Glens Falls Business Journal

Bunkoff General Contractors Of Latham Is Selected To Build Market Center Structure

September 19, 2023

Bunkoff General Contractors Inc. of Latham will be the main contractor for the construction of Market Center in downtown Glens Falls.

The City Council in late August approved the company’s bid of $4.55 million.

The council also selected Harold R. Clune Inc. of Ballston Spa for the electrical work on the new building.

There were five other general contractors who bid on building the Market Center pavilion, a key cog in the city’s downtown revitalization plan.

Jeff Flagg, Glens Falls economic development director, said bids came from Murnane Building; O’Connor Co. of Aberdeen, N.C.; MLB Construction Services in Malta; LeChase in Schenectady, and VMJR Cos. of Glens Falls.

The 6,000-square-foot building will be located be at the currently vacant lot at 49-63 South St. where an Off Track Betting outlet was previously located.

Fort Ticonderoga Unveils A New Destination Venue For Weddings And Other Events

September 19, 2023

The Pavilion, an 1826 National Historic Landmark home, is a venue for weddings and events at Fort Ticonderoga on the shores of Lake Champlain and surrounded by gardens.
©2023 Saratoga Photographer.com

Fort Ticonderoga is now hosting private events including weddings, meetings, and other celebrations at pavilions and on the scenic grounds.

Fort Ticonderoga is situated on Lake Champlain, nestled between New York’s Adirondack Mountains and Vermont’s Green Mountains. From the newly restored 1826 Pavilion, to the 60-foot Carillon boat, to the King’s Garden and to the heights of Mount Defiance, couples and groups can choose their unique venue to hold their picture-perfect destination event.

One of the on-site venues is the Pavillion.

An 1826 National Historic Landmark home, the Pavilion has a rich past of hospitality and luxury. Located on the shores of Lake Champlain and surrounded by gardens, the estate is now a location for weddings. The house itself is also a place to host small meetings, intimate gatherings, and cocktail parties.

It features a lake front setting and multiple locates available for ceremonies and receptions. The King’s Garden frames the Pavilion. There is a private bridal suite with private entrance and family and bridal party waiting rooms.

Adirondack Regional Chamber Of Commerce Lists Nominees For Business Of Year Awards

September 19, 2023

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce announced the nominees for its 2023 Business Awards.

The ARCC has been recognizing member businesses for their economic achievements, and quality of life contributions to our region, for over 30 years.

The nominees will be recognized at an awards breakfast on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.

“I am always amazed at the response we receive when asking for nominations for our annual business awards,” said ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers. “It is such an honor to recognize these businesses for all that they do to contribute to our communities in their own unique ways.”

These businesses were nominated by their peers and will be interviewed and scored by a committee of volunteer ARCC members.

The nominees, in their respective categories, are:

Large Business of the Year: North Country Janitorial, Telescope Casual Furniture, Adirondack Studios, and Arnoff Moving & Storage.

M&M Digital Printing Takes Advantage Of Its Small Size To Handle Rush Jobs For Clients

September 19, 2023

Matt Flint, owner of M&M Digital Printing, runs a print job through the Duplo finisher, a speciaiized printing and processing machine which improves flexibility and efficiency.

By Paul Post

Think of a high-powered speed boat that can do circles around ocean liners still leaving the dock. According to M&M Digital Printing officials, that’s the advantage its small size creates over bigger firms by allowing it to shift gears and get jobs done right away.

“We get a lot of ‘I need it yesterday’ type calls,” owner Matt Flint said. “There aren’t many printers that you can call and say, ‘Hey, can you print these and do it today?’ That’s where we specialize—that same-day, next-day service.”

To keep up with growth and customer demand, Flint moved his decade-old business from 95 Broad St., Glens Falls, to a larger space at 726 Upper Glen St. in Queensbury last year.

“We added some software and equipment including two of our wide-format printers, which streamlined production and we’ll be upgrading our production presses before end of this year,” he said.

Flint plans to attend next month’s Printing United Expo, in Atlanta, to keep up with industry trends and technologies, and connect with others in the field as well.

“I try to go every year,” he said. “They have all the most modern printing presses with the latest features, whether it’s UV or spot coating. All of the printing manufacturers’ latest equipment will be there.”

Adirondack Folk School Will Increase Space At Its Lake Luzerne Building By 10,000 SF

September 19, 2023

The expansion of the Adirondack Folk School will provide space for larger projects, like canoe building, Sagamore chair making, and weaving.
Courtesy Adirondack Folk School

By Ann Donnelly

The Adirondack Folk School, based in Lake Luzerne, has started the process of expanding its facilities by 10,000 square feet to accommodate its programs on the main campus.

Executive Director Terri Cerveny sent out Request for Proposals(RFP) to architecture and design firms and expects to award the project sometime in October. He will then have a better sense of the cost and fundraising required to complete it, he said.

The courses, events, and programs the school provides aim to “bring us back to our roots,” said Cerveny. “In the past, people had to make their own baskets, bowls, etc. We want to ensure that the next generation can continue to practice these kinds of crafts.”

The school has 22 categories of courses, including blacksmithing, canoe making, cooking, nature studies, soap making, and more.

While the pandemic was brutal for many businesses and nonprofit organizations, it brought many people to the Adirondack Folk School.

“People wanted to get out from behind their computers, use their hands, and get back to their roots,” he said. Demand for the existing courses and new courses continues to grow.

SUNY Adirondack Seeks Nominations For Distinguished Alumni ‘Trailblazers Society’

September 19, 2023

SUNY Adirondack is seeking nominations for 2023 Trailblazers, the college’s society for distinguished alumni.

In its sixth year, the Trailblazer Society identifies and honors alumni who achieved significant success in their careers or made a substantial impact through philanthropic efforts and community service.

“SUNY Adirondack’s distinguished alumni have blazed a trail in their careers and communities,” said Liz Lastowski, director of annual giving and alumni relations. “They exemplify professional and philanthropic leadership, and pave the way for the generations that follow.”

The 2023 Class of SUNY Adirondack Trailblazers will be selected by a committee of distinguished faculty, alumni and SUNY Adirondack leaders. A ceremony will be held in the winter to honor and induct new members.

Annual Saratoga Showcase Of Homes Set For October; Two Lake George Homes Added

September 19, 2023

This is one of the homes, built by Kodiak Construction, that will be part of the 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes in October. It is part of the Mountains Edge development in Lake George.

Tickets for the area’s premiere new home tour, the 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes, are on sale. The event is celebrating 27 years in Saratoga County.

Tickets are available at all Adirondack Trust branch locations, Curtis Lumber in Ballston Spa and Queensbury, Saratoga National Bank, Glens Falls National Bank and Roohan Realty on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

Tickets are $25 and this year’s edition has 10 locations on display. New this year are two showcase locations in Lake George.

Tickets are conveniently available at any showcase home during tour hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or can be purchased online through the event website at www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com.

Each showcase ticket holder will receive a free shoe/tote bag at the first home visited.

The 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes is being presented over two fall weekends—Oct. 7-8 and Oct. 14-15.

Participating builders in this year’s event include Belmonte Builders, DeGraff Bloom Custom Builders, DSG Construction and Remodeling, Kodiak Construction, R & M Homes, The BDC Group, Whitbeck Construction and Witt Construction.

Solar Power Company Officials Say Best Time To Start Planning Projects Is In The Fall

September 19, 2023

It takes several months to design, obtain various approvals and install solar energy panels, either free-standing like this, or on building rooftops.

By Paul Post

The sun rises and sets every day. In these times, some use it—solar energy—as a major source of power to heat homes and otherwise power utilities in the home.

The best time to buy a roof-mounted system that converts its energy to cost-saving electricity is now, say those in the industry.

In the Northeast, solar electric systems generate about 70 percent of their energy for the entire year between April and September, so they need to be operational in March. But it takes several months to design, obtain various approvals and install them.

“So the best time to start thinking about solar, getting quotes to make a decision so we can get a contract in place, obtain permits, secure materials, get the system inspected, permitted and turned on by a utility company, is this fall,” said Peter Kronau, senior project manager at Queensbury-based Apex Solar.

“I always tell residents and business owners, ‘It’s not when you go solar, it’s that you go solar’,” he said. “The sun is always coming up and going down. Time is always moving. There is a ‘Goldilocks’ window to have a solar system installed, commissioned and turned on to maximize the benefit from day one. If you miss that window you’re playing catch-up until the system has been operational for 365 days because of how the offset works with net metering and the utility company.”

Designers Say Be Personal, Be Professional To Be Productive Within A Home-Based Office

September 19, 2023

Katelyn Moskos is the owner of Lake George Design.

By Susan Elise Campbell

A home workspace that lets a person work the way they want to in surroundings they enjoy will contribute directly to an employer’s bottom line, and interior designers say there are a few recommendations for making the space successful.

“I have business people working out of their homes come into my showroom and say, ‘I don’t want my space to be more office-like, but I want it to be professional,’ which is how the term ‘resimercial’ came into the design vernacular,” said Dorothy Rogers-Bullis of drb Business Interiors.

“Workers need to mentally disconnect from the residence in the work space,” said Katelyn Moskos of Lake George Design. “The office has to flow with the home but at the same time, when you walk in you forget about any chaos and clutter behind you.”

The office need not be a separate room. Designers are finding creative ways to repurpose part of a bedroom, take over a closet, or add a desk in an alcove or wide hallway. If it’s dedicated and professional, it can be productive.

“Most of my home office clients had been working in a building where they might have brought in a wall hanging or a box of knick-knacks,” said Moskos. “I need to remind them, you’re at home now. There are no limits.”

Consistent Workouts Are Better For Maintaining Fitness Than Sporadic Activities

September 19, 2023

Kettlebell workouts are a staple at Simple Strength and Conditioning, South Glens Falls
Courtesy Simple Strength and Conditioning.

By Christine Graf

When it comes to working out, consistency is key. A person reaps more benefit from exercising regularly over a long period of time than from performing periodic extreme exercise routines.

“Many people have this all or nothing mindset,” said Mike Sirani, co-owner of Capital District Sports and Fitness in Round Lake “They think that if they start working out that it has to be five days a week for an hour every time and that they have to go really hard every workout. But, when you have a busy schedule, that can be difficult to stay consistent with.”

It is for that reason that Sirani said it is important to be realistic when setting fitness goals.

“It’s about finding a routine that fits into your schedule and one that you can consistently do every week. You need to do an honest assessment of where your life is at. The most important thing in order to see progress is being consistent.”

Taking that scary first step is something Ryan Carpenter, owner of Simple Strength and Conditioning in South Glens Falls, experienced firsthand. The former Marine started going to the gym in 2015 at a time when he weighed 335 pounds.