Category Archives: Construction

by Lisa Balschunat
Elated about New York state’s relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions as it proceeds with reopening the economy in phases, Tom Albrecht, president of Hilltop Construction Co., said “I’m digging holes again and playing in the dirt.”
His company ran a bare-bones crew on a few jobs deemed essential businesses by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office during the state’s Pause. But Hilltop and other area builders are moving on with projects that came to a halt due to the pandemic.
“Hilltop had a few essential jobs, so we were able to continue working on some projects,” Albrecht said. “During the Pause we signed over $3 million worth of work. This year we are booked with contracts. Next year, I think the economic impact will be felt. I am an optimist, but also a realist. When the dust settles, our region will be affected. Some businesses won’t open long term or at all. The impact will be great.”

By Susan E. Campbell
April and May are the quiet months when resorts normally prepare for the summer season and the influx of visitors who contribute to a $1.3 billion tourism industry in Warren County. But Adirondack restaurants, hotels and resort areas have been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jim Rucker, who owns and operates Garnet Hill Lodge in North River with his wife, Frances, sees cause for optimism, however.
The owners recently acquired an additional 110 acres in Warren County, securing control of much of the resort’s 30-plus miles of skiing, snowshoeing and hiking trails.
Their original purchase of Garnet Hill Lodge in 2016 came with less than 300 acres of land. This April, the Ruckers purchased another 110 acres. The resort is now able to provide many more miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking during the summer and fall.

By Rachel Phillips
The father and son team of Tom and Wayne Samascott recently built a new climate-controlled storage center on Ballard Road, near Northway Exit 16.
Northway Exit 16 Self Storage offers clients a convenient access as it is located just 1,000 feet down from the exit.
Tom and Wayne Samascott are president and vice president, respectively, of Malta Development Co. They opened the storage center in March.
“I have been interested in doing self-storage for the past several years and the opportunity to by this project came along,” Wayne Samascott said. “We liked the location. Ballard Road gets a lot of traffic.”
The center contains 48,400 square feet of rentable space, with units ranging from 5×5 feet, up to 13×20 feet. In addition to heated and air-conditioned units, clients will have 24/7 access.
Units are monitored by a security camera system that covers every part of the building. Renting units can be done online at northwayexit16selfstorage.com. Upon rental, clients receive a code to access the building without ever having to interact with anyone. The center even accepts package deliveries for clients, and will place the deliveries in their units for them.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

With New York state’s businesses “on pause,”  many construction projects came  to a complete halt. Stewart’s Shops are feeling the effects and have  had to freeze several projects in the works.

While the company reports they are still able to open new stores, they have had to scale back on their construction budget,  according to Erica Komoroske, public relations specialist for the company.

“We have had to delay nearly 12 projects and we’ve cut our 2020 construction budget by 40 percent. At this point, we are four to six weeks behind schedule,” said Komoroske.

Komoroske said they have not been able to get the approvals needed in a timely manner, with many municipality offices being closed. This has not only set them back on their time line for beginning projects, but it has also stopped projects already in process.

The state may soon be relaxing its call for stopping construction projects, but municipal approvals are another matter.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

This is a corrected version from 5/15/2019

Michael Murray can be found at AJA Architecture in Glens Falls. He is responsible for the business development at the architectural firm.
Murray has an architecture degree from New York Institute of Technology and has worked on the technology-side of the business for several architecture firms for most of his career. At some point, he said he realized he was more of a “computer geek” than an architectural designer. He started as a CAD (computer-aided design) manager for an architecture firm in Colorado, and that lead him to the field of technology consulting.
“I led a team of talented technical people and helped those architecture firms become more effective with their use of technology, allowing them to be much more efficient, and more productive,” he said. “It was very rewarding work, but I was also working way too much. Lots of long hours eventually had me burned out on the technology.”
Murray eventually found himself working as marketing consultant where he assisted architecture firms with their marketing needs.
“The pace of consulting worked much better for me, still very rewarding work, but not nearly as many long hour days,” said Murray.

By Jill Nagy
A new building just completed at Route 149 and Ridge Road in Queensbury will be a fruit and vegetable market called Farm to Market, but not until next year.
Meanwhile the owner/builder, Dale Baldwin of Baldwin Masonry in Fort Ann, already has plans to put up another building with a rustic look next door on the an adjacent lot.
While the outside work on the first was completed about a month ago, the inside work will wait for winter, according to Baldwin.
The design resembles an

The Fenimore’s Pub at the Queensbury Hotel, a gastro-pub style restaurant, will undergo renovations this summer with work beginning in July.
Phinney Design Group of Saratoga Springs, who has been involved in many of the property’s renovation projects since 2016, will lead the re-design. Ownership anticipates the project will take about six weeks, during which the pub will be closed.

By Christine Graf
A Saratoga Springs business is expanding and will establish a warehouse in Moreau.
Saratoga Olive Oil has purchased a 7,200-square-foot warehouse facility at 1341 Saratoga Road in Moreau, just a short distance off Northway Exit 17 of the Northway.
Owners, Clint, Barbara and Chad Braidwood purchased the property from real estate holding company Jabro Development LLC. Prior to being purchased, the building was used for boat storage. At one time, it was occupied by Aquawood, a pool, spa and billiards supplier.