Month: November 2017

By Maureen Werther

Soon after Glens Falls was awarded $10 million as part of the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), city officials, business owners and members of the community went to work identifying and compiling its DRI plan, which included a priority listing of downtown projects.

The final plan, approved in February, is about to get underway.

According to Ed Bartholomew, president of EDC Warren County, his organization and the city have been working closely with Empire State Development, the Department of State, and the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal to prepare key components of the various approved projects.

Bartholomew, Initiative co-chairmen Omar Usmani, Dan Hall and others have met with state officials to review protocols and the procurement process for implementing the projects that have been identified.

EDC and city representatives also met with the organizations involved in the DRI projects to develop procedures and plans for moving forward, Bartholomew said. There is a lot of paperwork to manage and officials are being diligent to closely follow proper procedures.

The initial phase of the DRI will include $600,000 going toward façade improvements, developing a program to assist with local retailers, nonprofits, the Adirondack Film Festival,  the Adirondack Film Commission, and capital project improvements for the Charles R. Wood Theater.

The funding is structured as a loan to businesses, who—if they meet certain criteria, such as creating jobs—would not have to repay the loan.

By Maureen Werther

Warren County is “successfully growing its tourism economy,” according to Joanne Conley, director of the county’s Tourism Department.

In the last two years, the department completed what she called a “much-needed overhaul,” including increased social media engagement and digital campaigns directed toward a diverse audience.

Conley said that her department has transformed at least six niche-focused print publications into one consolidated and content-rich, year-round travel guide.

She said that her first order of business when she took over the department two years ago was to “find our famous.” She said every vacation destination has something that sets it apart from other locations. She and her staff brainstormed to find a marketing message that would be a cornerstone for years to come.

“The end result was the revelation that the Lake George area is ‘the original vacation,’” said Conley.

“This is the destination that inspired mid-1800s city dwellers to travel by train to the lakes and mountains. This is a branding gold mine that eluded the department for more than 80 years and is the perfect platform for year-round promotion,” said Conley.

This year, Conley’s department launched a responsive, mobile-first website with search engine optimization. The site offers more than just listings. It is based on content people are actively searching for. As a result, Conley said that user sessions in the first five months totaled more than all of 2016. She added that outbound clicks to business partners totaled 205,000. A “book now” button facilitates direct booking with properties that have online booking capabilities.

Warren and Washington counties will get a total of about $9.1 million in grants from New York state to support four essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

The funding is part of nearly $44 million allocated by the state in grants to support 24 different projects in the Capital Region. These grants are part of a $255 million statewide investment, funded through New York’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, as well as the new Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grants Program.

In Warren County, the town of Hague will get a $99,000 grant for its water infrastructure project. The cost estimate is $394,000. The village of Lake George will receive a $4.3 million grant that will support a project estimated at $17.1 million.

In Washington County, the county’s Sewer District 2 will get grants for two projects. One grant is $3.7 million toward the project cost of $14.8 million. The district will get another $976,000 grant toward a cost of $3.9 million.

“This unprecedented investment continues New York’s commitment to helping municipalities develop necessary infrastructure to protect our water resources,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “These investments are crucial to supporting the health and safety of our communities, and help lay the foundation for future growth and prosperity in every corner of this great state.”

By Liz Witbeck

Today, thousands of people flock to the area throughout the year, especially during the summer. The Glenmoore Lodge, located on Glen Lake “is the best kept secret around,” said Kerry Smith, who owns it with his wife, Alicia.

“We’re right in the middle of everything. We’re right in between the Great Escape and the shopping outlets, but you wouldn’t know it,” he said.

The lodge, located at 330 Glen Lake Road in Lake George, has been in existence since the 1890s.

The Smiths are originally from Brooklyn. Kerry has a background in hospitality and bartending. He describes himself as a “people person” who was naturally drawn to the industry. Alicia spent her childhood at Glenmoore Lodge. Each summer the family would vacation at the cabins.

“I always thought that I would own it someday,” she said.

That dream came true in 2015, when the Smiths became owners of the property.

The lodge itself is the main facility upon the grounds. There are six rooms available to rent within the lodge. Of the six, two are family suites, each with two large bedrooms. Other rooms include queen or double beds for guests. Each room has a private bath.

The new Southern Adirondack ReStore of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties opened to the general public with a ribbon cutting on Oct. 2

The ReStore, at 1373 Route 9 in Moreau, is the first in the area.

Sustained largely by a team of volunteers, Southern Adirondack ReStore is the Habitat for Humanity-style thrift shop, selling new and lightly used home furnishings, decorative accessories, lighting, appliances, building materials and more.

Donations made by area businesses, decorators, contractors and residents, support the ReStore. Donations go to the store and are tagged for sale. Proceeds of each sale go to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties and its efforts to build and maintain affordable homes.

Through ReStore, Habitat is able to provide affordable home improvement items and furniture to local families, while also diverting usable materials from local landfills each year.

The store is nearly 7,000 square feet.