Glens Falls Business Journal

Hilltop Construction Now Headquartered In Queensbury With New Offices, Warehouses

August 15, 2023

From left, Hilltop Construction co-owners Dan Washburn, April Washburn and Tom Albrecht Jr. stand in the company’s new offices at 21 Casey Road in Queensbury.

by Christine Graf

Hilltop Construction is putting the finishing touches on a new office/warehouse headquarters at 21 Casey Road in Queensbury.

The 10,000-square-foot facility is being built on two lots located in the Airport Industrial Park.

“Our company is growing, and we needed space for expansion,” said co-owner Dan Washburn.

Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency sold the two vacant industrial park lots to Hilltop Construction for $40,500.

Washburn’s in-laws, Tom and Cindy Albrecht founded Hilltop Construction in 1975. After the couple retired two years ago, Washburn, along with his wife April Washburn and brother-in-law Tom Albrecht Jr., assumed control of the business.

Hilltop Construction builds custom homes that range in price from $400,000 to $5 million. The homes are located throughout the Capital Region and the Adirondacks.

“We’ve done a lot of work in Schroon Lake, Brant Lake and Lake George,” said Washburn.

State Has Funds Available For Electric Vehicle Charging Station Infrastructure

August 15, 2023

Some $29 million has been allocated in new York state for electric vehicle Level 2 charging infrastructure under Charge Ready NY 2.0 and consumer rebates through the Drive Clean Rebate Program.

The incentive and rebate programs mean more New Yorkers can drive electric as New York state reached a milestone of 150,000 EVs on the road in June 2023.

The funding supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050 and New York state’s requirement that all new passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs sold in the state be zero emission by 2035, officials said.

“New York’s climate and clean transportation leadership is reducing air pollution and emissions through solution-based investments in charging infrastructure and rebates,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “Providing cleaner air in communities that face high vehicle traffic, particularly those that are historically marginalized, is an essential step to improving the state’s quality of life while building a more sustainable future for residents, workers and visitors alike.”

Under the program, some $15 million was added to Charge Ready NY 2.0, to support EV charger installation at workplaces and multifamily buildings statewide, as well as public facilities located in disadvantaged communities. This program can help eligible entities save up to 50 percent on installation costs for Level 2 chargers, which are ideal for locations where a car will be parked for a few hours and can provide up to 25 miles of electric range for each hour charged.

Officials said the program has $12 million available for charging station installation at workplaces and multifamily buildings with an incentive of $2,000 per port, and $2,500 per port in a disadvantaged community. Publicly owned facilities in a disadvantaged community are eligible for $4,000 per port.

Activities At Area Senior Centers Keep People Active And Engaged In Their Communities

August 15, 2023

The Glens Falls Senior Center offers members access to a well-equipped wood shop.
Courtesy Glens Falls Senior Center

By Christine Graf

Research shows that older adults who participate in senior center activities have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction than their peers. Locally, the Glens Falls Senior Center and the Queensbury Senior Center are enhancing the quality of life for more than 2,000 members.

Located at 380 Glen St., the Glens Falls Senior Center has 642 members. Memberships cost just $30 per year, and the center receives funding from City of Glens Falls, the Warren County Office of the Aging, the Town of Queensbury, and the Tri-County United Way.

Glens Falls Senior Center Executive Director Kim Bren believes that senior centers play a vital role in the community, helping seniors to stay active and engaged and to meet new people. She works to dispel the notion that senior centers are filled with people sitting around playing Bingo.

“People say, ‘I don’t want to sit around and do nothing,’” she said. “That’s not who we are. We are a very active center. One of the hardest things is getting that awareness out.”

Stephanie Smith, director of Queensbury Senior Center, agrees. She believes that staying active and engaged is the key to aging well.

Business Report: Care For The Long Term

August 15, 2023

Brian M. Johnson, director, business development, Advisors Insurance Brokers.

Brian M. Johnson, MBA, CLTC

When it comes to where and how you live, and what you do with your money, you want the freedom of choice and confidence that you’re making the right decisions.

The same is true with your long-term care strategy, helping you set the stage for the future and the legacy you have planned.

Long-term care is quite simply assistance with simple everyday tasks, even as simple as eating or getting dressed. The need for care could arise from an accident, illness, cognitive impairment, or the aging process. You may never need it.

But, the best time to start thinking about it is before the need arises and while you’re still able to take control. Many Americans work hard, save diligently for retirement, yet fail to address the single biggest risk to their portfolio and families: extended healthcare.

When it comes to long-term care, do not be swayed by common misconceptions such as:

• “It won’t happen to me.”

People unrealistically downplay their personal risk. Seventy-nine percent of people put off discussions about long-term care, but 98 percent of financial professionals say they have clients who have needed it. In fact, being healthy presents even a higher risk of needing long-term care services than someone who is managing chronic a condition.

• “Medicare or Medicaid will cover me.”

If qualified, Medicare will likely be insufficient for long-term care needs and Medicaid does not account for your choices or preferences, and one must financially qualify for benefits.

• “That’s what my savings are for.”

Business Report: Pre-Retirement, 12-Month Checklist

August 15, 2023

Bill Canty, CPA, CFP, founder, CFM Tax and Investment Advisors.

By Bill Canty, CFP, CPA

The period leading up to your retirement is a critical time to ensure that you have your financial plan in place as you enter retirement. Financial planning doesn’t stop once you retire, things change and your need to stay on top of things and adjust as needed.

This is the focus of much of our work with clients approaching and in retirement.

Here is a checklist of items to review during the 12 months leading up to retirement.

Retirement budget. One of the most important things to do during this period is to formulate a retirement spending budget. This will drive almost everything else that you do financially in retirement. This budget should take into account your normal monthly costs plus money to cover things like travel or other activities that you plan to do in retirement.

Sources of retirement income. During this period it’s important to identify all sources of retirement income that you can tap. This might include many of the following:

Employer retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), Thrift Savings Accounts (TSP), or deferred Compensation; IRA accounts, both traditional and Roth; taxable investment accounts; real estate.

Depending upon your situation there may be additional sources of income to consider as well. It’s important to be sure that you have your arms around all potential sources of retirement income, and how much income you might generate from each of these sources. Additionally, you will want to be sure that you understand the tax implications of tapping each of these income sources.

AARP Study Says Voters Over 50 Can Be Pivotal In Upcoming Elections Across The U.S.

August 15, 2023

Candidates who support the issues most important to Americans ages 50-plus can improve their margin significantly in close 2024 races, according to a new AARP poll.

The poll, which surveyed likely voters from the 40 most competitive congressional districts, found caregiving to be a pivotal top issue for voters 50 and over. Americans 50 and over are the largest—and perhaps the most crucial—voting bloc, said AARP.

While the poll shows that voters 50-plus say candidates’ stances on Social Security and Medicare are very important factors impacting their vote next November (81 percent and 77 percent, respectively), 70 percent of these voters want candidates to support policies to help older adults live independently at home as they age.

Thirty-eight percent of voters are currently caregivers, a number that doubles when those who have been one in the past or expect to be one in the future are included. Democrats have an advantage over Republicans among voters 50-plus on caregiving (44 to 38 percent), but in a generic congressional ballot, more caregivers today vote Republican over Democrat (49 to 38 percent). Over two-thirds (67 percent) of voters 50-plus also rate the cost of prescription drugs as a very important issue, with Democrats leading by just three points (42-39 percent) on their perceived handling of this issue.

“Caregiving and the cost of prescription drugs could very likely be the most important issues of the upcoming election cycle,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer. “Candidates can’t afford to ignore the issues that matter to the 50-plus—who will likely be the decisive voting bloc in 2024—especially in an election cycle where control of Congress and the White House are both up for grabs.”

Longtime Glens Falls Doctor Opens Practice In Malta Office; Handles All Patient Care

August 15, 2023

Dr. Danushan Sooriabalan is known as Dr. Dan to many of his patients.
Courtesy Dr. Danushan Sooriabalan

By Jill nagy

Dr. Danushan Sooriabalan—known as Dr. Dan to many of his patients and a hospitalist at Glens Falls Hospital for 10 years—expects his new “direct primary care” practice in Malta to give him more time with patients and less with paperwork.

Patients will pay a fixed monthly fee, the amount depending upon their age, for unlimited access to his care.

The doctor, an internist, has been in practice since 2007. He did his internal medicine residency at Albany Medical Center, including a year as head resident. In addition to his time at Glens Falls Hospital he was part of the Hudson Headwaters practice group.

In May, he set out on his own with an office at 2452 Route 9 in Malta.

He said after his first six weeks, he had 87 patients. He aims for a maximum of 300.

Most of his new patients are from Malta, Clifton Park, Saratoga and other nearby communities. He made no attempt to bring patients from his prior practice “out of respect for my previous employers,” he said.

Operator Of 33 Subway Restaurants In The Region Plans Another Store In Queensbury

August 15, 2023

By Christine Graf

Russ Faden, a real estate developer and franchisee who operates 33 Subway restaurants, has acquired property at 1471 Route 9 in Queensbury where he will build another store in the franchise.

He purchased the two-acre property from Frank Parillo and Saratoga Prime Property for $575,000.

As part of his plans to redevelop the property, Faden will tear down an existing 3,500-square-foot building, replacing it one that measures approximately 8,500 square feet. The building will be home to a new a Subway restaurant and Faden plans to lease the remaining retail space.

He said he will also build 24 self-storage units in the rear of the property. The estimated cost for the project is $2.5 million.

At one time, Faden leased space in the building he plans to demolish.

“We had a Subway there for about seven years, and it hasn’t been open for about a year to 18 months. It always did pretty well, but it was just an outdated building,” he said.

“I think that with a new building, with better design and better parking, that it has the potential to be a great plaza. It’s going to be a whole tear down and redevelopment. We’re essentially going to push the building back a bit and have parking in the front and parking in the rear. It’s a deep lot, and the storage units will be in the very back where there’s not a lot of visibility.”

Center At Glens Falls Hospital Is Working With Schools On Farm-To-Table Projects

August 15, 2023

The Health Promotion Center at Glens Falls Hospital and area school districts are trying to increase their farm-to-school efforts and agricultural learning in the classroom.

Local school districts have partnered with the center. The goal is to further promote health and wellness for district students, faculty, staff, and community.

Officials said the districts benefit from the support of Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC), a state Department of Health grant secured by Glens Falls Hospital. The CHSC initiative strives to increase physical activity and access to healthy foods in our communities and schools, whether this be through school districts, early childcare centers, work sites, or community settings.

The Health Promotion Center of Glens Falls Hospital works to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities in the region. Its work focuses on strategies to make it easier for people to eat well, be tobacco-free, be physically active, and obtain preventative care.

This work is currently supported through numerous grant-funded initiatives housed within the Health Promotion Center, including Creating Healthy Schools and Communities, Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free NY, and Cancer Prevention in Action programs.

Schools in Warren and Washington counties have gravitated toward indoor growing systems, which can be incorporated into the classroom and school year schedule. Classrooms from preschool to grade 12—including science, home and careers, and special education classes—have integrated gardens, allowing teachers to utilize them for several topic areas and lessons.

Presently Granville, Whitehall, Johnsburg, and North Warren school districts have indoor growing capacity. Classrooms are growing produce such as microgreens, parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes, chili peppers, and arugula. Officials said they have provided their harvests to the school cafeteria to be used in their schools’ meal programs, classroom taste testing, and meals cooked by the Family and Consumer Science class.

Business Briefs: August 2023

August 15, 2023

The Glens Falls Business Improvement District (BID) has contracted with Victoria Beagle, employee of the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition, Inc., to conduct a census of the businesses located within the Business Improvement District in Glens Falls, a requirement of their bylaws.

Assistance from the businesses within the BID will be greatly appreciated, officials said. The census has an anticipated start date of Aug. 14 and will last until it is completed, which is expected to take approximately one week.

People with questions regarding the census or the Glens Falls BID in general can contact Victoria Beagle, at vbeagle@coolinsuringarena.com or 518-480-3355.

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The historic Parks-Bentley Place in South Glens Falls will host a free, family program titled “Games that Grandma and Grandpa Played” at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at 53 Ferry Boulevard in South Glens Falls.

The event centers around the games that were family favorites in days gone by when there were no electronics and few places to go for entertainment, including dominoes, hopscotch, checkers, and cards.

Parks-Bentley Place is also open to the public for house tours from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the summer. Currently on display is an exhibition of military uniforms and gear from the Civil War through the conflict in Afghanistan.

The historic home is one of the three oldest buildings in South Glens Falls, but is the only one open to the public. For details regarding Parks-Bentley Place, visit parksbentleyplace.org.

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