Gillibrand, Higgins announce $1 million for construction of Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute

Funding builds on $1 million previously dedicated to project through American Rescue Plan

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Brian Higgins were joined by members of the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York to announce $1 million in federal funding toward construction of the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute in Buffalo.

“The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York is an exceptional organization that works to foster awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Hispanic community,” Gillibrand said. “The Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute will help further the Hispanic Heritage Council’s mission and provide a welcoming space for the entire community to meet, learn and rejoice. I am excited to see this project enter the construction phase, and I am proud to have worked alongside Congressman Higgins to bring this critical funding to Western New York.”

Higgins said, “This is a project years in the making, under the visionary leadership of the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York. The Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute will be a unique and dynamic destination. One that embraces history, advances understanding, and provides opportunity. We are thrilled to see this project enter the construction phase and are proud to support this investment in Western New York.”

Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY President Casimiro D. Rodriguez Sr. said, “This Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute is the first of its kind in upstate New York and a historical moment for our community. The institute provides our community the opportunity to tell their stories, and promote and share our history, heritage and culture. The funding secured by Sen. Gillibrand and Congressman Higgins brings us even closer to that goal.”

The funding, secured by Gillibrand and Higgins in the 2023 federal budget, combined with $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding allocated through the City of Buffalo, makes the total federal investment in the $22 million project $2 million.

The Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute will feature a museum, performing arts theater, event space, café, media center and learning center. The 37,000-square-foot building is envisioned to be a community gathering place promoting learning and celebrating diverse arts and cultures.

Gillibrand and Higgins noted the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute project “will be a great addition to the bustling west Buffalo corridor, which has undergone a transformation thanks to a more than $33 million multiphase federal infrastructure investment in Niagara Street.

“The federal lawmakers also presented the Hispanic Heritage Council with a submission for the new Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute Museum. The special piece, a framed official copy of the law awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Borinqueneers, will serve as a lasting tribute to the service of the U.S. Army’s 65th Infantry, as well as a reminder of the important role the Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY played in advocating for the bill to become law.”

Construction on the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute is expected to begin this September, during Hispanic Heritage Month, and be completed in about 18 months.