By Margaret Macdonald

Stewart’s Shops has plans to replace several existing shops in the area with larger, more accessible venues.

Generally, these new shops enable better indoor flow to improve customers’ shopping experience and expand food service options, according to Maria D’Amelia, public relations specialist for the company.

New construction includes a shop at Route 28 and Durkin Road in North Creek. The company is seeking site plan approvals. Construction start is anticipated in June and could be completed in October.

Another new shop is planned at 977 Route 149 in Queensbury. The company is seeking site plan approvals and construction is expected to start in the second quarter of 2018. The proposal is for a 3,695-square-foot store with a canopy that will have four islands for pumping gas.

Other shops being replaced include two locations on Route 146 in Clifton Park, one starting in late July with completion anticipated around Labor Day. Construction of the second is expected to begin in September.

Construction of a store on Route 67, Charlton, could be completed in late September. Construction of a shop on Saratoga Avenue in South Glens Falls is expected to begin this summer. Another on Broad Street in Schuylerville is awaiting approvals.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Matt Stewart and his business partners Chris Castrio and Rich Thomas are continuing their quest to make “farm-to-glass” beer something that more and more people can enjoy.

They just opened their second Argyle Brewing Co. taproom in May at the former Cambridge train depot, 6 Broad St., Cambridge. Stewart said the character of the station was an instant selling point for him. He also has a sentimental tie to the spot.

“I was married in the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Lancaster County, so I took it as a sign,” said Stewart.

The location is part of a partnership with Hubbard Hall, who Stewart said approached him and his partners with the idea. He said they weren’t quite ready to open a second location, but they fell in love with the character of the space and thought it would be perfect.

He said they hope to eventually have five locations. Cambridge is the second. The other is in Greenwich at 1 Main St.

“At first our heads were spinning, but it’s been good. It ended up being good timing,” said Stewart.

The 2,000-square-foot Cambridge spot can seat up to 67 people inside and 56 outside. Despite the new location being larger than the Greenwich location, all of the processing part of the brewery is done in Greenwich. They have seven ales and two ciders on tap in Cambridge, all with a flavor that Stewart said is unique to the area.

Work has resumed on a project to replace the Route 4 (Main Street) bridge over the Glens Falls Feeder Canal in the village of Hudson Falls.

The existing Route 4 Bridge was built in 1931 and carries approximately 9,400 motor vehicles per day, New York state officials said. The project, scheduled to be substantially completed this fall, is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $542 million Empire Bridge program.

The Empire Bridge program, administered by the state Department of Transportation, is replacing 100 aging bridge structures across the state. Officials said the new bridges will be more resilient and better able to withstand flooding.

“Our foremost concern is safety for motorists and pedestrians and this new bridge will help assure that,” said state Sen. Betty Little. “Representing a region heavily dependent on tourism, I know too that first impressions count. The quality and appearance of our infrastructure adds to the overall experience for visitors who we want to come back again and again, so this kind of investment helps.”

Traffic has been maintained on Route 4 in both directions during construction, which began last year and is being conducted in phases, with one half of the bridge being replaced at a time. The southbound side of the bridge was replaced in 2016. While the northbound side of the bridge is replaced this year, traffic in both directions will use the newly replaced southbound side.

Pedestrians and bicyclists will use a temporary bridge installed in November, just west of the Main Street Bridge.

The work is part of a $20.7 million design-build contract to replace five bridges. DOT officials said design-build allows for the combining of design and construction services into single contracts to help expedite work to vital infrastructure to save taxpayer money.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

A parcel on Saratoga Avenue in South Glens Falls will be the site of a two-story mixed use building that will include two apartments and commercial space.

Construction is expected to start this fall or early winter, said Joe Leuci of Foothills Builders in Queensbury.

Leuci said  he jumped on the opportunity because of its good location. The project is still awaiting its final approval from the village.

“It’s in a spot that sees a lot of traffic,” said Leuci.

Leuci said in addition to the steady traffic, another positive is the availability of on-street and off-street parking.

“Business always want to have ample parking, and this has it, “ said Leucci.

By Margaret Macdonald

Valente Builders Inc. of Hudson Falls is working on construction of a three-story, 27-unit apartment complex for senior citizens on Bay Road in Queensbury.

Apartments will vary between 1-3 bedroom units, according to Daniel Valente.

He said amenities will include a community garden, an outside area for recreation, a fire pit and walking paths within the subdivision, enabling seniors to walk without being on the main road. They will also be able to otherwise congregate and foster community.

Valente, recently retired from the company, where he served as president said that there’s a real need for “in-between, transient homes” for snowbirds during the warmer months, with a maintenance-free living style. It is a particular need  in the Lake George and Queensbury area.

“It’s a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle down south. It’s not far from Saratoga,” Valente said.

The site plan is designed and construction is expected to begin soon.