Category Archives: Business News

The city of Glen Falls is one of eight in New York state that will be part of a new, $5 million Graduate to Homeownership program designed to help recent college graduates become first-time homeowners.

The pilot program offers low-interest rate mortgages, a down payment assistance loan with no additional fees, and a homebuyer education course.

Other cities participating are Jamestown, Geneva, Elmira, Oswego, Oneonta, Plattsburgh and Middletown.

“We continue to invest in the development of downtown areas across Upstate New York, and with the launch of this innovative program, we will take our efforts a step further by enticing young graduates to make an investment in these communities and in their future,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “By removing barriers for talented graduates and allowing them to afford a new home in the Empire State, we are laying the foundation for stronger, more viable communities across New York for generations to come.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the city to bring new residents into our community,” said EDC Warren County President Edward Bartholomew.

“More and more, young people today are looking to work and live in downtown areas with easy access to community restaurants, shopping, transportation, and culture. Gov. Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative is rebuilding our downtowns into walkable and thriving communities where people want to live,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. “The new Grad to Homeownership program completes the package by providing our graduates with the opportunity to buy homes in our downtowns, increasing their attractiveness as places to live, work and raise a family right in Upstate New York.”

By Maureen Werther

The Glens Falls Collaborative is exploring the possibility of developing a wide-ranging hospitality training initiative to promote Glens Falls as a destination for businesses, tourism and entertainment.

The training would involve people who have the most occasion to interact with visitors to the city, such as the sales clerks in convenient stores, restaurant workers and others who have daily opportunities to talk to visitors about what their city has to offer, according to organizers of the program.

Richard Cirino, president of the Glens Falls Collaborative, said the group has sent out questionnaires to approximately 600 different organizations to gauge demand for the training initiative.

“The questionnaire will help us decide how to move forward. After we decide if the demand is there, we will begin to determine how to fund and implement the training,” said Cirino.

The idea for a city-wide training initiative, that would give employees the education and tools to promote the region, evolved from a conversation about constructing a “welcome center” in Glens Falls.

“Then we started to think about it and we gradually began to move away from a physical center to cultivating a hospitality mentality,” said Cirino. He added that people working as clerks in convenient stores and retail shops should be thought of as hospitality workers.

“These are the people on the front lines. If we can give them more knowledge of the area, they can help visitors see and discover things that they may otherwise have been unaware of,” he said.

JUST Goods, Inc., which owns JUST Water in Glens Falls, announced that Ira Laufer is the company’s CEO.

Laufer joins the company with 17 years of experience leading better-for-you and specialty CPG brands including Red’s Natural Foods and Vitalicious. He took over the job on May 1.

The company said he will lead the next phase of growth and expansion for JUST Water, JUST Goods’ sustainable line of 100 percent spring water in an innovative, grab-and-go bottle made from plant-based, renewable resources.

His main focus will be to further leverage the JUST brand, execute entry into additional categories as well as create line extensions in the beverage category, said the company.

“We’re excited to have Ira join our journey,” said Jaden Smith, one of JUST’s key investors. “He has the experience and shares the vision we have to do good for the planet.”

Hilltop Construction hosted its 40th anniversary open house at the Queensbury Hotel on March 23 to benefit the Tri-County United Way.

Tom Albrecht Sr. and his family, along with friends and supporters of both Hilltop Construction and the Tri-County United Way, donated $10,000 to the agency.

The donation marks Hilltop Construction as the Rooftop sponsor of the fundraising event Over the Edge, which will be held June 17 on the roof of the Queensbury Hotel.

Officials said the event allows participants a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to rappel down the side of the iconic Queensbury Hotel using a special rope. All proceeds raised will directly impact those in need in Warren, Washington and Northern Saratoga counties.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) was awarded a $40,000 grant from the 2017 Conservation Partnership Program, administered by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Land Trust Alliance.

The LGLC was one of 58 nonprofit land trusts across New York State to receive grants, totaling $1.8 million.

The grant funds will be used toward the cost of protecting a 72-acre beaver pond in Putnam, purchased by the LGLC in 2016. The property’s extensive wetlands are crucial for protecting the water quality of Lake George as well as provide high quality habitat for wildlife and migratory avian species.

Officials said the grants will further regional economic development goals by strengthening partnerships with local and state governments and advancing locally supported efforts to protect working farms, enhance public access and recreation opportunities, and conserve private lands prioritized in the state’s Open Space Conservation Plan and state wildlife action plan. Land trusts will also apply grant funds to prepare for national accreditation, supporting New York land trust commitments to rigorous national standards for nonprofit governance and organizational excellence.

Officials said the land is also part of the LGLC’s overall plan to expand the existing trail system to connect the Gull Bay Preserve and Last Great Shoreline to the Anthony’s Nose Preserve and beyond.

“We are once again grateful to the Land Trust Alliance and the DEC for supporting our efforts to protect Lake George through the Conservation Partnership Program,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “Protecting ponds and wetlands such as these in Putnam are crucial to keeping the renowned waters of Lake George clean and beautiful.”

Brown said the program has provided critical funds for many land trusts statewide, enabling the protection of important farm lands, forests and water resources throughout the state.

By Dan Burke

If you’re questioning why you’d want to help Keep Hockey Here, think about your community. More than $10 million directly attributed to the Glens Falls Civic Center is spent annually in our region.

Over 150,000 people visited the Glens Falls Civic Center in the 2015-16 season with nearly half of that total coming from Adirondack Thunder hockey games. Factor in the 15 percent growth in Thunder attendance during the 2016-17 season and that number rises even higher.

The Keep Hockey Here campaign helps to ensure that impact never leaves our community. When the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition agreed to purchase the hockey team in February, they took a pledge to their local community—a pledge to continue the strides that they’ve made improving the Glens Falls Civic Center over the past two seasons. Keeping the Thunder here for as long as the community wants them is the next stride.

Owning the Adirondack Thunder allows us to control our own destiny, and focus on the long-term success of hockey and the Civic Center. Since the Adirondack Red Wings left in 1999, the community has not had a long-term commitment from a professional hockey organization.

We’re proud to unveil a Raise The Rink fundraiser on June 2 as a marquee fundraising event to help us in our efforts to Keep Hockey Here. The fundraiser, to be held in Heritage Hall at the Glens Falls Civic Center, will feature silent auctions, raffles, live music, food and entertainment for a fun night out in support of the local community.

The silent auction will include a number of authentic jerseys signed by NHL superstars including Henrik Lundqvist, Patrick Kane, Jaromir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin and more, as well as a team-signed jersey from the 2012 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings. Additional silent auction items will include a patio set from Telescope Furniture and a weekend getaway in Boston. More items will be added at the event approaches.

By Liz Witbeck

Kingsbury National Golf Club is open for the season and is gearing up to be a destination golf club in the Adirondacks.

The golf course was previously named Kingswood, and under different management.

In October, the course was purchased by Deric Buck for $1.75 million. Buck formerly owned Bay Meadows Golf Club in Queensbury.

Kingsbury National Golf Club is located at 111 County Route 41, in Hudson Falls. It is an 18-hole, links-style course. It includes a new restaurant.

When the property came up for sale, Buck knew that he had to purchase it.

“This place is absolutely gorgeous,” said Luaces. “There are rolling hills. We have nine ponds on the property. You can see the Green Mountains.” He referred to the golf course as being “in the middle of paradise.”

The course stretches 7,100 yards and plays  to a par of 72.

Buck hired Adam Luaces as general manager of Kingsbury National Golf Club. He is a native of Glens Falls. He worked in New York City, with a background in logistics.

Buck and his team worked for months to bring the golf course up to superior standards.

New York state has launched Round VII of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, officially kicking off the annual competition for more than $800 million in state economic development resources.

The Consolidated Funding Application opened to applicants on May 1, enabling businesses, municipalities, nonprofits and members of the public to begin applying, through a single application, for assistance from dozens of state programs for projects that create jobs and help to revitalize communities.

“The Regional Economic Development Councils have successfully brought local communities together like never before, spurring economic growth from the ground up and creating jobs across New York,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “With the seventh round of the REDC awards, the state will continue its partnership with local governments and community leaders—making smart investments in our cities, towns and villages to give the Regional Councils the tools needed to build their communities for years to come.”

Through six rounds of the REDC competition, the Capital Region REDC, which includes Saratoga and Warren counties, has delivered $436.9 million for 608 projects, officials said.    

Round VII of the REDC initiative will award more than $800 million in state resources across all 10 regions, including up to $225 million in performance-based grants and tax credits from Empire State Development, and approximately $575 million from two dozen state agency programs.

The governor said the REDC process has transformed New York state government’s approach to economic development, creating a statewide framework for bottom-up economic growth and streamlining the application process for state funding. Since 2011, the first year of the initiative, over $4.6 billion has been awarded to more than 5,200 projects that are projected to create and retain more than 210,000 jobs statewide.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Adirondack Business Council announced nominees for the 2017 Business of the Year Awards. 

The awards will be presented at a breakfast event on Wednesday, June 7, from 7:30–9:30 a.m. at the Hiland Park Country Club, 195 Haviland Road, Queensbury.

The awards recognize deserving chamber members for their achievements in business, commitment to community, the quality of life contributions they have made in the region.  

Nominees for Professional Business of the Year are Adirondack Technical Solutions, Confidata, KEENA and the Kinney Agency. 

Nominees for Small Business of the Year are StreamLined Graphics, Talk of the Town/The Bullpen Restaurant, the Spa Studio and Tom McDermott Motorcycle Sales, Inc. 

Nominees for Rookie Business of the Year are Jonathan Reid, Just-A-Buck (JAB), MinkyMink, and Square Nail Rustics. 

Adirondack Festivals LLC has a long list of  vendors slated for this year’s Adirondack Wine & Food Festival set for June 24-25 at Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George Village.

“This festival celebrates the bounty of amazing craft beverages and locally made foods that New York has to offer and we’re excited to report that we will have more vendors and variety than ever before,” said Sasha Pardy, co-owner and president of the festival’s presenting sponsor, Adirondack Winery of Lake George.

The vendor list includes 23 wineries, eight distilleries, four breweries, three cideries, 23 artisan food vendors, six specialty vendors, eight food trucks, one local restaurant and a weekend full of culinary demonstrations provided by the SUNY Adirondack culinary students, she said.

“Where else can you discover your new favorite locally made wine, beer, vodka, cider, cheese, salsa, olive oil, garlic sauce, hot pepper jelly, kettle corn or ice cream all in one place? Attendees also love that our food trucks offer a variety of cuisine from classic barbecue and gourmet burgers to empanadas and gyros,” said Pardy.

Festival tasting-ticket holders receive a souvenir festival logo wine glass at entry to use to sample from the hundreds of craft beverages and artisan foods vendors will be offering. Attendees also receive a complementary welcome bag and festival program and tasting guide to navigate their way through the festival and take notes on the products they’ve sampled.