Saratoga Business Journal

Witt Construction Plans ‘Downton Walk,’ Condos On The East Side Of Saratoga Springs

May 3, 2018May 21, 2018

This is a rendition of Downton Walk, a condominium neighborhood to be developed by Witt Construction at 27 Jumel Place in Saratoga Springs.
Courtesy Witt Construction

**Project Name Corrected May 21, 2018**

By Maureen Werther

Witt Construction is getting ready to begin construction on a new project, Downton Walk, in Saratoga Springs. The condominium project at 27 Jumel Place includes seven upscale English-style homes that will offer privacy combined with a feeling of community, according to the company.

The parcel, which was cleared last year, was formerly home to a small manufacturing facility and a ballet studio with apartments.

The intimate cluster of seven homes will be situated on one parcel of land, offering the feel of a small, intimate neighborhood enclave, but with the advantage of private yards. The homes will range in size from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet, with an abundance of optional spaces that could be used for such things as additional bedrooms, entertainment areas, gyms, wine cellars or lower level garages.

Teakwood Builders Will Move Its Offices Into Building It Is Renovating On Church Street

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

This is a rendering of what the new headquarters of Teakwood Builders will look like at 75 Church St. in Saratoga Springs. The work is expected to be completed by August.
Courtesy Teakwood Builders

By Maureen Werther

Teakwood Home Builders is about half way through its renovation and expansion of the 1940s-style box garage and former home of Mangione Locksmiths at 75 Church St. in Saratoga Springs.

When it is complete, the building will serve as headquarters and showroom for the company. But it will also be an homage to an industrial age style of architecture that has faded from the landscape in this part of the country, the company said.

Jim Sasko, owner and president of Teakwood Builders, said he conducted in-depth research into the history of the architectural style of the 1940s box-style garages. The typical design consisted of two overhead doors with a glass front that wrapped around one corner of the structure.

Business Report: Want To Grow? Reinvest In Your Staff

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Michael Cruz is president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury. Courtesy Lighthouse Advisors LLC

By Michael Cruz

Good news. The economy is doing well. Bad news. That will shrink the labor market. Often, I write about hiring and its associated pains. There is one way you can reduce that pain. It is investing in the people you already have.

We already know that it costs less to keep our customers than it does to acquire new ones. The same is true about the people that work for you. Hiring is difficult, it is expensive, and it is not a 100 percent solution.

Many years ago, I worked for a very fast-growing software company. When I joined it, the company’s sales were $18 million. When I left 7 years later, sales topped $450 million.

Business Report: Which Structure Fits Your Project Best?

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Sarah Lewis Belcher is senior counsel with Bond, Schoeneck & King. Courtesy Bond, Schoeneck & King

By Sarah Lewis Belcher, Esq.

Property owners have a number of options for structuring a construction project: general contractor, construction manager or design/build. There are differences among the three that are important to understand when deciding which structure best fits.

A general contractor (GC) enters into contracts with and coordinates the work of subcontractors to complete the project. General contractors are not involved in the design of the project and instead become part of the process once the plans and specifications have been completed.

General contractors are often selected by competitive bidding, so are incentivized to keep the bid price low to be more competitive. Once the project is awarded, the GC will endeavor to keep the cost within budget, particularly since the GC will retain any unexpended amounts up to the contract price as profit.

U.S. Military Academy Grad Builds Career As A Trainer, Motivational Speaker And Writer

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Jay Rifenbary, president of Rifenbary Development in Saratoga, named “Speaker of the Year”
Courtesy Rifenbary Development

By Maureen Werther

Jay Rifenbary, president of Rifenbary Development in Saratoga Springs, was recently honored by Vistage Worldwide Inc. with the 2017 Speaker of the Year Award.

According to Vistage, the award “recognizes the MVP of the Vistage speaker community, which includes nearly 1,000 experts on topics ranging from leadership to health and wellness.”

Vistage Worldwide is a business advisory and executive coaching organization based out of San Diego.

Skidmore College Reports It Received Largest Number Of Applicants In School’s History

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs received 10,750 applications this year.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

The number of applicants for the incoming class at Skidmore College has broken the record in each of the past three years, college officials said.

This year, Skidmore received 10,750 applications, the largest number in college history, representing a 7 percent increase over 2017 and a 30 percent increase in applications over the last five years.

College officials said Skidmore continues to experience growth in applications from international students, as well as domestic students who self-identify as students of color. In the past decade, the percentage of domestic students of color in the college’s applicant pool has increased to 30 percent from 21 percent, and the percentage of international student applicants has increased to 30 percent from 6 percent.

Community Emergency Corps: Providing Ambulance Service For More Than 50 Years

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Bill Smith, right, Community Emergency Corps director of operations, poses with Tim Thomas, assistant chief, and EMT Jaqueline Bryant at the corps Ballston Spa facility.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Susan E. Campbell

Imagine calling for an ambulance and wondering when it will arrive, if at all. Yet that was the reality for first response some 50 years ago.

“Each township had different response territories, and it could take a long time for an ambulance to get from one end of a territory to another,” said William Smith, a recently retired career firefighter and chief of operations for Community Emergency Corps based in Ballston Spa.

Community Emergency Corps is a nonprofit organization Smith has been a member of since 1998. Founded in 1966 by a group of concerned citizens, it provides emergency transport for the Village of Ballston Spa, Milton, the northern part of Ballston, and Middle Grove, an abutting section of Greenfield.

The Wesley Community Treats Patients Of All Ages Through Its Outpatient Therapy Program

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Jesnnifer Runkel, right, works with a patient as part of The Wesley Center outpatient therapy program. The program is available for people of all ages in a wide range of disciplines.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Rachel Phillips

For almost half a century, The Wesley Community, located at 131 Lawrence St. in Saratoga Springs, has offered care and housing for seniors and aging adults. Though the organization is well known for the services it offers to elderly patients, its outpatient therapy program is open to patients of all ages.

The Wesley community is a 36-acre, nonprofit agency offering a broad variety of services. The senior-care services the organization is known for include providing market rate, affordable housing for independent seniors, as well as enriched living apartments for seniors who desire additional support, and in-home health care services, short-term rehabilitation and long-term nursing care.

Saratoga Bariatric Surgery And Weight Loss Program Earns Designation For Quality Care

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

BlueShield of Northeastern New York has recognized Saratoga Hospital with a Blue Distinction Center+ designation for bariatric surgery as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.

The Saratoga Bariatric Surgery and Weight-Loss Program at Saratoga Hospital, located at 1 West Ave. Suite 300, in Saratoga Springs, is the only program in the region to have earned this national distinction.

“The Bariatric Team was elated when we heard the news,” said Dr. Dmitri Baranov, medical director of the Saratoga Bariatric Surgery and Weight-Loss Program. “We have earned the Blue Distinction Center for the last three years, but to earn the ‘plus’ distinction this year is a true testament to the quality, safety and care our dedicated team has been consistently providing for our patients at every stage of their weight-loss journey. This recognition is quite special, and we could not be more proud.”

Patient Monitoring Technology Improves Safety, Clinical Outcomes For Hospital Patients

May 3, 2018May 4, 2018

Royal Philips, a health technology company, has integrated the Philips IntelliVue Guardian system—with automated Early Warning Scoring (EWS)—into the general care units of Saratoga Hospital to help improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Since implementing Philips’ patient monitoring technology, Saratoga Hospital has reduced patient transfers to the intensive care unit (ICU) by 63 percent and eliminated patient codes within its 20-bed orthopedic unit, which dropped from three or four codes per year to zero, according to the company.