Month: October 2022

By R.J. DeLuke

Plans for the building at South and Elm streets in Glens Falls that will be home to the Farmers’ Market and other community events have changed over time.

So have the costs that started a few years ago at about $2.8 million and are now upward of $4 million.

But plans are moving forward toward a building that its designers say will be a unique, cherished downtown center. Devon Telberg of Envision Architects and Peter Loyola, principal of CLA Site Landscape Architecture, Engineering & Planning outlined the latest plan to the City Planning Board on Oct. 4.

“We tried to listen to all the stakeholders,” said Telberg. “We want this to be something unique an special for your community.”

The building is at the center of the downtown redevelopment plan that earned a $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant in 2016 for the land on South Street, west of the intersection with Elm Street where the former OTB building stood at 51-57 South St.

By Paul Post

A $3 million upgrade is slated for Fort William Henry Hotel’s oldest building, allowing the resort to host both more and larger weddings and events throughout the year.

The hotel website says Towers Hall, also known as the Carriage House, was built for use as an early 20th century automobile garage on the property’s southwest corner overlooking Lake George.

The structure is used for events such as Americade, Adirondack Nationals Car Show, Lake George Music Festival, theater productions and meetings for various groups. But increased demand for large weddings has prompted hotel officials to move forward with a project that  has been under consideration for several years.

“We actually started working with (Albany-based) BBL Construction in 2015,” said Kathy Muncil, resort chief executive officer. “We had most of the plans done and then the pandemic hit. In a perfect world, we’ll start construction by the end of October and open by May 1. We’re working as hard as we can to accomplish that.

Seven businesses took home awards at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce 2022 Business of the Year awards breakfast on Oct. 6  at Dunham’s Bay Resort, Lake George.

 The annual event honors chamber members who are nominated by their peers and interviewed by the Business Awards Nomination Committee to determine the winners.

Winners were awarded in seven categories. They were: Large Business, StoredTech; Steven M. Sutton Small Business, KIRSH Helmets; Large Nonprofit Organization,  Community, Work & Independence, Inc. (CWI); Small Nonprofit Organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.

Professional Business, Mannix Marketing; Rookie Business, The Eden Center of Integrative Care; Community Champion, Amie & Juan Gonzales of Hunt Companies, Inc.

“There was a true sense of community at the ARCC Business Awards this year,” said ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers. “Everyone was so excited to be there, and to celebrate each other. The energy was positive, and it was amazing to see so many people come out to show their support.”

Over 36 businesses were nominated in seven categories. The winners, in their respective categories, were:

Special Olympics New York will hold the 2022 State Fall Games  in and around Glens Falls on Oct. 21 and 22. 

Organizers said the games will bring 1,300 athletes and coaches to the Capital Region—nearly three times as many participants as last year’s event.

The games will kick off with a signature Special Olympics New York Opening Ceremony on  Friday night, Oct. 21, in City Park. Competition will take place all day Saturday, Oct. 22, in seven sports: bocce, cross-country running, cycling, golf, equestrian, soccer and softball.

Special Olympics New York President and CEO Stacey Hengsterman and Glens Fall Mayor Bill Collins last month put out a call for volunteers to support the games. The jobs include  event setup and breakdown, registration, scorekeepers, timers, photographers, golf caddies, and more. No experience is necessary.

Volunteer registration can be completed online at www.specialolympics-ny.org/competition/volunteeratfallgames.

The Board of Directors of the Lake George Association (LGA) has elected Pete Menzies as chairman.

Menzies, who chaired the LGA prior to its 2021 merger with The FUND for Lake George, succeeds Jeff Killeen as chairman. Killeen, who previously chaired The FUND and served as transitional chairman during the first 20 months following the merger, was elected vice chairman.

Menzies will work with LGA President Eric Siy and staff to execute the organization’s multi-faceted Lake-protection strategy, which includes providing technical and financial assistance to property owners for lake-protection projects; world-class water quality research and direct protection programs through The Jefferson Project, the Lake George Waterkeeper, and an array of public-private partnerships; public education programs; and public policy advocacy, all with the goal of protecting the lake’s water quality today and for the future.

Of particular importance to the strategy at this time are the LGA’s Lake Protector Program, which educates, inspires and empowers property owners across the Lake George watershed to take direct actions on their properties to protect water quality; and the Education for Boating classroom and other programs to educate area school children, property owners, and other members of the public about water quality protection.

Killeen will focus on working with LGA donors and partners to build and sustain the philanthropic support necessary to ensure maximum programmatic success.

By Andrea Harwood

Jen Bliss, co-owner of Hilton Family Farmstand in Brant Lake, has expanded her operations, adding a  building and an ecommerce website to the enterprise.

Bliss’ father started the farmstand over 25 years ago as a small family project intended to provide summer work for an old friend. He set up a six-foot table and a tent, and put some melons and corn from Schuylerville Farms alongside some of the Hilton family pickles. It grew from there.

“It’s evolved from one little tent to a bigger tent, to a refrigerator, to now two full stores,” said Bliss. “There are people who still come by here who remember buying our pickles out of the little cooler on the side of the road. Now we have a full-sized store.”

In the past, the farmstand sold mostly produce. Bliss’ father sold only local Upstate New York produce, meeting with the farmers in Menands and partnering with Hand Melon Farm in Schuylervillle.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network and Glens Falls Hospital have opened a new laboratory services facility at West Mountain Family Health. 

The renovated lab officially opened in September at 161 Carey Road in Queensbury.

Glens Falls Hospital operates three phlebotomy draw stations at the site, designed to provide efficient service for patients. The new, expanded lab’s hours are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

According to Hudson Headwaters’ CEO Dr. Tucker Slingerland, the leadership team at Hudson Headwaters has developed partnerships with many health care organizations throughout the region to collaborate and develop creative ways to provide health care. 

“We consistently explore strategies to increase access and improve patient experiences. Our partnership with Glens Falls Hospital allows for increased hours of lab services, which results in greater convenience for our community members,” said Slingerland. “We are grateful for the opportunity to plan and complete this service with Glens Falls Hospital.”

Advokate LLC, a design, communications and marketing firm, has relocated to 333 Glen St. in Monument Square from 16C Exchange St. in Glens Falls. 

A ribbon-cutting and open house at Advokate’s was held Sept. 28 for the occasion, co-hosted by the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We had been remote for two years and it felt like time to scale the office down, but then we found the perfect suite in the Traveler’s Building,” said Kate E. Austin, founder and CEO of Advokate. 

“The new office space is accessible by elevator, includes conference room availability, two private offices, and feels like a level-up to us,” she said. “With the size of our team now, it was time to structure the company for growth. And we realized that once we felt safer meeting in-person that we really preferred it over Zoom.”

By Christine Graf

Husband and wife Andrew and Kristen Holt are the new owners of the Glens Falls health food store Pure ‘n Simple.

The couple purchased the business  from longtime owners Paul and Bonnie Savard. It is located at 4 East Washington Street.

Pure ‘n Simple sells a broad range of vitamin and mineral supplements as well as bulk foods including nuts, fruits, grains, and flours. They also offer an assortment of other grocery items, many of which are vegan, dairy free, and gluten free. Although the store does not currently sell produce or meat, the new owners hope to carry these products in the future. 

Kristen is a native of Upstate New York, and the couple moved to the Glens Falls area seven years ago after spending the first four years of their married life living Kenya, Africa. 

While in Kenya, Andrew worked as the country director for an NGO (non-governmental organization) that operated schools, orphanages, and medical clinics. 

After moving to New York, he was the pastor of a church in Saratoga Springs for several years. He now works full-time for the U.S. Postal Service. Kristen was a stay-at-home mom to their four children before they bought Pure ‘n Simple. She is now the store’s only employee.