Photo of the 795 N Broadway property in Saratoga Springs via Roohan Realty.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — An historic property at 795 North Broadway, known as the Red Stone Villa or Redstone, has been listed by Roohan Realty for just shy of $8 million.
The Romanesque home, influenced by the Queen Anne style, is 9,000 square feet with 7 bedrooms, 9 full bathrooms, and 5 half-bathrooms set on 0.69 acres of land.
According to a 44-page report prepared by the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation in 2017, the Red Stone Villa was built in 1886 by well-known local architect S. Gifford Slocum for Eli Clinton Clark, a financier and owner of a successful lumber business. In 1908, Clark and his wife defaulted on a payment on a $16,000 mortgage. The home was ordered to be sold at public auction to cover the default. In 1911, it was purchased for $18,615 by a Ballston Spa resident. Two years later, Clark died “practically a poor man” in Galveston, Texas.
Subsequent residents and owners included:
• Frank Nolan, the son of two-term Albany Mayor and one-term U.S. Congressman Michael N. Nolan. Frank was, at one time, both president of the Albany-based Beverwyck Brewery and a prominent race horse owner. A Times Union article from 1917 described Frank as “one of the country’s best known turfmen.”
• Mollie Wilmot, a socialite and one-time neighbor to President John F. Kennedy who, according to a New York Times obituary, “rose to celebrity in 1984 when a tanker ran aground at her Palm Beach, Florida mansion.” Wilmot was a frequent Saratoga Race Course attendee who donated to the racing and dance museums in Saratoga Springs.
The Red Stone Villa was also featured in the Preservation Foundation’s 2025 Historic Homes Tour.
An early morning view of the Doubleday Diner in Ballston Spa, which officially opened on Sept. 6. Photo via the company’s Facebook page.
BALLSTON SPA — The diner formerly known as Route 50 has officially opened under new ownership with a new name: Doubleday.
The business revamped its interior and exterior ahead of a Sept. 6 grand opening. The menu includes plenty of diner staples, such as omelets, pancakes, waffles, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. The restaurant is open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Doubleday gets its name from its address (2002 Doubleday Ave. in Ballston Spa), which in turn is named after Abner Doubleday, a Union major general in the Civil War whose purported birthplace in Ballston Spa still stands and is now the home of the Real McCoy Beer Co.
The restaurant formerly known as the Route 50 Diner faced a number of issues under its previous owners, including a temporary closure following a health inspection on May 30, 2024 that revealed an apparent, ongoing pest control issue. The diner was also temporarily closed in 2023 by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance due to alleged unpaid taxes.
BALLSTON SPA — New businesses, especially ones that require renovations of existing structures, tend to have their planned openings delayed more often than not. But the folks at Speckled Pig Brewing in Ballston Spa have bucked the trend with plans to have their new, next-door distillery serving drinks in time for a Sept. 20 Oktoberfest block party.
The occasion marks the three-year anniversary of the popular downtown brewery. Among the many activities during Oktoberfest will be free commemorative mugs for the first 150 attendees, a stein-holding competition, a dunk tank, live music, tea cup pigs, yard games, Bavarian pretzels, and pizza specials.
The new distillery, called The Still at Speckled Pig, is housed in the former home of Jim’s Garage. It will feature a modern design, outdoor patio with fire pits, and an interior glass wall revealing liquor-makers and bottlers at work. Oktoberfest revelers are invited to stop by for some craft cocktails and a sneak peek of the distillery.
The entrance to the SPAC School of the Arts, located behind the former Museum of Dance on South Broadway.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — For now, a row of ukuleles remain unplucked. A dance studio stands empty. A piano’s keys sit still and quiet.
The SPAC School of the Arts fall semester begins in less than two weeks, and when it launches on Sept. 15, a building located behind the former Museum of Dance on South Broadway will become filled with sounds, movements, and performances.
The school is playing host to a range of classes that will wrap up on Nov. 21. Included in this year’s offerings: youth and adult ukulele for players of varying experience; improv for youths; acting for teens; adult ballet and contemporary dance; adult jazz; private piano lessons; and much more.
One class that the school’s Vice President of Education Dennis Moench and Director of Learning and Engagement Jess Bien are most excited about is “Playing Shakespeare,” a new offering taught by Skidmore College faculty member Dennis Schebetta.
“The thing that we love about this class is that it’s Shakespeare, but it’s also very low-stakes and it’s very accessible,” Bien said. “There’s a lot of improv incorporated into it and it represents what we do and what we aim to do, because it’s just about the process of creating and coming together with others. It’s not product based. There’s no formal performance at the end of it, but it’s a space for people to just come together and play.”
The casual but creative attitude of the Shakespeare class provides a microcosm of many of the school’s programs. The key is to allow people of all ages and abilities to meet in-person, explore an activity or interest, and walk away from the experience feeling like they enjoyed themselves. There’s little pressure to nail a particular line, or perfectly perform a certain dance maneuver. Rather, enjoyment, creativity, and improved mental health are the end goals.
“What we would really like to do is be part of this national conversation that is really gaining a lot of interest in the effect of the arts on people’s wellbeing and how it is essential, necessary, and not just something that only a privileged number of people can be a part of,” Moench said.
A collection of ukuleles, ready for plucking. The SPAC School of the Arts will be hosting five different ukulele classes during the fall semester. Photos by Jonathon Norcross.
The SPAC School of the Arts has partnered with Skidmore College for a course that invites adults over the age of 55 to take a creative movement class alongside the college’s dance students. The goal is to promote healing and wellbeing via the connections made between participants. A researcher at Skidmore intends to collect data from the class to see what the impact of such an experience might be.
“We’re really researching a lot of current studies that are out there,” Moench said. “The World Health Organization, for example, just came out with one about isolation and its effect on health and wellness, and we’re looking at a number of different data points, including social connectedness. We’re actually measuring working memory as well in the adults and in the students to see if there’s any significant impact on that and their overall sense of wellbeing.”
In other words, not only can a SPAC School of the Arts student learn more about Shakespeare or dance or music, but they may also be able to boost their mental health. The growing field of neuroaesthetics, which studies the psychological impact of art and music, is steadily providing more evidence that the creation and appreciation of art could be more of a necessity than a hobby. Some have even considered art as a tool needed for the survival of myriad cultures throughout history. It’s an ambitious field of study, and it’s one that has found a warm and welcoming home at the SPAC School of the Arts.
Those interested in enrolling in a class can do so online. Adult ballet is an especially popular course that may fill up by the time this story is published. But there are plenty of other offerings, many of which are favorites of the local community. To learn more or to register for a class, visit spac.org/school-of-the-arts.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Frank Spotnitz—a TV writer/producer with credits that include “The X-Files,” “The Man in the High Castle,” and “Medici”—will be at the X-Files Museum in Saratoga Springs on Sunday, Sept. 21 for a meet and greet. The event will run from 1 to 5 p.m., with $40 tickets available at the door.
Some of Spotnitz’s notable “X-Files” writing credits include the episodes “Memento Mori,” “Millenium,” and the two-part “Dreamland.” In total, Spotnitz contributed to nearly 70 episodes of the hit series. He also helped author both “X-Files” films, released in 1998 and 2008, respectively.
Beyond his work on “X-Files,” Spotnitz created, executive produced, and wrote multiple episodes of “The Man in the High Castle,” an Amazon Prime Video series that garnered critical acclaim and won two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. When the pilot episode premiered in 2015, it became one of the most-watched original series debuts in Amazon’s history.
Spotnitz also created the Netflix historical drama series “Medici,” which chronicled the rise of the Medici political dynasty during the Italian Renaissance, and CW’s “Leonardo,” about the life of da Vinci.
The X-Files Museum (technically named The X-Files Preservation Collection) remains the world’s only museum dedicated to the 90s sci-fi/horror show, which has developed a cult following after its initial, wildly successful run on the FOX network.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — After a water leak in an upstairs apartment on July 4 caused significant damage to the Northshire Bookstore on Broadway, the business has fully reopened as of Labor Day.
“Gratitude is on our minds at Northshire as we turn the page on a challenging summer – it is such a relief that our Saratoga Springs store has fully reopened at last,” Northshire said in its newsletter.
After suffering extensive damage, the bookstore moved its July events to the Saratoga Springs Public Library. The business was unable to open its main retail floor until July 31. The children’s floor was then partially reopened on Aug. 13.
“This summer, we have even more reason than usual to be grateful for your unwavering support,” Northshire added in its statement. “From the words of encouragement on your online orders to the two youngsters who held a lemonade stand in our honor – every kind gesture moved us deeply.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Two years ago, the Saratoga Central Catholic girl’s soccer team managed just one victory all season. Last year, the first of a rebuilding effort, they rocketed to eight wins, despite, at times, not having enough players to fill out a complete roster.
“I think it was a great accomplishment for the girls to turn it around like that, and it’s really a testament to them taking the systems we put in place and actually executing it,” said Head Coach Brian Venn.
Some of the Saints’ losses last season were close, winnable contests. They fell to Mekeel Christian Academy 2-1 and lost to Whitehall 3-2. Had those games gone slightly differently, Spa Catholic would’ve finished with a winning record.
The squad’s remarkable turnaround has attracted attention from just about everyone: interested players, student spectators, parents, and the community at large. When word went around that the Saints were serious about soccer, donations, attendance, and enthusiasm all shot up.
“We’ve got great support from our [athletics director]. We’ve got great student support. Our games were filled with students watching the young ladies play last year, which was awesome,” said Assistant Coach Tony Nucera. “We’re really proud of where we are. It doesn’t mean we’re exactly where we want to be, but we’re trending in the right direction. Our goal, when we did this together, was to sustain a program that for years to come would be available to the student athletes, and also have, eventually, a JV program and a modified program. That’s where we want to get it. It’ll take us a little while to get there, but it’s a lot of fun getting to where we are now.”
Along the path of this ambitious rebuild comes increased expectations for the 2025 season. The coaches are aiming for 11 wins, despite losing key contributors Sydney Caracci and Grace Venn, both of whom were senior team captains. But the Saints won’t go quietly into the night. Juniors Ava Brown and Allison Fuller, who Venn said last year were poised to become standouts, have indeed stepped into leadership roles. Both were named team captains for the 2025 season. Joining them is Addison Quail, a junior who led the team in assists last year and is back for her second stint as a captain.
“I feel confident leading the team,” Quail said. “It’s nice to see everyone coming together and working together to push through the season and win as many games as we can.”
“I think last year we had such a successful team and an organization that we’re starting, and I think that it showed all the younger kids that this has hope and we can do more with this,” Fuller said. “A lot of people tried out and made the team this year, and our numbers rose just because of last year with new coaches and our support by everyone in the school.”
The captains agreed that their biggest games of the regular season will be opening and closing contests against Mekeel Christian. The first is on Friday, Sept. 5, the second, Oct. 11. Mekeel and Spa Catholic have developed a healthy rivalry thanks to their close games last season, all three of which ended in Saints losses. But like many things with this team, all of that could soon change for the better.
Photo of team captains Allison Fuller, Addison Quail, and Ava Brown by Jonathon Norcross.
2025 Saratoga Central Catholic Lady Saints Girls Varsity Soccer Roster
Mosaic Foundation performs at Putnam Place as part of the 8/20 Block Party concert celebration. Photo by Super Source Media.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Four bands took to the Putnam Place stage on Aug. 20 as part of the Block Party concert presented by High Peaks Event Production.
The celebration featured 3 artist vendors and musical performances by Rome (formerly of Sublime with Rome), Mosaic Foundation, Moon Boot Lover, and Sophistafunk.
The event was initially scheduled to take place on Ellsworth Jones Place outside the Saratoga Springs City Center but was moved indoors to Putnam Place due to rain. Admission to the event was free.
The entrance of Siro’s, located at 168 Lincoln Ave next to the Saratoga Race Course. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Siro’s, the popular restaurant and bar located next to the Saratoga Race Course, recently announced that they would remain open throughout the month of September.
In a social media post, the company said they’d stay open “as we eagerly await the highly anticipated opening of our sister restaurant, Noah’s Italian, coming this fall!”
The main dining room will be open Thursday through Saturday next month.
In the past, the restaurant has usually closed near the conclusion of the Saratoga summer meet, which will wrap up on Labor Day this year.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The word “legend” is tossed around quite a bit, but it’s hard not to apply the term to Eric Andersen. The singer-songwriter has collaborated with people like Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, the Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, and Johnny Cash, to name a few.
His career, documented in the 2019 PBS film “The Songpoet,” began in the famed Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s, the same time and place fictionalized in films like “A Complete Unknown” and “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Andersen himself appeared in front of the camera in Warhol’s 1965 underground film “Space,” as well as “Festival Express,” a music doc chronicling a 1970 train tour that featured the Dead, Janis Joplin, The Band, and many others.
But it’s Andersen’s remarkable gift for crafting elegant, lovely, sometimes haunting songs for which he’s most recognized. His 1972 album “Blue River” remains his most acclaimed. The release of his latest LP, “Dance of Love and Death,” preceded a fall 2025 tour that will bring him to Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs on Sept. 5. The performance will also include Steve Addabbo on lead guitar and Cheryl Prashker on percussion.
Prior to the start of his tour, Andersen answered a few questions for Saratoga TODAY. Below are his responses.
Saratoga TODAY: You’ve played at Caffe Lena before. In your experience touring the globe, do you find that there are many traditional folk music venues like Lena remaining?
Eric Andersen: It’s been a while, but I think Passim still operates in Cambridge. No more Bottom Line, Gaslight, or Folk City in New York. Otherwise, I think there are very few left.
ST: The Grateful Dead hold an important place in Saratoga’s music history, having played to the largest-ever crowd at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. What was it like spending time with the Dead during the Festival Express? Are there any memories that stand out in your mind?
EA: On the Festival Express, I got to be friends with Jerry Garcia and Bobby Weir. (Janis Joplin, Ian and Sylvia, and Rick Danko were the only friends whom I knew from before). All very nice, talented, good people to know. I wrote the song “Weather Report” with the Dead.
ST: “Dance of Love and Death” is your first album of all-new material since 2003. How do you determine when a collection of songs is ready to be released into the world? What makes an album feel complete?
EA: Complete? Good question! In my judgement, I think most works of art (songs, recordings, albums–maybe even paintings and novels…) are all more or less abandoned rather than ever “finished.” Each project just sort of reaches its own conclusion and becomes a song, album, painting, or novel. In this case, the album “Dance” is a collection of New York recordings I made when I was in town from my home in Europe and we did keep adding songs and recordings over the course of twelve years.
Finally, after arriving at seventeen good works, we called it quits and put out the double album “Dance of Love and Death.” It kind of ended itself and became a sort of a love song album. Maybe the best one since “Ghosts Upon the Road” and “Blue River.”
