Category Archives: Business News

Michael and Margaret Roohan, owners of Granite & Marble Works in Wilton, have donated to Skidmore a land tract of 189 acres in Greenfield.

The land is adjacent to land tracts of 200 acres donated by the couple in 2010, and nearly 120 neighboring acres donated in 2014. All parcels are undeveloped woodland in Greenfield, located near Skidmore College’s North Woods property that lies behind the College’s Van Lennep Riding Center.

“We feel strongly about supporting Skidmore College. Its people and programs add so much to the quality of life in Saratoga Springs, and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to give back to the college,” said Michael Roohan.

The Roohans said they feel Skidmore’s creative, multidisciplinary approach to using this land for teaching, research, and recreation assures the most valuable use for the greatest number of participants and assures the education of future generations in the care of natural surroundings.

The 2017 Saratoga Showcase of Homes Committee announced its line-up of 14 builders participating in the annual new home tour event.

Celebrating 22 years of exceptional homes, the event will take place on the weekends of Sept. 16-17, Sept. 23-24 and Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

The final lineup of builders in this year’s event are:  Abele Builders, Bella Home Builders, Belmonte Builders, Bonacio Construction, Herbinger Homes, Heritage Custom Builders, La Femme Home Builders, Marini Homes, McPadden Builders, Pigliavento Builders, R.J. Taylor Builders, Saratoga Builders, Whitbeck Construction and Witt Construction.

There will be a total of 18 new home locations on display in Saratoga County. Tickets to visit all these home are $20.

Early-bird tickets are available online and anyone purchasing tickets by Sept. 1 will automatically be entered in a special drawing for a one-night stay at the Saratoga Casino Hotel, dinner for two at Morton’s Steakhouse ($200 gift certificate) and $100 spending cash.

by Liz Witbeck

Those who want to move to Clifton Park could soon have more housing opportunities to choose from.

Atrium Properties is currently designing  new housing, the Clifton Park Center Road apartments, located on its namesake street.

The project consists of four buildings total, containing 39 units, the company said. Condominiums vary between one, two and three bedrooms. It will be on a four-acre parcel of land on Clifton Park Center Road.

The housing will be adjacent to the YMCA and Hannaford Plaza and within walking distance to the Clifton Park Center.

Murray Law Firm, based in Clifton Park, is helping with the design of the property. The firm specializes in real estate transactions, land use, and general business law. The firm consists of Peter Murray and Jacqueline Phillips Murray.

Phillips Murray said Clifton Park Center Road Apartments will help build a residential area that Clifton Park needs.

“There was a town center plan that was adopted four years ago to promote mixed-use properties and make a true town center for Clifton Park,” she said.

It is a true suburban town, without much of a town center, said Phillips Murray. It is her hope that the new constructions within the town will create a new downtown culture.

By Maureen Werther

Maxwell Property Management has donated $5,000 to Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) and Code Blue.

Maxwell Herrick, owner of Maxwell Property Management, and his office administrator, Cherrie Van Derburg, decided to do something to give back to the community as part of Maxwell’s year-long 25th anniversary celebration.

The previous fall, they committed to donating 10 percent of all new broker’s commissions.

The company provides consulting services and works with owners and their attorneys to convert properties into valuable investments for clients. Maxwell Property also manages multi-unit properties and turns “distressed” units into attractive rentals. They average about 300 leases per year.

“We act as the firewall between the landlord and the tenant,” said Herrick, adding that he represents landlord’s interests and manages properties “the way I would my own.”

“We’re all about housing. What better way to show our support of the community than to give back to an organization like SOS? This is our clear support of the Code Blue project and its future,” he said.

Herrick said the money will go directly to help the Code Blue program, which provides shelter to the homeless when temperatures drop to freezing.

The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, the county’s designated economic development agency, announced in June a step forward in advancing its innovative Next Wave Center project.

That step is the formation of an advisory council made up of national and regional technology and business executives to guide the center’s development, launch and operation.

Officials said the Next Wave Center is a physical location that would house companies in the semiconductor supply chain, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology and clean energy industries. In addition, it would provide education and technical training, a range of business support services, and include a co-working space to serve companies in a wide variety of complementary and collaborative businesses.

The Next Wave Advisory Council will be chaired by Dr. Gary Patton, chief technology officer and senior vice president, worldwide research and development for GlobalFoundries.

The council will provide invaluable guidance and counsel to the Saratoga Partnership and community leaders on the feasibility of the Next Wave Center and other economic development opportunities, officials said. The council will offer input on issues ranging from the scope and level of tenant and program development to leveraging the investment made by GlobalFoundries and New York state in the semiconductor industry to attract additional jobs and companies to Saratoga County.

“GlobalFoundries will provide industry leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing to help direct this project and continue to build the ecosystem of supply chain companies that are vital to high-tech growth in the region and state,” said Patton.

“We are thrilled to advance the Next Wave Center through the expertise and guidance of world-class business and technology executives who are committed to expanding economic and workforce development opportunities in Saratoga County and beyond,” said Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership President Marty Vanags. “Under the leadership of Dr. Gary Patton, we look forward to developing a premier space to serve emerging technology companies, and to provide critical training and services that prepare individuals and businesses to grow and prosper.”

The Next Wave Center was identified as a key initiative in the Saratoga Partnership’s Saratoga Strategy. It would provide short-term flex space as a landing pad for companies working with GlobalFoundries, while also serving as a launch pad for those firms to grow their business relationships in the region.

SPARK Saratoga, an entrepreneur incubator and early stage company accelerator developed by Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), announced its first Summer Speaker Series for entrepreneurs ready to grow their businesses.

The series features established professionals who have sold their company to Time Inc., led Microsoft new product rollouts, called shots on brand and marketing for Fortune 500 companies, wrote checks as investors and much more.

Invitations to the series are reserved for SPARK Saratoga’s admitted business project teams, representing 17 Capital Region businesses to date and SEDC member investors. New project teams having undergone SPARK Saratoga market opportunity analysis and having accepted mutually agreed action plans supporting their development will also receive invitations.

Interested entrepreneurs can visit www.SparkSaratoga.com to initiate review of their idea or existing early stage business status.

“When we announced our aggressive five-year growth plan to Advance Saratoga jobs and investment, a key element was boosting local entrepreneurs capacity to grow here,” said Dennis Brobston, president of SEDC. “With the help of area talent on our Advisory Team, we framed its objectives and rolled out SPARK Saratoga in April.

“With this series of workshops, we are now implementing a critical element to help our project teams develop by aligning them with talented professionals motivated to support our community and its next generation of innovators. That’s a value to families looking to keep young people here, second and third career skilled workers and retirees ready to get into business for themselves, and to our current investors competing to build on their legacy for more future success.”