life in flx

Meet Andrew Sowers and Evan Olson of ElmiraWorks

Freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers in the Southern Finger Lakes region have a new spot to meet, collaborate, and work when inspired to work outside their home office, thanks to two local entrepreneurs who made their way back home, Andrew Sowers and Evan Olson.

ElmiraWorks, located in the heart of Downtown Elmira, NY, is a newly opened coworking space that offers short-term, affordable office lease and meeting room options in a well-designed and inspiring atmosphere. Andrew was inspired to open the space when he relocated to the area. He shared, “While working from home can be convenient, sometimes you want to leave the house and feel more connected to the community. This led us to consider opening the first co-working space in Elmira.”

While several co-working spaces exist in neighboring areas like Corning, Ithaca, and Binghamton, Andrew and his wife, Mariah Flaim-Sowers, partnered with their friends Evan and Evan’s girlfriend, Marissa McMahon, to establish the first of such spaces in Elmira. “We believe that Elmira has the potential to attract a cohort of young entrepreneurs and remote workers, and we’re doing our part to help build the infrastructure needed to support them,” Andrew said.

Andrew is local to the Southern Tier, born and raised in Elmira. After graduating with a degree in computer science from Ithaca College, he worked as a software engineer in New York City for several years. Following his marriage to his college sweetheart, Mariah, they moved from Brooklyn and back to Elmira to enjoy the small-town lifestyle. They closed on their new home in Elmira in April of 2021 after a search all throughout 2020. “The pandemic did accelerate our search,” Andrew said, “although we had been planning our move before the start of the pandemic.”

Evan is a Corning, NY, local. He was born and raised in Corning and studied at SUNY Corning Community College. “After CCC, I worked in a few institutions and explored different degree paths such as mechanical engineering, computer engineering, and finally landing on computer science,” Evans shared. “I worked full-time through the remainder of my undergrad at SUNY Empire State and graduated in 2017.” At this time, Evan was living and working in Rochester, NY. He and Marissa moved back to the area after Evan got a position at Corning, Inc. Marissa and Evan met at Corning Community College and always had fairly strong ties to the area so, he said, it wasn’t difficult to move back, especially having purchased a house while still finishing his undergrad at SUNY Empire State.

For Andrew, being close to family again was a major motivating factor to moving back, along with the promise of a relatively low cost of living (compared to national averages). The ability to work remotely further made it an easy choice.

In addition to managing ElmiraWorks, Andrew and Evan have full-time jobs in the SoFlx community.

Evan works as a Technical Manager for Corning Gorilla Glass IOX Metrology. “My group is largely responsible for designing, prototyping, and facilitating the manufacture and production of post-ion exchange glass metrology.” Evan added, “My team is specifically responsible for writing the software that runs the instrument my group builds. Our software controls all of the hardware on the instrument, collects all of the data, makes a series of calculations, and reduces that data to a number of specific stress values. These values are used to determine the quality of the ion exchange for particular glass recipes. They are used in the research and development of new glass recipes and quality control of currently deployed glasses.”

Andrew works remotely as a software engineer at Gannett, where he’s involved in building their iOS app for USA Today and all of the local news apps like the Elmira Star Gazette, Corning Leader, and Ithaca Journal. Gannett’s roots can be traced back to Elmira, where Frank Gannett incorporated his first newspaper, The Star Gazette, over a century ago. Andrew shared, “My mother was also a graphic artist for The Star-Gazette, so I feel like I’m continuing the legacy of Elmira and its citizens by contributing to journalism. My wife, Mariah, is a program manager for Red Hat, a software consulting company owned by IBM, which also has roots in the Endicott-Binghamton area. She helps plan the programs that enable Red Hat employees to achieve long-term success and career growth.”

Before moving to the area, one of Andrew and Mariah’s biggest concerns was the availability of quality restaurants. “Having lived in NYC, we had gotten used to being surrounded by excellent food options, so we were concerned about losing that after moving here,” Andrew said. However, to their surprise, Andrews said, they found that there has been a food renaissance in the Southern Finger Lakes region in the last decade. He shared, “There are now several high-quality establishments in the area that feature fresh, local, and quality ingredients and authentic foods from various cultures around the world. It’s clear that good food is readily available here, and it seems that even more options are on the horizon.”

Since moving back to the area, Mariah and Andrew have some exciting news: they are expecting a son this May! “We are thrilled and know that this new addition to our family will impact how we engage with the community,” Andrew said, adding, “We’re excited for the new adventure that awaits us and are looking forward to creating new memories in the Southern Finger Lakes region.”

As remote workers, Mariah and Andrew could work from anywhere. He shared that though it’s tempting to move to a tropical region and work through a Zoom call with a mojito in hand, that wasn’t the lifestyle they wanted. “We were drawn to the Southern Finger Lakes region because of its wonderful people, rich history, an abundance of recreational amenities, and potential for growth. We wanted to be a part of this community and contribute to its vibrant future.”

A typical day for the Sowers household starts with a cup of locally roasted coffee from Big Nerd Coffee Company. If the weather permits, Andrew bikes down to the co-working space. After working for a few hours, he might have lunch at one of downtown Elmira’s spots and grab an espresso. “In the evenings, Mariah and I might play with our dog Billy in the yard or meet up with friends and grab dinner at one of the many restaurants located between Corning and Elmira.”

But their favorite thing to do in the area is to visit the lakes during the summer. Andrew shared, “There are numerous things to do in the area, which makes it an attractive place to live,” Andrew said, adding, “Living in Elmira, we enjoy the short drive to the lakes or Corning, and we’re happy to see newer places opening up in Elmira, like The Finger Lakes House, Rye Bar, Ill Eagle, and WMC North, among others.” He added, “There are also many outdoor activities to enjoy throughout the year, such as hiking in the spring and fall or skiing and snowboarding in the winter at Greek Peak.”

Evan says he tends to be a serial hobbyist. “I enjoy learning just about anything and like to pick up new hobbies and skills wherever I can,” he said. “Lately, I have been building a wood shop with the main goal of building all the cabinets for a kitchen renovation we’re planning/starting. I also enjoy programming on the side, working on cars and motorcycles, engineering solutions for many of these projects, and leveraging 3D printing to solve them. Outside of that, if we are not working on some project, we spend time with our animals in our own personal zoo of 4 cats and two dogs.”

If you are looking to relocate to the area, Andrew has this advice to share: “As someone who has been a long-time resident of the area and having spent several years living in New York City, I would encourage people to consider the benefits of small-town living. Some of these benefits include shorter commute times, friendly neighborhood communities, abundant green space, clean air, more room to raise a family, and housing at more affordable prices. The Southern Finger Lakes region is especially family-friendly, offering a variety of outdoor recreational activities and plenty of space to raise a family. These are just some of the many benefits that small-town living offers, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.” Andrew would love to encourage ex-pats from the SoFLX area to consider moving back home. He said, “Many millennials from this area have moved away for work elsewhere since completing college. We’re now at a point where some folks in this generation are considering settling down and starting families. For those who can work remotely, it might be worth considering moving back home and reconnecting with their roots. The major challenge is that many of our peers have the perception that Elmira and the Southern Finger Lakes region’s best days are behind them, and most of them aren’t aware of the renaissance that’s starting to take shape here.”

Evan noted, “The area has definitely seen a revitalization in the number of quality restaurants and establishments to get a nice cocktail. Definitely far more than when I grew up here.”

Thank you, Andrew and Evan, for sharing your story with us! Read more SoFLX stories to learn about life, work, and play in the Southern Finger Lakes.

Meet Crystal Moran and Anddy Reynoso

Crystal Moran and her fiance, Anddy Reynoso live in Horseheads, NY with their two teenage boys, Allen and Andrew, and fur babies, Shadow and Roscoe. 

They moved to the region in 2004, Crystal from the Bronx and Anddy from Washington Heights, NY.

“My stepdad always told my mom he was going to take us out of the projects,” Crystal said, “I never heard of this area before he came and bought a house here.” She added, “Anddy and I were just about to reach one year into our relationship, so we visited and decided it would be a nice place to start our life together.” 

Crystal thought it would be a great change for them from the city, and that it would offer them the peace they were looking for. But, they did have some concerns. “We said OK, maybe we can get used to this but our biggest concern was diversity. Our Dominican-Puerto Rican culture wasn’t visible to us here.” For example, she recalls, “We couldn’t call up a restaurant and get the food we were so used to eating.” But, a few weeks after moving they found out they were pregnant, and though they were scared in becoming young parents, they were also excited to raise their baby in a different environment than the one they were coming from. 

Still, two years later, in 2006 they moved back to New York City in the hopes of making their professional dreams come true, something they thought would only be possible there. “They say if you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere,” Crystal said. So they went back to try, but found that the cost of living made it difficult to launch. And they came back. “I feel like the cost of living here is very affordable,” Crystal shared, “and if you connect with the right people they will assist with your goals and dreams.”

She added, “I don’t regret moving and raising my family here. I’m seeing more diversity, and more small businesses of all cultures opening.”

In October 2020, they started cooking out of their house for people who asked them for catering services, but eventually, they decided to save up their money and make it official. “As a family, we’ve spoken about opening a restaurant for a long time,” Crystal said.

They were further convinced to do it with support from other family members and friends. “There’s good and bad in pursuing a career in the restaurant business, but if we didn’t take the risk, we would have never known what was possible.” Crystal shared that opening their restaurant, Boricana in Elmira, has been amazing. “We, as a family, cook everything with love and from the heart.” And the restaurant has received a lot of community support and has a growing fanbase of Latinos and non-Latinos alike.

A normal day for Crystal and Anddy consists of making sure the kids are up and out for school, the fur babies are cared for until kids get home, and managing their restaurant from 6 or 7 AM till 7 PM. “After we close up, we head home to our boys, check in on their day, and do it again. Right now we are closed on weekends, so we take those days for inventory, paperwork, and family time.”

In the end, Crystal and Anddy have found community here. “We like to spend time with our friends and family, so anything they plan, we are in there.” 

For those unfamiliar to the area, Crystal would like you to know that, “We have amazing bakeries, restaurants, and wineries. I’m not a drinker but Anddy can tell you there are some great wineries across the region. We also have great parks and nature escapes throughout the area and people here are amazing.”

If in the area make sure to check out Boricana which specializes in typical Dominican/Puerto Rican cuisine and friendly service.

Thank you, Crystal and Anddy, for sharing your story with us! Read more SoFLX stories to learn about life, work, and play in the Southern Finger Lakes.

Meet Chef Kaylenne Brown and Family

Chef Kaylenne Brown moved to Corning from Hampton, VA (one of the seven cities that makes up the Hampton Roads Coastal Community area) in September 2022 with her husband Herbert, their daughter, Leilani, and a cat and a dog named Nightingale and Pepper.

Before Herbert accepted a job offer at Corning Inc., they’d never been to Corning and weren’t sure what to expect. The closest Chef Kay had gotten to the area was when she attended an Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans Program (EBV) at Cornell University in 2018, run through the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and sponsored by Syracuse University. “The EBV Program is a cutting-edge entrepreneurship training program teaching the steps and stages of business creation and business management, with a tailored emphasis on the unique challenges and opportunities associated with being a veteran business owner,” Chef said. At Cornell, she got hands-on training and business information on operating a food business. “Having this knowledge made me feel more comfortable with the move to Corning because I wasn’t that far from Ithaca and had access to the various resources shared with me through the program.” She added, “So we had an open mind about our new adventure, but I think the only thing we knew for sure was that the winters would be VERY cold!”  

Now that they live here, they’re learning more and more each day. They love that there are no traffic jams and that it’s quiet. Chef Kay shared, “We’re still in the process of exploring and are searching for restaurants that have great vegan options.”

One other thing the Brown family enjoyed was the ease of relocation. Chef Kay recalls, “It wasn’t difficult to relocate to the area. We had been on the search for housing, which is always a hit or miss, but we were successful and love where we are now.”

Chef Kay is a vegan chef and community nutritionist. She owns and operates Plant-Based Eatz, LLC, where she plans to offer personal chef services, cooking classes, and catering services. Upon moving to Corning, Chef worked on establishing herself in the community. “The goal is to start catering again and teach vegan cooking classes,” she said, “I’d love to start a food truck/mobile food kitchen serving my dishes. I am working on licensing and setting up a shop in the area..and I am looking for new clients!”

Chef Kay has found that the reception to her business has been very positive. “People are very excited about more plant-forward options in this area. When I tell people that I am a vegan chef, their faces light up with amazement.” She added, “I always get the, ‘I am vegan/vegetarian and would love to support’ or, ‘I have several friends that are vegan, and we would love for you to cater!’ I get really excited talking about my business. I can’t wait to get into the kitchen and start preparing meals again!”

And this further adds to what she sees as one of the area’s advantages. “There is so much room to grow! We can grow our careers, our daughter can hone in on things she loves, and there are lots of opportunities for us to grow as a family.” She stated they were in a very densely populated area and felt stifled because everything was over-saturated. “Coming to Corning is literally a breath of fresh air.”

For anyone relocating to the area, Chef Kay points out, “If they are looking for peace of mind and tranquility, then they’ve chosen the right place.” She added, “I would also tell that person about the opportunities available for them and their families. This area is a hidden gem.”

Thank you, Chef Kaylenne and family, for sharing your story with us! Read more SoFLX stories to learn about life, work, and play in the Southern Finger Lakes.

Meet Benjamin Fleischman and Brianna Haviland

Brianna Haviland and Benjamin Fleischman moved to the Southern Finger Lakes at separate times; Ben in September 2017 and Brianna in September 2018. Brianna is originally from Wall Township, NJ. She attended prep school at Williston North-Hampton in East Hampton, MA. Ben moved from Clifton Park, NY, where he lived the year prior. Ben is from Red Hook, NY (an hour south of Albany) and has also had the opportunity to live in Madison, WI, Waterville Valley, NH, and Wall Township, NJ.

Despite their different trajectories, destiny brought them to Elmira College (EC), where their paths would finally meet. “I met Brianna on her first day on campus. She was on the women’s ice hockey team, and I was on the men’s ice hockey team, and I was helping her move into her dorm,” Ben said.

Brianna originally moved to this area to play on the Women’s Ice hockey team at Elmira College. Still, she had heard about the area because her uncle, Mike Haviland, attended EC and played on the men’s hockey team. “I went to the Murray Athletic Center once with my father’s youth hockey team,” she said, adding, “he is the owner of the New Jersey Titans Youth Hockey organization.”

Ben had similar sports motivations for his move, “I moved to the area to play hockey at Elmira College, a very prestigious division three ice hockey program,” adding, “I had no clue of how nice the Southern Tier can be and how enjoyable it could be to live in this area.”

Before moving to the area, Brianna thought it would be lively, energetic, and charismatic. She recalls, “At first, I was concerned about living in Elmira because it was so different from what I was used to. However, I enjoyed all of the aspects Elmira as a town had to offer.” She continued, “I was excited by the area and the surrounding Finger Lakes and wineries that I was able to go to.”

In addition to playing on Elmira’s Women’s Ice Hockey team, Brianna was also drawn to the area by her aspiration to become a teacher. “I thoroughly enjoyed Elmira College,” she said, “and was able to find myself at EC and make friends that will last a lifetime. I also had a good experience at Finn Academy, so I am lucky to work there now.” Brianna found that Elmira was a great experience for her and offered something new every day, “I was able to grow into myself and live on my own, as well as the fact that I was living four and a half hours from home.”

Ben also saw what life in Elmira could offer. “Red Hook, NY, is a smaller town compared to Elmira and is not a city by any means. I was concerned with living in a city before moving to Elmira but had always wanted to live in one. I was excited at the opportunity to live in a larger market, meet more people, and learn about a new place.” 

Ben admits that while his interest in Elmira College started with hockey, it became an even easier decision once he learned more about the academic side. “Growing up, I always wanted to go to prep school and get a more hands-on experience through academics, and that was not something I was able to do,” he said, adding, “Seeing that EC had such a small student-teacher ratio was extremely intriguing to me. I was very passionate about my education and was thrilled about the class size and strength of the business program and connections in the local area I would be able to create as a result of their program.”

Ben feels the largest change in his opinion came along with the newly found viewpoint and perspective of the area. “I was very skeptical of living here in the beginning, but now that I have been here for over five years, it has grown on me immensely, and I thoroughly enjoy living in this area and especially see this area for all of its worth as well as the largely untapped potential we hope to continue to build upon through Southern Tier Economic Growth (STEG).” 

When it comes to people’s opinions of what life as a young professional is like in the Southern Finger Lakes, Ben stated, “That it’s looked down upon or viewed in a negative light is something I’ve never understood. I’ve always enjoyed living in this area and thoroughly enjoyed being able to work locally as well.”

He further stated, “The idea that there are no opportunities in the local area is wrong because there are a plethora of different avenues collegiate graduates and high-school graduates can take.”

As a young, accomplished professional, Brianna also recognizes that there are many pulls to advance elsewhere. Still, there is a lot of comfort in starting her professional career in the town where she attended college because she says she is so familiar with the area and has such a great connection to EC as a teacher. She hopes to be able to connect the EC future teachers with the community more and Finn Academy. “I also plan on having some of my former teammates attend read-aloud at Finn Academy this year that goes along with our curriculum.” 

Ben agreed, “There are so many benefits, in my opinion, to remaining local to where you attended college, especially in an area such as the Southern Tier. For example, I can commute to work quickly, know everything in the area, and don’t have to adjust to finding my way around. I think that has a huge impact on being able to adjust to the working life after college.” He added that having a pre-established network, especially in an industry like STEG, has opened doors for him to intern and meet some of the organization’s members and staff. “I truly believe in working in the area you attended school. It comes with an enhanced sense of pride,” he said.  

As a working teacher in the Elmira community, Brianna has gained new perspectives. “The negative stereotypes of teaching in this area are incorrect,” she shared. “I genuinely enjoy providing care and support to the young students every day.” She added, “There are opportunities to begin your professional career in the area, and I believe it is truly beneficial to do this in an area that you are so familiar with.”

Ben and Brianna now live in Corning, NY, and spend time enjoying the restaurants and becoming more familiar with all the area have to offer. “I enjoy the events in the area, such as Alive after 5, October Fest in Elmira, and Harvest Festival in Corning,” Brianna said.

Brianna has this insight for those considering relocating to the area: “Corning has a lively downtown, and there is always something to do with a fantastic atmosphere for young adults. I think only a resident would know how good the local restaurants are – one of my good friends Sal at Giuseppe’s, has the best Italian food in the area!”

“I would tell someone looking to relocate to this area to be open-minded and get out and enjoy all of the nearby town and restaurants,” Ben added. “There are so many hidden gems that I have not even found. I think only a resident would know how enjoyable the area can be to live in, and if you’re a hockey fan, make sure you stop by the Murray Athletic Center in Horseheads to catch an Elmira College Men’s or Women’s game!” 

Thank you, Brianna and Ben, for sharing your story with us!

Meet Erin Panosian

Erin Panosian grew up in West Elmira, then moved away after college for about 13 years. Most of that time was spent in Pittsburgh, PA where she started working as a graphic designer. In January 2020 she moved back to West Elmira and works as a full-time graphic designer and freelance photographer. This is her relocation story.

“I moved back for a number of reasons,” Erin explained, “the main being to be closer to family. I love Pittsburgh and am grateful for my time there but it never fully felt like home because my family wasn’t there. My parents and sister live here so I wanted to be closer to them. Also, my sister was starting a family and I wanted to have a relationship with my nephews.”

In addition to being close to family, Erin found herself at a place where she was searching for structure and wanted to plant roots. After living in 11 apartments over the course of 8 years, she was looking for stability. “I wanted a place I could fully unpack and get excited about decor and paint colors,” she said. “A place that felt like I was supposed to be there, a place that was mine, a place that was home.” She found housing to be much more affordable in Elmira, especially in comparison to Pittsburgh, solidifying her confidence in being to afford to buy a house. This was very appealing to her and played a large part in my decision. 

Having grown up in the area, Erin was pretty familiar with it. But she had her concerns nevertheless. “Before I moved I was concerned I would have a hard time adjusting to living in a small town again,” she admitted. “As someone who loves cities I was worried there wouldn’t be enough excitement or things to do in the area.”

But she was excited and ready for a fresh start. “Moving home felt like the end of one chapter and the beginning of another which was bittersweet yet exciting.” 

And now that she is back, she has found herself settling in nicely. “I am very fortunate to still work for the same Pittsburgh-based design firm, Group 2,” she said. “This winter I will have been with the company for 10 years. I was working remotely for the company for a few years prior to moving so when the pandemic hit and people started working from home it was business as usual for me.” 

In addition to working for the Pittsburgh firm, she does freelance design and photography work for various organizations in the area. “After moving back, I reconnected with Sean Lukasik who owns Creagent Marketing in Corning. He has been a huge asset in connecting me with opportunities for freelance work.” She added, “We are currently working on a handful of campaigns for Guthrie which is exciting to be a part of.”

She did, however, find that the hardest part about moving back to the area was the time at which she did so considering she moved back a few weeks before the pandemic hit and everything went into lockdown making the adjustment harder than she anticipated. “I was mourning my old life as I’m sure we all were at the time,” she shared. “It was hard not being able to socialize and I felt as though I didn’t have a community here outside of my immediate family.” That first year she admitted regretting moving back, but in hindsight, she said it was exactly what she needed. “I’ve grown so much over the past couple of years and attribute most of that to the move which forced me to rediscover myself.”

During the pandemic, Erin began abstract painting and it quickly became one of her favorite hobbies. She turned her basement into a studio and spent hours down there. She shared, “I strongly feel I am the greatest version of myself when I am creating in some sense whether it be painting, photography, interior decorating, cooking, or writing. I recently built a website (www.erinpanosian.com) and started marketing my paintings in coffee shops and online in the hopes of selling my art.” Her art continues to be a huge source of inspiration for Erin, “One of my goals for 2023 is to host a gallery evening bringing together family, friends, art, and music.”

Ironically, one of the biggest advantages of living here is also what initially concerned her the most about moving here – adjusting to life in a small town. “I’ve found that being in a smaller area means there is less competition and more opportunity for growth.” She added, “As someone who is trying to establish herself with local clients, being in a less saturated market has benefitted me. In Pittsburgh, I would market myself as a Content Creator to restaurants throughout the city to get freelance work but the opportunities were limited because so many of my peers were doing the same thing. That isn’t the case here and I am very grateful for the opportunities and connections that have come my way over the past couple of years.” 

For Erin, a normal day is a balance between working at her computer or in her studio, getting outside for a bike ride or walk with her dog, followed by dinner with her family or friends. “Since I work remotely and spend a lot of time alone, I try to do something social every day and find that I value my social interactions more.” 

Erin likes to explore the area as much as possible. Since moving back she has developed a love for biking. Her favorite trail is the Black Diamond trail that runs along Cayuga Lake in Ithaca. “In the warmer months, I spend a lot of time in Ithaca. Ithaca has great hiking trails, and a wonderful farmers market on weekends, and Moosewood is one of my favorite restaurants in the area.”

Having grown up here, Erin admits it’s easy to take for granted the unique nature of our surroundings. Moving back reminded her of that and has given her a stronger appreciation for our beautiful part of the country. “Having so many great wineries and beautiful lakes just a short drive away is something special that adds a lot of value and culture to the community. Wineries on Seneca Lake are great weekend activities.” Her favorite view? “The view from Atwater Vineyards at sunset is hard to beat!”

Thank you, Erin, for sharing your story with us!

Learn more about life, work, and play in the Southern Finger Lakes and the resources available for those looking for something new.