jobs created and/or retained. A dedicated and accomplished leader in economic development, Kucharski also serves on the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council and is an Executive Committee Member of the New York State Economic Development Council.
Gustavo A. Lima is an architect and construction manager with over 35 years of experience in project delivery of all kinds of building types, including some of the most iconic projects in the region. Having served as Principal and Director of Construction Services at CannonDesign for over 30 years, Lima now heads his own consulting firm, Gustavo A. Lima Architecture, dedicated to providing professional services that help bridge the gap between design and construction. Lima has leveraged his strong skillset through community involvement, currently serving on the Westminster Economic Development Initiative Board of Directors, the Construction Advisory committees of the New West Side Bazaar and the Western New York Land Conservancy’s Riverline Project, and in the Facilities committees of the Martin House Restoration Corporation and the Saturn Club.
Beauford, Kucharski, and Lima join the board at a pivotal point in time for the organization and the reuse of the historic Buffalo Central Terminal. In 2021 the CTRC concluded a year-long community-engagement process to develop a Master Plan. The community-driven Master Plan re-establishes the Terminal as a vibrant, hub of activity for the community—a beacon that attracts people and investment. In less than one year after releasing the Master Plan, the CTRC received over $60 million to bring the Terminal back to life as part of the Regional Revitalization Partnership, a major public and philanthropic initiative to spur economic growth on Buffalo’s East Side and across Western New York. On the heels of this announcement, the CTRC released a call for development partner(s) through a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) solicitation. A proven approach in the development of complex real estate projects, the RFEI will identify and evaluate prospective real estate development partners and their innovative ideas for the reuse while also gauging their interest, capacity, and mission alignment.
The full slate of board CTRC of directors – Stephanie Clark (Chair), James Morrell (Vice-Chair), Thomas Kucharski (Treasurer), John Jiloty (Secretary), Thomas Beauford, Yuri Hreshchyshyn, Angela Klein, Gustavo Lima, Michael Nisengard, Annie O’Neil-White and Carl Skompinski – is poised to advance the next chapter of the organization and the Buffalo Central Terminal.
For more information about the Buffalo Central Terminal, visit https://buffalocentralterminal.org/.
Sadly it appears that no one of the new board members has any emotional commitment to the neighborhood or the terminal or professional government experience. In the interest of full disclosure I have attempted to join the board because of my commitment and experience but have gotten nowhere. I respect the expertise of the three individuals but we need board members on the ground floor if you will with a long term commitment to the neighborhood and the terminal. With all due respect to the chosen individuals this appears to be lacking. The board needs to be representative of Buffalo and its residents. The three chosen board members have many skills but their hearts are not in the neighborhood or terminal. My grandparents former home in sight of the terminal is a contributing property to the BF historic district because we took such good care of it as is my grandparents church, Corpus Christi, which they built and their grandson, me, does what he can to restore it. I am old enough to remember boarding NY Central, Penn Central, and Amtrak trains from the station including as late as pursuing my Masters Degree in Urban Planning. My home and the homes of my family are adorned with pictures of the terminal as well as terminal clothing. My heart is in the neighborhood and while I have recently retired to Buffalo after a long academic career I continue to do professional work in preservation and teach part time at Buffalo State. My hear is in public service and my goal is to see this long neglected asset (the terminal) be a spark for the rejuvenation of the City of my birth.