By Susan Elise Campbell

Adirondack Diamond Point Lodge in Lake George is expanding with the acquisition of Forest Hill Lodge & Cabins, two adjacent acres that will help meet the demand of vacationers who seek the rustic, off-lake experience the Lodge provides, according to owner Todd Drake.

The Drake family purchased the Lodge at 3629 Lake Shore Drive in April 2021 and added Cramer’s Point Motel at 3382 Lake Shore Drive  to their holdings in February, he said. 

The latest purchase adds “a mix of apartments and short-term rentals” to their offerings. The deal closed at $990,000.

“We overpaid for it, but didn’t want it sold to someone else,” said Drake. “Some people who had rented at Forest Hills already thought it was ours and showed up on our doorstep. It made sense to buy it.”

Drake’s construction company, CornerStone Building Corp. in Watervliet, has begun “interior upgrades and redecorations” and “the FF&E is up to speed” on the rustic Adirondack style décor and finishes. 

SUNY Adirondack now has unveiled its newly upgraded dining hall that includes traditional and bar-height seating, study pods and spaces for groups and individuals to work in privacy. 

“Working with a local vendor, we were able to provide a modern, welcoming environment,” said Tom Kent, executive director of SUNY Adirondack’s Faculty-Student Association. “We have already received many compliments from students and staff.” 

The project was spearheaded by interior designer Amanda Blaise of Girvin Office in Greenfield Center, whose designs were distributed by Charlie’s Office Furniture, a Queensbury-based company. 

Blaise’s designs coming to fruition is the culmination of a long process delayed by the pandemic. According to Kent, the college’s partnership with Chartwells was renewed in 2019. Part of that continued relationship included a renovation to the serving area. Then COVID-19 hit and delayed the rest of the plans, which included upgrades to Einstein’s Bagel Cafe in Scoville Hall, as well as the food court area. 

By R.J. DeLuke

Plans for the building at South and Elm streets in Glens Falls that will be home to the Farmers’ Market and other community events have changed over time.

So have the costs that started a few years ago at about $2.8 million and are now upward of $4 million.

But plans are moving forward toward a building that its designers say will be a unique, cherished downtown center. Devon Telberg of Envision Architects and Peter Loyola, principal of CLA Site Landscape Architecture, Engineering & Planning outlined the latest plan to the City Planning Board on Oct. 4.

“We tried to listen to all the stakeholders,” said Telberg. “We want this to be something unique an special for your community.”

The building is at the center of the downtown redevelopment plan that earned a $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant in 2016 for the land on South Street, west of the intersection with Elm Street where the former OTB building stood at 51-57 South St.

By Paul Post

A $3 million upgrade is slated for Fort William Henry Hotel’s oldest building, allowing the resort to host both more and larger weddings and events throughout the year.

The hotel website says Towers Hall, also known as the Carriage House, was built for use as an early 20th century automobile garage on the property’s southwest corner overlooking Lake George.

The structure is used for events such as Americade, Adirondack Nationals Car Show, Lake George Music Festival, theater productions and meetings for various groups. But increased demand for large weddings has prompted hotel officials to move forward with a project that  has been under consideration for several years.

“We actually started working with (Albany-based) BBL Construction in 2015,” said Kathy Muncil, resort chief executive officer. “We had most of the plans done and then the pandemic hit. In a perfect world, we’ll start construction by the end of October and open by May 1. We’re working as hard as we can to accomplish that.

Seven businesses took home awards at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce 2022 Business of the Year awards breakfast on Oct. 6  at Dunham’s Bay Resort, Lake George.

 The annual event honors chamber members who are nominated by their peers and interviewed by the Business Awards Nomination Committee to determine the winners.

Winners were awarded in seven categories. They were: Large Business, StoredTech; Steven M. Sutton Small Business, KIRSH Helmets; Large Nonprofit Organization,  Community, Work & Independence, Inc. (CWI); Small Nonprofit Organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.

Professional Business, Mannix Marketing; Rookie Business, The Eden Center of Integrative Care; Community Champion, Amie & Juan Gonzales of Hunt Companies, Inc.

“There was a true sense of community at the ARCC Business Awards this year,” said ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers. “Everyone was so excited to be there, and to celebrate each other. The energy was positive, and it was amazing to see so many people come out to show their support.”

Over 36 businesses were nominated in seven categories. The winners, in their respective categories, were:

Special Olympics New York will hold the 2022 State Fall Games  in and around Glens Falls on Oct. 21 and 22. 

Organizers said the games will bring 1,300 athletes and coaches to the Capital Region—nearly three times as many participants as last year’s event.

The games will kick off with a signature Special Olympics New York Opening Ceremony on  Friday night, Oct. 21, in City Park. Competition will take place all day Saturday, Oct. 22, in seven sports: bocce, cross-country running, cycling, golf, equestrian, soccer and softball.

Special Olympics New York President and CEO Stacey Hengsterman and Glens Fall Mayor Bill Collins last month put out a call for volunteers to support the games. The jobs include  event setup and breakdown, registration, scorekeepers, timers, photographers, golf caddies, and more. No experience is necessary.

Volunteer registration can be completed online at www.specialolympics-ny.org/competition/volunteeratfallgames.

The Board of Directors of the Lake George Association (LGA) has elected Pete Menzies as chairman.

Menzies, who chaired the LGA prior to its 2021 merger with The FUND for Lake George, succeeds Jeff Killeen as chairman. Killeen, who previously chaired The FUND and served as transitional chairman during the first 20 months following the merger, was elected vice chairman.

Menzies will work with LGA President Eric Siy and staff to execute the organization’s multi-faceted Lake-protection strategy, which includes providing technical and financial assistance to property owners for lake-protection projects; world-class water quality research and direct protection programs through The Jefferson Project, the Lake George Waterkeeper, and an array of public-private partnerships; public education programs; and public policy advocacy, all with the goal of protecting the lake’s water quality today and for the future.

Of particular importance to the strategy at this time are the LGA’s Lake Protector Program, which educates, inspires and empowers property owners across the Lake George watershed to take direct actions on their properties to protect water quality; and the Education for Boating classroom and other programs to educate area school children, property owners, and other members of the public about water quality protection.

Killeen will focus on working with LGA donors and partners to build and sustain the philanthropic support necessary to ensure maximum programmatic success.