By Jill Nagy
Pinnacle Human Resources last month moved into new offices in Albany.
They now occupy the fourth floor of a co-working space at 418 Broadway called the Beahive. The new space reflects some of the requirements of operating in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The space is divided into two offices and an executive suite and has space that can be isolated by rolling dividers to create a training area.
Pinnacle serves companies in Saratoga and Warren counties. In all, the company has 23 employees, 20 of whom are HR professionals.
“We need space that is fluid and flexible,” said Rose Miller, company president. The desks are spaced 10 feet apart and each one is supplied with hand sanitizer and its own telephone.
“I don’t need an office that houses 23 people,” she said. Most of the work is done at clients’ sites and six desks in Albany are sufficient. A training area is something Miller has wanted for a long time and for the first time, she was able to create it.
Saratoga National Bank Opens New Office In Latham, The 12th Branch For The Company
Saratoga National Bank is expanding again with a new 3,000-square-foot office for business development and a new branch in Latham.
David DeMarco, bank CEO and president, said the bank is leasing an office at 11 Century Hill Drive as its Capital Region business development office.
The new space is bringing eight of its employees that had been working out of various branches together.
The centralization comes as the bank’s newest branch opens at 545 Troy Schenectady Road in the space formerly occupied by Panda Express. The branch is 2,200 square feet with a full lobby and five offices. It will be the 12th branch for the company.
DeMarco said the decision came along months before the COVID-19 pandemic forced Saratoga National’s employees to work remotely for months.
Patricia Netoskie was named as vice president and branch manager for its new Latham branch opening soon at 545 Troy Schenectady Road.
Netoskie will oversee operations and develop banking relationships for the new Latham office. She brings many years of previous financial services experience to Saratoga National, most recently in banking, and previously in the insurance and human resources industries.
Developers Working On Expansion Of Sitwell Plaza in Malta; New Are Tenants On The Way
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Local developer and engineer Scott Lansing is partnering with the Jersen Construction Group of Waterford on an expansion of Sitwell Plaza, a mixed-use property off Route 9 in Malta.
Sitwell Plaza is comprised of three buildings. Two are built and occupied by tenants. The expansion involves building a third—a 12,000-square-foot structure that is under construction.
Lansing, founder of Lansing Engineering in Malta, said he has a “great working relationship” with Dave and Ken Jersen. “We’ve been working together about 10 years or so now on other properties. They were and are integral to this project,” he said.
Company Providing Renewable Energy Services Worldwide Has Local Office, Staff
By Christine Graf
Since opening its U.S. headquarters in downtown Saratoga Springs in 2009, Natural Power has been providing renewable energy consulting services to customers throughout the country.
The Scotland-based company has worked on projects in 42 countries.
According to Jim Adams, president of North America operations, Natural Power works on large-scale utility generating systems and focuses primarily on wind and solar projects. They have engineers, atmospheric scientists, ecologists, and biologists on staff.
The company specializes in risk assessment of renewable energy projects. Their client base includes large banks and private equity firms. For these clients, Natural Power functions as what Adams describes as independent engineers.
Veteran Homebuilder, Noted Horse Owner, Building Homes In Oak Ridge Development
By Susan Elise Campbell
The second phase of Oak Ridge, a luxury housing development nestled between Saratoga Lake and Saratoga Race Course, will be constructed by Beechwood Homes under the leadership of founder Mike Dubb and his son and partner, Steven Dubb.
The project will add 53 homes with prices ranging from $850,000 to $2 million-plus. After 35 years building thousands of single-family homes downstate, this is Beechwood’s first project in the Saratoga area.
The subdivision’s original developer was J. Snyder Builders, who approached Dubb about continuing the project Jeff Snyder had started with 40 homes.
County To Sell Downtown Saratoga Property, Offering It To City First Before Developers
By Christine Graf
Saratoga County will vacate its offices at 31 Woodlawn Ave. in Saratoga Springs by mid-August and put a well-placed piece of downtown real estate up for sale and potential development.
The county has occupied the two-story brick building since the 1970s. It was most recently home to public safety, public health, emergency service and probation offices.
Those offices have relocated to the Public Safety Building in Milton, a 63,000-square-foot structure that was constructed to house the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department and the Saratoga County 911 Communications Center.
According to Saratoga County Supervisor Matthew Veitch, the county’s Building and Grounds committee met on July 14 to discuss the Woodlawn Avenue property. The building sits on 0.5 acres of prime real estate in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Business Report: Downsizing Your Home For Retirement
By Jenna Burger
You and your spouse got married, bought a home, and raised three beautiful children. You’ve lived and loved your home for 30 years, but the kids have moved out and started their own families.
Now you’re living in the 2,500 square foot home, half of which you don’t use other than the five times a year when “the kids” come to visit. The question arises, why do we have all this space when most of it rarely gets used? Does it make sense to downsize? What opportunities can come about if we let this large home go? What are the pros and cons of downsizing as we are planning on retirement?
There is a lot to consider with downsizing. Whether a house, townhome, or apartment, moving to a smaller space can have its challenges, but if planned well, the next chapter of your life can bring less maintenance and more fun. When relocating to a space that is a fraction of the size, there is a great likelihood that you’ll need to reduce the amount of furniture and decor that has been collected over the years.
‘Smooth Transitions’ Helps Seniors Downsize Homes On The Way To New Living Situations
By Susan Elise Campbell
When time comes for a senior citizen to downsize or enter assisted living, the physical and emotional aspects are more taxing than for someone who had fewer memories connected to their home.
Regardless of age or time spent at their address, many people desire a smooth transition between their current residence and the next place they’ll call home. That is what Barbara Morris set out to provide when she started Smooth Transitions locally in 1998, now a national company with 44 offices.
Keith Reed is president of one—the New York licensee of the company Morris originally incorporated as Moving for Seniors. He said the name was changed to reflect both the broader demographic served and the types of assistance the company has evolved to provide.
Like the company’s founder, Reed said, “My philosophy, too, is to help folks out. With five counties in the Capital District, there are enough people to help around the area.”
His area includes Saratoga and Warren counties and he can also provide service in Washington County if situations arise.
Officials Say Senior Population Is Becoming Vibrant Part Of The Business Community
By Susan Elise Campbell
As the 50-plus population continues to rise, communities are experiencing seniors as a vibrant demographic.
This is not a generation for rocking chairs and knitting needles. Today’s retirees are contributing to the economy in unexpected ways, not only rejoining the work force but also traveling extensively and giving generously to charity, officials say. a
In Saratoga County the senior population is one of the fastest growing in the state, according to Lois Celeste, executive director of the Saratoga Senior Center. There are more than 55,000 in this age group who are primarily mortgage-free homeowners with access to assets and credit.
“I am amazed at the number of companies knocking on our door to approach the center and our seniors,” said Celeste. “Businesses are popping up everywhere to serve the senior market. They come from diverse industries like health care, transportation, tourism, financial services, automotive, housing, law, and many others that the older population touches.”
Business Report: 2020 Will Not Be Forgotten
By david kopyc
In January of this year, I wrote an article about what I anticipated for the stock market in the year 2020. In that article, I mentioned a Black Swan Event and little did I know that it would come to fruition.
The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on investors, employers, employees, deficit spending and the possibility our lives may have changed forever. Words such as social distancing, masks, freedom, travel, congregations, concerts, etc., have all taken on a new meaning to all of us. We will all look back at this event in our lives with different thoughts, opinions, and memories, whether they be good or bad.
As I write this article, the NASDAQ has just hit an all time high, and the Dow and S&P 500 are a few points shy of reaching their all time high. I bring this up because so many individuals went to cash when the pandemic came roaring into our lives and the doom and gloom that was predicted has not come to Wall Street that so many of the Monday Morning Quarterbacks said would happen.