Saratoga Hospital and Adirondack Trust Co. are teaming up to help businesses resume operations safely.
With support from Adirondack Trust, the hospital has launched the COVID-19 Business Safety Consultation Program to help area employers review their safety plans and fine-tune practices on screening, masking, social distancing, contactless interactions, disinfectant use and other measures that can help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
“We want to see our region reopen safely—to help keep our community healthy and get people and businesses back to work,” said Charles V. Wait Jr., president & CEO of Adirondack Trust. “This is uncharted territory, so most businesses could use some help. Saratoga Hospital has had great success managing these issues since the start of the pandemic. They’re the logical partner for this effort.”
The free consultation, provided by Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Occupational Medicine, includes:
• An on-site visit to assess issues, including work flow, staff-to-staff and customer-to -staff interactions, meeting space, distance between desks or stations, break rooms, rest rooms and other key spaces.
• Recommendations on employee and customer screenings for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure.
• Masking best practices.
• Cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
• Review of the New York Forward industry-specific guidelines for reopening.
• Help completing the state-required COVID-19 safety plan, which must be available on-site for state officials to review upon request.
Business Report: Everyone Is Their Own Movie
By April P. Weygand
Are you welcoming people into your business for the first time in a while and need some help navigating New York state rules on how to do that?
New York state is tough, and they want us to be prepared. There are some common-sense rules: wash hands, use hand sanitizer, wear masks, use tissues, and clean and disinfect surfaces.
The words cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, electrostatic spraying, and fogging are being thrown around a lot lately. However, they are not the same and should not be used interchangeably. “Cleaning” is the act of removing soils and germs from a surface. It doesn’t usually kill anything, but it does remove them by washing them away.
“Sanitizing” means reducing the number of bacteria by 99.9 percent to a level considered safe by public health organizations. Many over-the counter products sanitize in less than 30 seconds. It’s important to note here that Sanitizing kills bacteria, but it does not kill viruses. That’s where Disinfection is necessary.
Common Roots Brewing Co., At The End Of A Challenging Road, Is Ready For The Future
Courtesy V&H Construction
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Common Roots Brewing Co. is open at its new, expanded facility at 58 Saratoga Ave. in South Glens Falls.
The 15,000-square-foot facility is on the site of the company’s original brew house that was gutted by fire in March 2019. It is open seven days a week from noon to 8 p.m. for to-go sales only from the new taproom.
It will open with beer-to-go service and outdoor on-premise seating, as allowed by guidelines imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A gastro pub-style menu will be rolled out with food to go.
Phinney Design Group in Saratoga Springs designed the structure. V&H Construction of Fort Edward built it.
Christian Weber founded the company with his father, Burt Weber, in 2014.
“We understand it’s a destination spot for a lot of people,” said Weber. “The experience of coming to Common Roots has always been really important to us. Right now, the only thing more important than the experienced and the culture, is safety. Safety is our number-one priority so our staff and customers have a safe and comfortable experience.”
Plug Power Acquires Pennsylvania Company
Plug Power, which has an office in Clifton Park, has acquired United Hydrogen Group and Giner ELX, prompting the Latham fuel cell maker to increase 2024 revenue projections from $1 billion to $1.2 billion.
The company announced in June that it completed the acquisition of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts companies.
The moves are part of chief executive Andy Marsh’s strategy to position the upstate New York company to generate at least half of the hydrogen its customers use from renewable energy sources by 2024.
“As a team, we can accelerate the adoption of low carbon and zero carbon hydrogen on a global scale,” Marsh said in a news release.
United Hydrogen Group Inc. is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pa., and operates a plant in Tennessee that is capable of producing 6.4 tons of liquid hydrogen per day with plans to expand to 10 tons soon.
Cookies & Cream On East High St. In Malta Offers Ice Cream, Milk Shakes And More
©2020 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
A new ice cream parlor has opened up in Malta, adjacent to Finishing Touches Home Décor at 450 East High St. in Malta.
Doug Dockendorf developed the idea with Finishing Touches founder Shelly Walker.
“I had the idea of developing a shop with another retail space attached to it. I own part of Finishing Touches as well. Shelley Walker (owner of Finishing Touches Home Decor) and I own the property together, so we developed the idea that we would put two shops together on the same space,” said Dockendorf.
“We found a great old historic building. It used to be the old Town Hall. I redesigned the small section in the back of the property to make it what it is now,” said Dockendorf.
The ice cream parlor is located around the back of the property, near the patio. Customers can walk next to the adjacent park while eating their ice cream.
Many Saratoga Springs Business Owners Confident City Can Rebounded From Crises
By Rachel Phillips
Slowly but surely, New York is beginning to emerge from the months-long shutdown that resulted from the outbreak of COVID-19.
In Saratoga Springs, in particular, the lack of tourists and probable dearth of fans in the city for the Saratoga Race Course this summer pose yet another hurdle to overcome for small businesses. However, business owners and organizations are hopeful that people and entrepreneurs can work together to keep the area thriving.
79th Season Of Harness Racing Resumes At Saratoga Casino Hotel, But Without Fans
Courtesy Saratoga Casino Hotel
Harness racing resumed on Thursday, June 18, at Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs, but no spectators are allowed at the track due to state guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans can wager remotely on the races through Saratoga Casino Hotel’s online wagering platform, SaratogaBets.com, or on any other New York State approved online waging platform.
The casino remains closed and is awaiting further guidance from the state regarding a reopen date for the entire property.
Following the directive outlined by the state Gaming Commission and the state Department of Health, Saratoga Casino Hotel developed new policies and procedures to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak and ensure the safety of employees, horsemen, and horses, officials said.
Family Vision Center In Saratoga Springs Marks Its 100th Anniversary Of Operation
©2020 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jill Nagy
Family Vision Care Center at 205 Lake Ave. in Saratoga Springs is celebrating its 100th anniversary,doing so with monthly events for the rest of the year.
Plans changed, both for the celebration and for the business itself, with the advent of the coronavirus lockdown. But the center is reopening and will continue marking the anniversary.
The business in March was restricted to emergency care only and the staff worked at home or not at all. April, usually the center’s business month, saw essentially no business at all, the owners said. The celebration went online, with monthly raffles and a “throwback” video every Thursday recounting some of the business’s history.
‘550 Waterfront’ On Saratoga Lake Ready To Open, Replacing Fire Ravaged ‘Lake Local’
©2020 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Susan E. Campbell
A new restaurant on Saratoga Lake, dubbed 550 Waterfront, is slated to open soon at the site of the former Lake Local.
The restaurant was about three years in the making.
Managing partner John Boyle said he expects to receive a certificate of occupancy soon. Upon opening, the restaurant will serve clients curbside, boatside and at its expansive outdoor spaces.
Lake Local was lost to a fire a few years ago. As Boyle and his partners discussed how to rebuild the “clear vision was to have similar cuisine and keep the same vibe as a family oriented restaurant,” he said.
The once intimate, approximately 1,000-square-foot structure was rebuilt and now encompasses 7,000 square feet. It sits at the northern tip of Saratoga Lake and has “one of the most beautiful views in Upstate New York,” according to Boyle. “550 Waterfront is the only place where you can see from one end of the lake to the other. There is sun on the patio from sunrise to sunset.”
Inn At Saratoga Serves Outdoor Patio Meals, Awaits Bringing Customers Indoors
Courtesy Inn at Saratoga
By Jennifer Farnsworth
The Inn at Saratoga, at 231 Broadway in Saratoga Springs is ready to re-open.
The business was also able to open its outdoor dining area in early June. It is also accepting reservations.
“It has just been so great to have people back,” said owner Elizabeth Israel. “We have missed the feeling of seeing people be able to enjoy themselves. Having people on the patio or on the front porch has just felt great.”
Israel said her staff has been hard at work developing a plan that will ensure guests are in a safe environment.