By Paul Post

Officials are scrambling to help North Country loggers save their livelihoods after Finch Paper LLC’s surprise decision to cease pulp-making operations by year’s end.

Founded in 1865, the company is Glens Falls’ oldest, largest and last heavy industrial employer, with approximately 600 workers.

For decades, loggers harvesting Adirondack timber have supplied the mill’s on-site pulp production, a precursor to papermaking. The mill has used 600,000 tons of timber annually, representing 30%-35% of the region’s low-grade pulpwood market, not just New York state.

Finch will instead obtain pulp from outside sources in a cost-saving move it says is needed to remain financially viable.

“What happens when the market has way more wood than it can absorb?” said Courtney Johnson-Woods, executive director of the Empire State Forest Products Association. “It’s going to have a ripple effect. It’s not just going to be people supplying Finch. I’ve had calls from loggers saying this will put me out of business.”

The impact on loggers is one of several far-reaching economic, environmental and public safety concerns. Firms that sell, service and repair their expensive equipment could be hurt, and falling timber demand would reduce income for property owners whose trees are harvested.

“Even restaurants where men gather for breakfast before going out for the day will suffer,” Johnson-Woods said. “It impacts everybody. What’s going to happen to this whole ecosystem of people who are part of the fabric of rural communities?”

Thinning trees also promotes healthy forests. If the practice ceases or declines, forests become more susceptible to invasive species and wildfire during hot, dry periods, such as those decimating the western U.S.

Jim Siplon, president of the Warren County Economic Development Corporation, said Finch Paper’s announcement came as a total surprise. “We didn’t have any advance notice or warning of this decision by Finch,” he said. We weren’t aware of it until they made the announcement.”

“But as soon as they did, we have a good relationship and talked with their senior management team about how we can assist with labor transitions, trying to mitigate any of the impacts,” he said. “One of the first things that came up was a discussion about where timber currently being procured by them, would go. It became clear that there isn’t a full alternative market.”

Finch will continue buying some timber for its biomass cogeneration facility, which converts wood waste such as bark, sawdust and chips into high-pressure steam and electricity. The green energy powers mill equipment and provides heat to dry newly made paper.

“But it won’t come close to compensating for the losses,” Johnson-Woods said.

Some loggers sell exclusively to Finch Paper, while others also have contracts with other buyers. The Forest Products Association has surveyed members for data that might help loggers find new markets, perhaps in neighboring states.

Possible options include a Ticonderoga mill owned by Sylvamo Corp., which spun off from International Paper in 2021, and Colorado-based Lignetics, North America’s largest residential wood pellet manufacturer, with nearly 30 plants, including two in New York state, in Schuyler and Deposit.

Siplon said EDC is working with the Forest Products Association, academic institutions, businesses and nonprofit agencies to identify alternative timber markets.

Logging is one of the few industries within the highly restrictive Adirondack Park that aligns with its core values and conservation mandates.

“We’d like to conduct a speedy study by a reputable third-party organization to assess potential alternative uses for timber,” Siplon said. “Then we could lay out potential investment or incentive ideas the state could partner with us on, in terms of finding active markets for timber. We need to make sure that industry isn’t altered or lost.”

The hope is to develop a strategy quickly enough for the state to include financial incentives in next year’s budget cycle.

Officials throughout the region have cited an ongoing, almost desperate need for affordable housing, without which employers have difficulty attracting workers.

“Things like housing development specific to the region and the park would allow timber to be used for building materials,” Siplon said. “That has the advantage of also sequestering carbon in the timber and keeping it in the park, as opposed to having it go someplace else.”

EDC is also discussing possible microcellulose applications with business and academic leaders. “We’re going to explore all those things,” he said.

Finch makes a variety of uncoated printing, writing and converting papers. Its flagship brands, including Finch Fine and Finch Opaque, are engineered for commercial printing, book publishing, digital inkjet printing and office use.

In a joint statement with the Warren Washington Industrial Development Agency, EDC praised Finch for taking steps to remain solvent and a cornerstone of the regional economy.

The statement says all union and most salaried employees working in pulp mill and woodyard operations will be offered jobs within the paper mill.

“With improvements in its pulp handling, papermaking and energy equipment, Finch will be able to receive and process greater amounts and a greater variety of pulp, the primary raw material in paper,” they said. “This will allow Finch to broaden its mix of paper products and strengthen the long-term sustainability of a business that supports nearly 600 local jobs and pays millions of dollars in taxes.”

Johnson-Woods said Finch Paper’s decision reflects nationwide pulp and paper industry trends. “It’s not just happening in New York, it’s happening all across the country,” she said.

Digital printing and other forms of digital communication have sharply reduced paper sales. Global competition also has a major impact because countries with lower labor costs can sell paper at lower prices.

Johnson-Woods also said newer foreign competitors have more modern, cost-efficient factories than older companies whose mills, in some cases, aren’t up to date. In such cases, buying pulp from outside sources is cheaper than spending millions of dollars to retrofit an older facility, she said.

The post Loggers Face Uncertain Future As Officials Seek New Markets For Adirondack Timber appeared first on Glens Falls Business Journal.

By Paul Post

Good weather, fun attractions and a new state-of-the-art performance stage are contributing to a strong Lake George tourism season, with big things still to come heading into early autumn.

“We’ve had a really healthy, event-driven summer,” said Gina Mintzer, Lake George Chamber of Commerce executive director. “There’s new people coming here in addition to regular vacation folks who have been coming for generations, and we’ve seen a big uptick in bus tours. You might see a little lighter traffic on a Monday or Tuesday as people are making shorter stays, but then it’s full steam ahead Wednesday through the rest of the week.”

From Aug. 5-9, Lake George hosted Wolfsgart, the premier European automotive festival, previously held in Burlington. Participants brought new and classic cars alike and used numerous local venues, including The Ed on South Street in Glens Falls, marking the first time Lake George has partnered with that facility for an event.

“They stayed in hotels and motels, camped, used short-term vacation rentals and were in Shepard Park, Wood Park, and went to Northway Brewery in Queensbury and Bandstand Brew Works in Warrensburg, so they were all over,” Mintzer said.

But the season’s biggest catalyst was the highly anticipated mid-July opening of a new performance stage at Shepard Park, replacing a band shell destroyed by fire just two years earlier.

Lake George Arts Project and the Village of Lake George have partnered to book a variety of top-flight talent in addition to popular local bands and musicians.

“This is a dream come true, a generational project that’s going to be around for 50, 100 years,” Mayor Ray Perryt said. “I’m very excited about the way it came out. We’re going to be able to draw a higher level of talent. At the same time I want to retain our original people who got us here, like Stony Creek Band.”

The facility has potential for year-round use for events such as Winter Carnival, too, he said.

Perry said increased parking meter revenue and more water and wastewater use indicate that more people are visiting Lake George this summer. “And Canadians are back for sure,” he said. “I’ve seen more Canadian license plates than I’ve seen for two years.”

The performance stage opening was attended by a variety of local and state officials who cited its economic impact potential and fast-tracked construction. “Oftentimes government doesn’t move as quickly as people would like,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx. “This was a tremendous job. What a nice way to give back to the people of Lake George.”

“From a business perspective, it’s a great amenity for our guests,” said Holiday Inn owner Vincent Crocitto, who’s also town supervisor. “This is something our guests will enjoy for years to come. They always look forward to Shepard Park. It’s really the center of the village and the community.”

Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon, said, “Lake George is one of New York’s greatest treasures. Each year countless people from around the world and across the nation come here, creating jobs and supporting the North Country economy. While buildings can be lost, the memories they create and the people who cherish them will always endure.”

Jim Siplon, Warren County Economic Development Corporation president, said he’s not the least bit surprised at this summer’s strong tourism, following last year’s somewhat soft season. “That sector is remarkably resilient,” he said. “We have a great reputation here. The opportunity for us is to figure out how to produce even more value out of it.”

“We continue to work, looking for ways to expand the tourist season in Lake George and other places such as North Creek, a traditional winter market that’s becoming increasingly popular in summer,” he said. “Thousands of people go rafting, tubing and take Revolution Rail bike rides each year. When we add ORDA’s new zip coaster it will be even more of a summer destination.”

The mountainside thrill ride is scheduled for completion this fall or next spring.

But Mintzer pointed out that the 2026 season is far from over. Upcoming events such as the Adirondack Nationals Car Show (Sept. 10-13) and Jazz at the Lake (Sept. 18-20) bring huge throngs to Lake George, and Mintzer said the village might once again host a “moon glow” during the Adirondack Balloon Festival (Sept. 17-20).

This is followed by the World’s Largest Garage Sale in Warrensburg (Oct. 3-5), Lake George Oktoberfest (Oct. 9-11) and Harvest Fest at Gore Mountain (Oct. 10-11).

Mintzer said the Warren County Tourism Department is planning a summit in late October, bringing together government, tourism business owners and related stakeholders to assess the 2026 season and begin making plans for next year.

The post Lake George Tourism Gains Momentum With New Stage, Busy Event Calendar appeared first on Glens Falls Business Journal.

One in four New Yorkers said they placed a bet of any size on a sporting event in the last year. Among bettors, 84% used online sportsbooks, 54% bet with friends or family, 41% bet with casinos and 24% bet with bookies.

Residents were closely divided on whether online sportsbooks should be allowed to advertise during televised sporting events, with 44% in favor and 43% opposed. Fifty-two percent said commentators discussing potential bets and odds during live games is bad for sports.

Views varied by age. Half of residents 50 and older said online sportsbooks should not be allowed to advertise during televised sporting events, compared with 36% of those under 50. Sixty-two percent of those 50 and older said live betting commentary is bad for sports, while 44% of residents under 50 said the same.

Among residents under 50, 27% said online sports gambling is good for New York, 33% said it is bad and 34% were in the middle. Among those 50 and older, 46% said it is bad for the state, 29% were in the middle and 16% said it is good.

“We are seeing a generational gap in those who participate in and support sports betting,” Associate Director of Data Management Travis Brodbeck said. “Not only are many young New Yorkers placing bets of their own, but they also view the issues surrounding sports betting through a different lens than older residents.”

Bettors and nonbettors also differed. Fifty-nine percent of sports bettors disagreed with restricting online sportsbook advertisements during televised games, while 45% of nonbettors agreed with restrictions. Forty-nine percent of bettors said commentary on live odds and bets during games is good for sports, while 57% of nonbettors said it is bad.

Forty-nine percent of sports bettors said online sports gambling is good for New York, compared with 14% of nonbettors. Forty-five percent of nonbettors said online sports betting is bad for the state.

Participation was higher among men than women, 37% to 14%. Fifty-three percent of men ages 18 to 49 said they placed a bet on a sporting event in the last year. Among all New York sports bettors, 84% used online sportsbooks, including 92% of male bettors ages 18 to 49.

The poll was conducted July 1-8 among 814 New York state residents. It has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points, including design effects from weighting.

Provided by Siena Research Institute; edited

for style and length. Details at www.Siena.edu/SRI/

The post Siena Poll Finds Online Sports Gambling Viewed Negatively Across New York State appeared first on Glens Falls Business Journal.

By Ann Donnelly

A historic stretch of South Street is buzzing with new life following a major renovation project by developer Chris Patten. The newly restored building at 46-56 South St. is now home to five distinct local businesses, representing a significant milestone in the ongoing revitalization of downtown Glens Falls.

From a vintage-inspired general store and a high-visibility hair salon to a boutique clothing merchant, an upcoming neighborhood tavern and an upscale wine and whiskey bar, these storefronts are bringing diverse offerings and foot traffic to a block that was vacant for years.

Katy’s Wine & Whiskey Bar (46 South St.)

Since its July 11 opening, Katy’s Wine and Whiskey Bar at 46 South St. has seen strong community support and a high volume of repeat business. Co-owner Katy Foster, who operates the establishment with Bill Dingman and executive chef Colin Miner, expressed gratitude for the local reception.

“The amount of repeat customers we’ve welcomed in just one month has been truly heartwarming,” Foster said. She also praised the staff’s dedication during the launch phase, noting that they have already become a close-knit group while working through the initial kinks of a new dinner service.

Foster admitted she never anticipated operating on this block but has embraced the area’s rapid development. “Downtown Glens Falls is a true gem, and with the amount of new housing happening right here on South Street, it really feels like its own little mini city within a city,” she said. She credited her husband, developer Chris Patten, for his role in transforming the neighborhood.

Hometown Shop (48 South St.)

The block’s retail lineup includes Hometown Shop at 48 South St., which opened April 18. Owned by Kara Magoolaghan and her husband, Matt Rafferty, the idea for the shop was born after Magoolaghan saw the commercial listing through Realized Brokers, the real estate agency where Rafferty works. “The space found me before I knew what I was going to do with it,” Magoolaghan said, noting the need for personality in the new apartments nearby.

Magoolaghan, an engineer and lawyer, has created a cozy, vintage-inspired space selling high-quality paints, wallpaper, home goods and gifts. It also houses Vintage Purrfect, a curated vintage clothing business run by shop manager Rachel McMurtry. The shop builds community through events such as tea parties, scrapbooking workshops and puzzle-solving gatherings. Saturday mornings are especially busy as the shop welcomes crowds from the nearby farmers market. Hometown Shop will host a Balloon Fest pop-up event at the Golden Monkey on Sept. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring themed merchandise and a special cocktail.

Tease Salon and Beauty Bar (50 South St.)

Tease Salon and Beauty Bar relocated to 50 South St. after eight years in South Glens Falls. Owner MeLinda Stanley sought greater visibility, which has paid off with a 20% increase in business due to heavy vehicle and foot traffic. “Being more visible has been a big help,” Stanley said, noting they have retained old clients while gaining new ones from nearby apartments.

The salon employs six stylists and offers a full range of hair and beauty services. To accommodate clients, the salon successfully worked with the mayor to extend street parking limits to three hours. Tease Salon is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Floro’s Mercantile (52 South St.)

Floro’s Mercantile, which opened in May 2026 at 52 South St., has deep historical roots on the block. Owner Ali Gazetos Mineo is the great-granddaughter of Floro, founder of the legendary New Way Lunch. The boutique sits in the exact footprint where the original restaurant operated for 86 years.

Gazetos Mineo curated a mix of timeless basics and trendy apparel, ranging from denim jackets to luxury handbags. “I think it’s something fun that I enjoy, and I think it’s something that is needed downtown,” Mineo said. The boutique also hosts private shopping events and maintains hours throughout the week, including late evenings on Fridays and Saturdays.

Judd’s Tavern (54 South St.)

The final piece of the development is Judd’s Tavern at 54 South St., owned by Judd Gershen. While awaiting final permits, Gershen expects to open in September. Interior preparations, including kitchen equipment installation and dining room trim work, are nearing completion. “I’m really looking forward to adding to the great things already happening in Glens Falls,” Gershen said.

The completion of the 46-56 South St. building has established a cluster of complementary businesses that work together to draw customers down the street. Business owners anticipate even greater momentum as adjacent residential projects, such as the 70-unit South Street Apartments, prepare for completion in winter 2026-27.

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By Paul Post

The drive-thru beverage brand 7 Brew recently opened its newest store at Queensbury Plaza.

The Arkansas-based company, founded in 2017, is one of the country’s fastest-growing chains, offering coffee, shakes, smoothies, teas, fizzy sodas, lemonade and energy drinks at more than 800 locations in 38 states.

It emphasizes fast service from small, prefabricated drive-thru stands rather than conventional coffee shops with indoor seating.

To attract local customers, the Queensbury store gave away hundreds of free cold drinks, such as flavored lemonade and iced mocha, following its soft opening in late July. An official grand opening with a full menu took place Monday, Aug. 10, and the site will hold Swag Day on Saturday, Aug. 15, giving away free T-shirts from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. while supplies last.

During its soft opening, the store raised $26,600 dollars in customer donations to benefit Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, a year-round camp for children with serious illnesses.

The Queensbury store occupies a previously empty parking lot area on the left side of the plaza’s main entrance at 754 Glen St.

7 Brew now has 17 stands in upstate New York, mostly in central and western New York. Three are in Schenectady, Colonie and Johnstown, and plans call for another store to open in September at 811 Route 146, near Clifton Country Road and Northway Exit 9 in Clifton Park.

7 Brew is one of three new businesses expected to generate significant traffic at Queensbury Plaza. Renovations are underway for a new Burlington clothing store, which will occupy the former Joann Fabrics and Crafts space, and plans also call for a Mexican restaurant, Mi Rancho Alegre, to take over the former Red Lobster site.

New Jersey-based Burlington Stores has 1,150 locations in 46 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The new Queensbury store is part of an aggressive growth plan under which the company aimed to open about 100 stores last year alone.

Burlington Stores is best known as a leading off-price retailer offering brand-name merchandise at significant discounts, typically 20% to 60% below department store prices. In 2014, the company rebranded from Burlington Coat Factory to Burlington Stores to emphasize a much broader range of products.

Burlington will occupy 19,000 square feet, including all of the former Joann store and a portion of the former Tuesday Morning store.

Mi Rancho Alegre has restaurants in Syracuse, Rochester, Hudson and Lake Katrine. Its menu includes tacos, burritos, fajitas and other meat and seafood dishes wrapped in tortillas.

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Warren County’s summer workforce celebration earned an award from the New York State Tourism Industry Association.

Liza Ochsendorf, Warren County’s Director of Workforce Development, was honored for Excellence in Transformational Stewardship in the Workforce Development category. The award recognizes her creation of the Summer Workforce Celebration, a thank-you and awards event for hospitality, tourism and retail workers held each September since 2022.

Last September’s celebration brought together more than 350 workers from over 70 Warren County businesses for a free ride and dinner aboard the Lake George Steamboat Co.’s Lac du Saint Sacrement tour boat. NYSTIA leaders cited the event’s impact on community and worker retention.

Ochsendorf will receive the award in September at the 2026 NYS Tourism Excellence Summit in Corning, New York.

Planning is underway for the 2026 celebration, tentatively scheduled for Sept. 14 at Lake George Steamboat Co. Tourism industry donors cover expenses. Workers nominated by their employers receive thousands of dollars in prizes, including gift baskets, overnight stays and attraction admission tickets.

Businesses interested in sponsoring the event may email Ochsendorf at ochsendorfl@warrencountyny.gov or send checks to the Warren County Tourism Department, Warren County Municipal Center, 1340 Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845.

Provided by Warren County; edited for style and length.

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By Paul Post

One of Warren County’s oldest companies is celebrating its 175th anniversary while looking ahead to its bicentennial as it continues to grow and find new markets.

More than 100 employees, customers and community leaders recently honored Glens Falls-based Jointa Lime Company at a gala reception at The Hyde Collection.

The event included a documentary on the company’s history and a certificate from Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner recognizing its inclusion in the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry.

“Reaching 200 years is not even a question, in my mind,” said David Collins, D.A. Collins Companies president. “It’s something we’re committed to and focused on. Rest on our laurels? If we did that the future would be questionable, but we reinvest constantly in our people and processes. We continue to explore best practices, cutting edge technology and how we can implement them in the future.”

“We look at opportunities to expand the business, not just for the sake of growth, but to expand smartly,” he said. “We look for the next steps are going to carry us into the next 25 years and beyond.”

Jointa Lime is a subsidiary of Wilton-based D.A. Collins, which acquired it in 1988.

Irish immigrant John Keenan, an expert in quarrying, stonework and lime production, launched Jointa 10 years before the Civil War with local business leader Halsey R. Wing, a descendant of Glens Falls founder Abraham Wing.

Before joining Wing, Keenan mined limestone in Smith’s Basin and burned it in kilns to produce lime shipped south on the Champlain Canal to Albany and New York City markets.

In 1851, Keenan joined Wing, an attorney, to build a business around rich limestone deposits along the Hudson River near present-day Warren Street in Glens Falls. Lime was then an essential ingredient for masons.

“They didn’t have ready-mix concrete so they used lime for mortar mix,” said John Davidson, Jointa Lime vice president. “Keenan and Wing had numerous kilns, bought out others and with the few they didn’t, formed Associated Lime Companies in Glens Falls, to market product in New York City. Jointa, the highest grade, was desired by all masons.”

Lime also neutralized horse manure on city streets, smoothed wire during manufacturing and bleached paper.

It remains an ingredient in many products, including toothpaste.

By the late 19th century, however, lime had lost favor as a building material after the introduction of stronger, more reliable Portland cement, named for Portland stone from the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England.

Jointa Lime adapted by founding Glens Falls Cement Company in 1893, operating it for 10 years and then selling it.

The company later reinvented itself by focusing on crushed stone and aggregate production as construction needs changed.

“We survived many recessions, depressions, booms and busts,” Davidson said. “With such great people in our offices and quarries we got through it.”

Jointa Lime now employs more than 100 people and operates six hard-rock quarries in Washington, Saratoga, Clinton and Essex counties; gravel operations in Saratoga and Washington counties; asphalt plants in Newburgh, Plattsburgh and Saratoga; and ready-mix concrete plants in Saratoga and Glens Falls. The Glens Falls plant operates as Jointa Galusha on Lower Warren Street.

The facilities supply D.A. Collins with materials for public and private projects ranging from major interstate highway work to hydroelectric facilities that generate clean, renewable power.

At The Hyde Collection program, Collins and Davidson joined Richard Keenan, a descendant of Jointa Lime’s co-founder, for a panel discussion moderated by Hyde board Chair Mark Behan. Keenan traveled from Northern Ireland for the event.

Glens Falls Mayor Diana Palmer presented Collins with a proclamation recognizing Jointa Lime’s 175th anniversary.

Collins, the third-generation leader of his family-owned company, credits much of its success to the firm’s close-knit camaraderie.

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By Dorothy Rogers-Bullis

For years, we designed offices around the work. Today, we have to design them around the people doing the work.

That may sound like a subtle change, but it is reshaping the workplace in very real ways. Employees have experienced a different way of working. They know they can answer emails, write reports, join a video call and complete focused tasks from almost anywhere. So if we are asking people to come into an office, the office has to offer something they cannot get sitting alone at a kitchen table.

The workplace now has to earn the commute.

I do not believe that means making every office look like a living room or filling it with trendy furniture. It means thinking much more carefully about what people need during the course of a workday and giving them choices. One person may need quiet, concentrated space at 9 a.m., a collaborative project area at 11 a.m., a private room for a video call after lunch, and an informal place to meet with two coworkers later in the afternoon. A well-designed office should support all of those activities.

For many years, workplace planning followed a predictable formula: private offices around the perimeter, workstations in the center and conference rooms down the hall. That model was built largely around hierarchy and assigned space. Today’s workplace needs to be built around movement, interaction and function.

One of the biggest changes we are seeing is the growth of smaller, more flexible spaces. Not every conversation needs a 12-person conference room. Employees need touchdown areas, two- and four-person meeting rooms, project rooms, phone rooms, comfortable collaboration areas and places where a quick conversation can happen naturally. Those spaces make the office more useful, but they also create something much harder to replicate remotely: human connection.

At the same time, we need to acknowledge where open office design went wrong. Removing walls did not automatically create collaboration. In many cases, it simply created noise and distraction. Acoustics, privacy and zoning have become critical elements of good workplace design. Collaborative spaces should feel energetic, while focused work areas should allow people to concentrate. Technology, lighting, materials, furniture and architectural elements all have to work together to create those different environments.

Flexibility is equally important. Businesses change too quickly to build an interior that can function only one way for the next 15 years. Teams expand, departments reorganize, technology changes and work patterns evolve. We are increasingly designing with movable components, adaptable furniture and interior systems that can be reconfigured rather than demolished and rebuilt. At drb Business Interiors, our work with Falkbuilt Digital Component Construction is part of that evolution. It allows us to think about walls and interior architecture as adaptable components rather than permanent obstacles to future change.

We are also seeing a stronger residential and hospitality influence in commercial interiors. Softer seating, warmer lighting, natural materials, plants, rugs and more comfortable gathering areas can make a workplace feel welcoming rather than institutional. But comfort cannot come at the expense of performance. A commercial workplace still needs excellent ergonomics, durability, technology, acoustics and easy maintenance.

The workplace is also an increasingly important expression of a company’s culture and brand. Employees and clients should understand something about an organization the moment they walk through the door. Materials, graphics, color, lighting and the way spaces are arranged can communicate who a company is without turning the office into a showroom.

Wellness has moved into the same conversation. Natural light, access to daylight, movement, comfortable seating, healthier materials and places to decompress are no longer simply amenities. They affect how people feel during the workday and, ultimately, how they perform.

The most successful offices I see today are not trying to compete with working from home. They are offering something different. They give employees access to coworkers, ideas, mentoring, energy, collaboration and a sense of belonging. They provide spaces for both concentration and connection, and they allow people to choose the environment that best supports the task in front of them.

The future of the workplace is not about one new product, one new color palette or one new trend. It is about designing spaces that are more responsive to people and more adaptable to change. When we get that right, the office becomes more than a place employees are required to go. It becomes a place that helps them do their best work – and a place they actually want to be.

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By Rod Bacon

According to FBI crime data, burglary, defined as unlawful entry into a structure with the intent to commit a crime, has historically accounted for between 1.1 million and 1.4 million reported incidents per year in the United States. Commercial properties, including retail establishments, offices, warehouses and service businesses, account for approximately 35% to 40% of that total, suggesting roughly 385,000 to 560,000 commercial burglaries occur annually in the U.S.

Statistics compiled by the Office of Justice Programs, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, show that commercial buildings without security systems are 4 to 4.5 times more likely to be burglarized than those with active alarms or surveillance.

Glens Falls-based New York Fire & Security has been helping entrepreneurs prevent theft from and damage to their buildings since 1946. The company provides state-of-the-art systems that address any type of security breach or fire hazard to a business.

“Security has a common theme, whether it’s for an office, warehouse, or retail business,” said Vice President Seawn Eggleston. “It’s about protecting property and the people in the building.”

When he does an initial assessment for a client, the vulnerability he most often encounters is door access. He said there have to be protocols in place to control who is entering and exiting a building. A very effective solution is installing a door access system consisting of card readers. A digital card can be assigned to an employee’s cell phone so they don’t have to have a physical card. That allows them access because they have credentials. The credentials can be customized to allow them access to only certain parts of the building or entry only at certain times. If an employee leaves the company, the privilege can be easily canceled. For vendors or regular visitors to the business, the cards can be tailored to allow access only during certain times or through certain doors. In all cases, a trackable record of people accessing the building is created.

In addition to door access, there are cameras, which, according to Eggleston, are often the first thing customers ask about.

“Cameras are an important part of a complete security installation, but they must be strategically placed,” he said.

He explained that placement and elevation are key. Cameras in entryways are important, but they shouldn’t be placed too high or all they capture are the tops of people’s heads, thus not getting a good identification of the intruder.

As an interesting anecdote, Eggleston said that thieves will often change articles of clothing to hide their identities, but they almost never change their shoes.

“An intruder might change his shirt or put on different pants after committing a burglary but will usually keep the same shoes on, so it’s a good idea to place cameras so they will capture the feet,” he said.

Eggleston recommended having all security systems checked by a professional at least once a year to ensure they are functioning properly. Camera lenses should be cleaned, the network video recorder (NVR) evaluated, door contacts checked and all batteries given a load test.

The price of a security system varies widely depending on the size of the building and specifically what the client wants monitored. An adequate system can be installed for approximately $6,000, but if a highly sophisticated one is required, the cost could reach $30,000.

New York Fire & Security is an Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-listed alarm dealer, which means that for many of its customers, monitoring is not done locally. The company contracts with Emergency 24, a firm that has several monitoring stations throughout the country. If something happens to one monitoring station, the calls are automatically rolled over to another one without interruption.

“A lot of our customers require that we have redundancy built in and this service provides that,” Eggleston said.

The company also offers Total Connect on the majority of its panels, which allows the owner of the system to arm or disarm it from anywhere. In addition to business owners, this can be advantageous to homeowners.

Eggleston cited the example of a customer who lives at a distance but has a vacation home on Lake George. He can access that home’s security system from his electronic device, see what is happening and control the situation.

“Obviously, the police or fire department will show up but the homeowner can see what’s going on in real time,” he said.

In addition to break-in protection, the company provides environmental monitoring of things like temperature, water spillage and dangerous gases. Eggleston noted that these systems are installed primarily in warehouses and medical facilities where records might be stored in a basement or vaccines in a secure room.

Most of these applications are installed by the company’s fire and life safety experts.

The company’s service regions include Plattsburgh, the Adirondacks, Lake George and the Albany metro area.

For more information about New York Fire & Security, go to nyfireandsecurity.com.

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By Rod Bacon

After five years of planning, design work and permitting — and 14 years of vision and conceptualization since the Montgomerys took ownership in 2013 — The Woods at West Mountain is on the cusp of becoming a reality.

“It has always been the plan/solution for the ensured history of West Mountain,” said Spencer Montgomery, an owner and operator of West Mountain Ski Area with his wife, Sara Montgomery, and two partners.

After the Queensbury Planning Board approved a zoning change for the ski area to Planned Resort Development, or PRD, in December 2025, things shifted into high gear.

While the concept plan for the project has been in place for five years, those who will implement it held a two-day kickoff “envisioning” seminar last month at the ski area.

“We had taken the conceptual sketch of the plan and engineering to the town and got it approved,” said Spencer. “Now we’re creating the final site plan, which involves showing them where each building and other elements of the project are going to go.”

The Montgomerys wear multiple hats at the ski area. In addition to being an owner and operator, Spencer is a managing member of West Mountain Racing LLC. Sara is the general manager of the ski area and program director of West Mountain Racing.

Spencer emphasized that he and Sara have two financial partners in the ski area, without whom none of this would be possible and West Mountain would be closed.

The architectural firm Bull Stockwell Allen was retained in July to design the project, which is estimated to cost $170 million to $190 million. Headquartered in San Francisco, the firm has an office in Boston that is serving as the hub for the design team. Principal John Ashworth, AIA, LEED AP, and project architect and associate Jake Schirmer, AIA, are spearheading the project.

Experienced in developing destination resorts, the firm has designed such prestigious ski areas as Spruce Peak at Stowe in Vermont, the Inn at Sundance in Utah, Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, Mammoth Mountain/Mammouth Lakes in California and Beaver Creek in Colorado, among others.

Also brought on board are Queensbury-based Van Dusen & Steves Land Surveyors; Studio A Landscape Architecture & Engineering of Saratoga Springs; and McFarland Johnson, engineering consultants of Saratoga Springs. Legal services are being provided by Thomas West, founding partner of the West Firm in Albany, and Jonathan Lapper, a principal with Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes in Glens Falls.

According to Spencer, the project has been approved for “512 doors.” As plans currently stand, that will include approximately 300-340 condominiums, a 60-80-room boutique hotel with 30 associated “Tree House” ski-in-ski-out executive two-bedroom suites, a fitness club/spa and 60-80 single-family homes.

Spencer noted that things will change as the project moves forward.

Construction will start in the middle of the project and build out from there. The first phase will include Hotel West and Club West, adjacent parking lots, the tree houses and some of the single-family homes.

The next phase will be the village, which will offer shops, a restaurant, an organic grocery store, some condominiums, and walking paths around a pond and throughout the resort.

Spencer said they have already received some letters from parties interested in exploring opportunities in the village and resort.

Subsequent phases will include a new base lodge adjacent to the existing one that will accommodate 300 skiers, more single-family homes and an improved buffer park along West Mountain Road. They are also installing a new high-speed detachable chairlift.

Spencer explained that the buffer park will provide a “woods experience” as skiers enter the resort and head toward what is termed the “Holy Grail,” the bullwheel at the bottom of the new high-speed primary ski lift, The Woods Flyer.

“Bull Stockwell Allen wanted the flow to come from West Mountain Road,” he said. “Patrons will drive through and there are spokes off the road as they go and they end up at the bullwheel.”

The ski area encompasses 1,565 acres, 365 of which are in the ski center, with the remainder across the top of the mountain. According to Spencer, The Woods at West Mountain will occupy only 53 acres, 80% of which are on the flat section at the bottom.

“There will be some houses meandering up through the woods but they’re designed to be built in that environment” he said. “They will go up the mountain about a third of the way, camouflaged with filtered views and largely invisible from town.”

Both Montgomerys are fully involved with the design and permitting process.

“I’m constantly on conference calls with the design team and they’ve done multiple site visits,” said Spencer. “Once a week we have an owners’ call and a design call. We’re definitely moving the process forward quickly and are close to the finish line of approvals.”

He added that Sara has “assisted in the development with the ‘touch and feel’ and genre of the resort and its features.”

The developers are confident they will have the full site plan completed and ready to present to the planning board by October.

“We could work through each phase individually but we’re going for full plan approval, which makes more sense for West Mountain and the Town and adheres to State regulations” said Spencer. “We don’t want to segment the development. We want to have everything comprehensively laid out because in the long run that saves time and money. West Mountain needs this sooner than later and that is what the State regulations dictate..”

They hope to break ground on the first phase in summer 2027.

“This is going to be an amazing, family-focused, year-round resort and a community ‘watering hole,’” said Sara. “It will be a place where families can build memories for a lifetime and locals can connect with their neighbors by walking, hiking, over coffee, having a meal, and of course skiing.”

For more information about West Mountain Ski Area and progress on The Woods at West Mountain, go to westmountain.com.

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