Month: November 2020

By Christine Graf
Construction on Mohawk Chevrolet’s 65,000-square-foot facility in Malta is projected to be completed in June, according to company officials.
BBL Construction of Albany was hired to build the new dealership, which will replace Mohawk Chevrolet’s Clifton Park location.
Mohawk Auto, the owner of Mohawk Honda in Glenville as well as the local Mohawk Chevrolet, purchased the Clifton Park dealership from Northstar Chevrolet in November 2019.
The new Mohawk Chevrolet will be located on Route 67, just off of Northway Exit 12. The property was purchased several years ago by Mohawk Auto president and third generation owner Jeff Haraden. It was originally slated to become home to the 80,000-square-foot Adirondack Aquatic Center. Ultimately, Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady was selected as the location for the $35 million aquatic center.
Mohawk Auto general manager Andrew Guelcher described the aquatic center’s decision to move to Schenectady as serendipitous. When Mohawk purchased Northstar Chevrolet, it was with the intention of relocating it to Malta.

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) announced that Katie Newcombe was named its new chief economic development officer.
She comes to CEG with more than a decade of experience in economic development, spanning multiple states and public, private and nonprofit sectors. Since 2014, Newcombe has led economic development for National Grid in the Capital Region.
“Katie’s depth and breadth of economic development experience makes her an ideal fit for this newly created position. She will lead CEG’s business attraction and expansions activities, direct and implement strategies for innovation, entrepreneurship, business growth, workforce and talent,” said Mark Eagan, CEG president and CEO. “Katie has a strong history of collaborating with stakeholders to move high-impact projects forward and we are excited to welcome her to our organization.”

By Jennifer Farnsworth
The Bread Basket Bakery is under new ownership as of July.
As Bread Basket Bakery founder Joan Tallman enters retirement, Ed and Lisa Mitzen, the bakery’s new owners, purchased the business and pledged to keep the bakery a Saratoga mainstay the same, according to marketing director Pascal Salvatore.
The Mitzens own Fingerpaint, a prosperous marketing company in Saratoga Springs.
Salvatore said the building has undergone some minor updates and renovations, but “everything is still the same on the menu. Everything is still the way Joan made it.”
Updates to the bakery included new floors, coolers, updated display cases and fresh paint.
“We removed some drywall and found some amazing windows that we were able to uncover. It’s a building from 1933 and we want to really preserve that historic feel,” said Salvatore.
Tallman’s son, Matt, remains as the bakery’s general manager.

The Village of Ballston Spa and the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, a Saratoga County-based economic development organization, unveiled in October a comprehensive and customized economic development plan designed to promote future growth and drive long-term prosperity in the village.
Prosperity Partnership said the effort was guided by input from hundreds of citizens and community, business and government leaders. The blueprint outlines a strategic and tactical approach to attracting visitors, residents and businesses to Ballston Spa by enriching and promoting the assets, resources and character of the village.
It is a product of the Saratoga Partnership’s Next Wave Communities initiative.
“The plan heralds a new beginning for the Village of Ballston Spa and makes it abundantly clear that we are open for business,” said Ballston Spa Mayor Larry Woolbright. “I’m particularly proud that our village is proactively taking this important step forward, undaunted by the impact of COVID-19 on the state and national economies.”

The Saratoga Builders Association presented checks totaling $10,000 to two area charities, the result of money raised from this year’s Showcase of Homes event.
Funds went to Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties.
This year, the live 2020 Saratoga Showcase of Homes tour, where people buy tickets and physically visit the homes, was cancelled due to health and safety concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s edition of the Saratoga Showcase of Homes was a “re-imagined” event in the form of a one-hour TV show special hosted by CBS-6 News Anchor Liz Bishop.

The Saratoga County Capital Resources Corp. has donated $10,000 to the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Save Our Locals campaign.
The funds will be used to create a help line for use by businesses in Saratoga County during the pandemic, as well as to create boosted social media posts and videos to promote hundreds of local independently owned businesses, officials said.
The Save Our Locals campaign will also include a new take out promotion to support area restaurants and an online gift card promotion to support local shops, stores, salons and spas, florists and home goods, wineries, breweries, hotels and any other Saratoga County business that sells gift cards online.
“The Capital Resources Corp.’s board of directors voted unanimously to support this Save Our Locals campaign,” said Anita Daly, corporation chair. “We all realize just how important it is to help our local independently owned firms across all of Saratoga County as they face restrictions and limitations to stop the spread of COVID-19.