BY JILL NAGY
A proposed development on 200 acres in
Luther Forest– if approved by the Stillwater
Town Board–could result in of 40 “rural
residences” and commercial space designed to
meet the needs of GlobalFoundries.
It would include single-family homes on
lots ranging in size from three-quarters of
an acre to 12 acres, and some commercial
development.
The project is being proposed by the Luther/
Mackay family, which owns the land. The fifth
generation of the Luther/Mackay family, four
siblings and a cousin, took over the reins of
the Luther Forest Corp. when Alec Mackay
(father of the siblings) retired and moved to
New Hampshire last July.
According to Marissa Mackay who, with her
brother Cailean is responsible for the day-today
management of the company, the development
would help grow the business community
around the Global Foundries manufacturing
plant. It may include an extended-stay hotel
and will probably have office and warehouse
space but probably no retail tenants.
Cailean Mackay, who holds the title of
executive vice president, is spearheading the
new residential and commercial development,
Marissa said.
Plans are to subdivide the residential portion
of the development–about half the land
involved–and sell it to a developer to build
and sell the homes, she said. The family will
develop the commercial section themselves
and look for long-term tenants.
Luther Forest began five generations ago, in
1898, when Tommy Luther began accumulating
land for a 7,000-acre timber farm. About
half of the land remains in forest and Mackay
foresees developing another 1,000 acres or so
in the future, leaving 2,500 acres as a managed
forest and tree farm.
Alec Mackay and his father, Bill Mackay, began
developing Luther Forest with several residential
subdivisions. Bill Mackay also founded
Saratoga Water Services Inc. to supply water
to the new homes. GlobalFoundries came into
the picture about 10 years ago and purchased
about half of the property.
Currently, the family's businesses also include
the Saratoga Lake Golf Club, managed
by Cailean, and Saratoga Water Services, Inc.,
managed by Marissa, as well as a logging
operation.
The family plans to expand the golf club,
adding a banquet facility, restaurant, bar, and
locker rooms.
"I wanted to dive into another part of the
business," Cailean said. He sees a need for
more wedding and banquet space in Saratoga
County.
The project, a Planned Development District,
is on the Town Board's late February
agenda. Although Luther Forest is in both
Stillwater and Malta, the proposed development
is entirely in Stillwater.