By Maureen Werther

Chad Nims, a real estate developer and owner of Nims Outdoor Services,  recently received approval from the city of Glens Falls to move forward with his plan to invest $2 million in renovating and building apartments at 46-56 South Street.

The roughly 26,000-square-foot building was a garment factory for many years, according to Nims. In the last 15-20 years, the second and third floors sat idle, with the first floor being occupied less and less in recent years. Northway Communications will continue to remain as a tenant on the first floor, according to Nims.

Nims purchased the building in the fall of 2017 from investor Peter Shabat. A native of the region, Nims grew up in Hudson Falls and opened Nims Outdoor Services in 2003, a business that handles commercial facility maintenance, snow plowing, landscaping, excavation and construction. The company employs approximately 40 people.

By Jill Nagy

Ray Energy Corp. recently opened a new propane rail and truck terminal in Hampton, near the New York-Vermont border.

A formal opening with ribbon cutting and an open house was held on Aug. 23, but the company has been using the new facility since March.

The company, headquartered in Troy, serves nine states in the Northeast, plus areas in Canada, from a network of five rail terminals, nine pipeline terminals, and a marine terminal. They are termed a midstream wholesale propane supplier They neither produce gas nor sell it on the retail market.

The newest Ray Energy plant is a 21-acre facility with four 60,000-gallon fuel tanks.  The new 21-acre facility has a 16-spot rail siding (with an operational capacity of 28) and on-demand switching provided by Vermont Railroad. The company’s railcar mover provides the ability to offload 16 cars per day.

The Board of Directors of the Adirondack Balloon Festival announced details of the 46th annual event to be held Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 20-23.

In celebrating 46 years, the festival’s  logo and theme represent  shared  and celebrated traditions of the region—ballooning and hiking. The event is set to celebrate the majesty of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks.

The event kicks off Thursday, Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. at  Crandall Park in Glens Falls.  Events continue throughout the weekend at Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport  in Queensbury. 

This community-supported event remains free of charge. Organizers said the festival attracts 125,000-150,000 people to the region each year and is the largest balloon festival on the East Coast of the U.S.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) will hold its annual Business Expo on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Queensbury Hotel, 88 Ridge St., Glens Falls.

The event will run from 4-7 p.m.

This business showcase features exhibit booths from over 80 regional businesses, as well as food samples, drink specials and door prizes

The event encourages networking, connection making and opportunities to show off the growing business community in the region.

DeCrescente Distributing Co. announced in July a partnership to distribute Davidson Brothers Brewing Co. products.

DeCrescente is now distributing draft versions of Davidson Brothers core beers, including their flagship IPA brewed with English hops for a hop aroma and dry finish; Brown Ale, a malty British brown ale; and Irish Red Ale, medium bodied with a sweet maltiness.

“We are very excited about our partnership with DeCrescente,” said Rick Davidson, brewer and owner of Davidson Brothers. “We feel that we have found the right partner to champion our efforts in the Capital Region market.”

Six Flags Great Escape Resort in Lake George will rebrand its outdoor water park as Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for the 2019 season

The park will undergo a major expansion with more to see and do than ever before,  including two new attractions; a bright, tropical theming throughout; and a new dining location.

Officials said it will offer guests a bigger, and better experience.

“Hurricane Harbor will offer exciting, new attractions with Bucket Blasters and Shipwreck Cove, plus a completely new look featuring imaginative, tropical theming and a myriad of park enhancements to delight guests of all ages” said Six Flags Great Escape Resort President Eric Gilbert.