Saratoga Business Journal

Personnel Briefs

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Mannix Marketing has added John Volza and Dawn Neville to its digital marketing team.

Volza has a wide-ranging small business background. At Mannix, he will be working with local and national business clients who are looking to increase their business through digital marketing and search engine optimization.

Originally from Utica, Volza graduated with a B.A. in English and gender studies from Skidmore College and resides in Saratoga Springs. He previously worked as a radio disc jockey, manager of a local coffee roasting factory and small commercial insurance underwriter, where he worked directly with small business owners.

Paws4Obedience Training School For Dogs Moves Into New South Glens Falls Building

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Brianna Rabine, left, and Lora Bacharach, pose with family and canine friends at Paws4Obedience, a dog obedience training school they operate in South Glens Falls.
Courtesy Pause4Obedience

By Jill Nagy

Two Glens Falls women parlayed their love for canines into a thriving dog obedience training school in South Glens Falls.

In August, Paws4Obedience moved into new, larger quarters to accommodate a growing clientele.

The new facility, at 1638 Route 9, across the street from the former facility, was opened with an all-day celebration that collected several crates of food, toys, and other accessories for shelter dogs It also raised more than $500 for the shelters and for Woofs for Warriors, a Glens Falls organization that helps veterans acquire service dogs and facilitated the adoption of several rescue dogs.

The two women, Lora Bacharach and Brianna Rabine, opened the business in December. They offer a series of obedience training classes and specialized programs such as therapy dog preparation, off-leash obedience training and competitive sports.

Leadership Saratoga’s 32nd Class Underway

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Leadership Saratoga, a program of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, announced its 32nd class of participants.

The Leadership Saratoga program selects up to 24 people each year to participate in an intensive nine month training program designed to teach them skills for stronger leadership, group dynamics, and issues facing Saratoga County and area nonprofits. After completion of the program participants are expected to volunteer as leaders in their communities within Saratoga County.

The group held its opening retreat in September at Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake.

Health Education Is The Focus Of Local Summit

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

In a push to strengthen healthcare education enrollment, Stat Staff Professionals Inc. and the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring the first Healthcare Education Summit in Saratoga Springs on Oct. 19.

The event is being held in the Peerless Room of the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is open to the public.

The event grew out of Stat Staff’s education initiative to assist not only its own caregivers, but to enable all prospective nursing and allied health students to have access and aid to healthcare education, officials said.

SIS Launches Its First Middle School Program

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

The Saratoga Independent School (SIS) formally opened its new Middle School in September.

The Middle School at SIS is for students in sixth grade this fall and will expand by adding seventh grade in the fall 2019 and eighth grade in Fall 2020 school officials said.

A ribbon-cutting event celebrated its opening at the SIS campus at 459 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the thoughtful and unprecedented growth of SIS, a school that has more than doubled in enrollment in recent years, and has doubled in physical size since 2016,” said Lisa Brown, SIS head of school. “The Middle School at Saratoga Independent School is here.”

New Red Roof Inn Owners Plan Upgrades

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

By Jill Nagy

The Red Roof Inn in Clifton Park has undergone an ownership change. The new owners are giving a makeover to the facility.

“We are making it fabulous. It will be as nice as any hotel in Clifton Park, but at a lower price point,” said Alan Schnurman, one of the new owners.

Schnurman and his partners have been active in the Hamptons on Long Island and other downstate areas, but this is their first venture in the Capital Region. Schnurman said they zeroed in on Clifton Park because of its great growth rate, its reputation as a growing tech area, and the surrounding vacation attractions

Connecticut-Based Real Estate Group Buys Saratoga RV Park, Eyes Site Improvements

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Athena Real Estate LLC acquired Saratoga RV Park in Gansevoort.

Athena Real Estate LLC has acquired Saratoga RV Park, a 154-site park located at 4894 Route 50 in Gansevoort.

The property joins a growing collection of RV parks and resorts operating under the umbrella of Applebrook RV Parks.

Saratoga RV Park offers full amenities and full service sites for seasonal and transient guests. According to the new owners, the property is well positioned competitively and provides guests with a strong location to access the fantastic activities and attractions in the area.

Rebranded ‘Signature One’ Realty Group Opens New Office On Route 9 In Malta

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Cindy Quade re-branded her firm, Signature Homes, to Signature One Realty in Malta.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Maureen Werther

Licensed real estate broker Cindy Quade has been working with home buyers, sellers and builders for more than 30 years.

She recently re-branded her successful firm, Signature Homes, to Signature One Realty Group, Inc. and she relocated to 2575 Route 9 in Malta, directly across from Ace Hardware and strategically located between Malta and Saratoga Springs.

Quade said the re-branding works with all the new things her team is doing and it embodies “all the things we’re about.”

Commercial Real Estate Strong In Saratoga; Retailers Are Seeking Small, Workable Spaces

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Alex Kutikov, principal, broker and partner of RedMark Realty in Clifton Park.

By Maureen Werther

Saratoga County is one of the fastest growing counties in New York state and the commercial real estate market is more than holding its own, according to local real estate agents.

Commercial real estate markets, like other markets, tend to be cyclical in nature. One of the challenges for businesses looking for a prime location is making sure they can access skilled workers.

“We are seeing business across all the service sectors. They are never going away … Food service businesses, hair and nail salons, spa and massage studios. We also have a lot of medical companies going into retail spaces, such as urgent care facilities,” said Alex Kutikov, principal, broker and partner of RedMark Realty in Clifton Park.

Saratoga County Residential Real Estate Sales Are Expected To Thrive In Foreseeable Future

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

Barry Potoker, marketing director for Roohan Realty in Saratoga Springs.

By Maureen Werther

Anyone who has ever worked in real estate knows the adage, “All real estate is local,” which means that what is happening in other parts of the country is not necessarily indicative of what is currently happening, or what is likely to happen over time in this market.

Take the economic downturn of 10 years ago, for example. While in other parts of the country real estate markets took a nosedive that lasted for a long period of time, the local market did not feel the recession as badly and it recovered more quickly.

Karen Charbonneau of the Saratoga Home Team group agrees with the adage. She has been in real estate for 24 years. Originally from Massachusetts, she has been working with buyers and sellers in this region for the last eight years.