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Wellspring Adds New Board Members

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Photo provided

MALTA — Wellspring, the domestic violence and sexual assault services resource for Saratoga County, added three new members to its Board of Directors last week: Matthew Coldrick, Jeana Labas, and Nicholas DeCelle.

Coldrick was born in the UK and moved to Saratoga County in 2005. He currently works for Novo Nordisk. He previously served on Round Lake’s planning board and is currently the Village’s Deputy Mayor. Prior to joining the board, he was involved with the Men with Wellspring program and volunteered for many Wellspring initiatives.

Labas was born and raised in Saratoga Springs. She currently works for Kodiak Construction as an office manager and client selection representative. “I have a strong desire to get more involved in the community and supporting Wellspring in addressing workforce development is the perfect fit,” Labas said in a statement.

DeCelle is a Saratoga County native and resides in the Town of Stillwater. A licensed funeral director, he manages William J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home in Saratoga Springs. He serves on the Dake Foundation board and is a Leadership Saratoga graduate. DeCelle also worked at the Saratoga Springs YMCA and the Mechanicville Area Community Services Center.

According to its website, Wellspring’s mission is to “support survivors and engage our community to end relationship and sexual abuse.”

Saratoga Hotels Offering Discounts for Locals

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.


Photo of the Saratoga Arms Hotel lobby area provided by Saratoga Arms.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Downtown hotels The Adelphi and Saratoga Arms are both offering locals rates during the winter months.

From January 1 through May 5, the Saratoga Arms Hotel is offering 40% off its signature rates for those who live within 50 miles of Saratoga Springs.

During January, February, and March, the Adelphi is offering 10% off for guests who live within a 50-mile radius of the hotel. The locals rate applies to bookings Sunday through Thursday, as well as select weekends.

Make-A-Wish Unveils Saratoga Springs Facility

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

From left to right, Mayor John Safford, State Senator
James Tedisco, and Make-A-Wish Northeast New York President & CEO Jamie Hathaway at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space in Saratoga Springs.
Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York unveiled its Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space in downtown Saratoga Springs last Sunday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks from Mayor John Safford, State Senator James Tedisco, and Star Wars droid R2-D2.

Jamie Hathaway, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York, showed off some of the facility’s features, including an “immersive” 180-degree movie theater that screens short animated films explaining the Make-A-Wish process to children. The lobby featured large stuffed animals, Legos, and a Pac-Man arcade game. All of these elements are designed to “remind children and to tell children that they have agency over something in their lives,” Hathaway said. “When you have a critical illness, sometimes you feel that it’s only happening to you. You feel very alone in the process, and so what Make-A-Wish does and what this space does is they create community around families in crisis.”

The facility is named in honor of Dr. J. Peter McPartlon, who passed away in 2020. Members of his family said in a statement that they were “honored to be part of this incredible project that embodies the spirit of our father. He believed in the power of wishes to bring joy and healing to children and families in crisis. This Wishing Space is a tribute to his memory and a celebration of the hope that Make-A-Wish instills in the hearts of wish kids and their families.”

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor John Safford said that Saratoga Springs “is thrilled to have this in our city, and we look forward to all the wonderful things this organization is going to continue to do for our region.” 

When asked for comment, R2-D2 beeped and whirled its head.

The Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space is now open to the public at 92 Congress Street, next to Fat Paulie’s Delicatessen. For more information, visit www.wish.org/neny.

NYRA Announces Job Fair for Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced it will host a job fair on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the first in a series of events to support the historic Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

The Belmont Stakes job fair will be held on the first floor of the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course. Interested applicants should enter through the Wright Street entrance (Gate 8) with parking available in the 1863 Club lot.

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 9. 

Employment opportunities for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be available with the following NYRA partners: All Pro, Integrated Staffing, Levy Restaurants, Mazzone Hospitality and Union Square Events. Positions will include restaurant staff, mutuel clerks, cashiers, cleaners, merchandise clerks and others.

Applicants must be at least 15 years of age and have New York State Certified Working Papers. Prospective security guards, cashiers and betting clerks must be at least 18 years of age to apply; security guards must have a high school degree or GED. All applicants must present a photo ID and Social Security card or I-9 alternative.

NYRA will host its traditional job fair for the Saratoga summer meet later this year. 

Quad Graphics Closing Saratoga Facility: 400+ Jobs Lost; Community Steps Up

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

Photo by Super Source Media Studios.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Quad Graphics, a magazine printing company, is closing its Saratoga Springs facility by May 4 of this year, according to multiple reports. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the New York State Department of Labor last Friday stated that all 406 employees at the site would be affected by the closure. Layoffs are expected to begin on March 2 and end by May 4, according to the notice.

Multiple local organizations issued responses to news of the facility’s closure. 

Phil Barrett, Saratoga County Chairman of the Board, said that “as the lowest taxed county in New York State, Saratoga County does everything possible at the local government level to maintain positive policies that keep the cost of doing business low here. The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development will work to identify new career opportunities for displaced employees and the County will continue to work closely with Saratoga County Economic Development Corporation and our local Chamber of Commerce to attract new private sector business investments in Saratoga County.”

Greg Connors of the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation said it was “a blow to lose the company as an employer, but we understand that industry conditions have changed, and Quad must adapt as they see fit. In the coming weeks, I will convene meetings with members of the business community and local elected officials to address with our partners the important issue of finding new opportunities in the Saratoga/Capital Region for the 450 displaced employees. I believe the future remains bright across many sectors in our local economy. SEDC is working doggedly to expand business in Saratoga County and bring new employers to our region.” 

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce stated in an X post that “assisting those employees must be priority number one, and we are already hearing from area employers with job openings.” The post then linked to www.saratoga.org/find-saratoga-area-jobs/.

As of press time, Quad Graphics had not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Design Group Adds Lake Placid Office

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Photo of Phinney Design Group’s new office in Lake Placid provided by Cira Masters.

LAKE PLACID — Last week, The Phinney Design Group announced the opening of a new office in Lake Placid. In a statement, the company said it was “thrilled to bring our services closer to north country partners and customers.” The new location at 2413 Main Street will be open Thursdays through Saturdays, 9am to 4pm. 

“We are excited about the opportunities this expansion brings for both our team and our customers,” said Michael Phinney, Founding Principal at Phinney Design group, in a statement. “This new location will enable us to better serve our existing clients while also fostering new connections within the vibrant Lake Placid community. My family is six generations from the Lake Placid region and my father, a former bobsled racer. It feels like coming home in many ways.”

Phinney Design Group is an architecture, interior design, and green building consulting firm that focuses on sustainable and environmentally sensitive construction.

Saratoga Casino Hotel Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Saratoga Casino Hotel 20th Anniversary logo provided by Discover Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Casino Hotel is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. Upon opening on January 28, 2004, it became the first video gaming facility in New York. Since then, the facility has expanded to include table games, live entertainment, a steakhouse, and a 117-room hotel.

“We have been committed to providing exceptional entertainment experiences for our guests since we opened,” said Alex Tucker, Chief Operating Officer of Saratoga Casino Hotel, in a statement. “As we reflect on the past 20 years, I believe it’s this core mission that has made us successful. We are grateful to our guests, and we are proud to be one of many factors that make Saratoga Springs such a prosperous and thriving community,” said Tucker.

A study released by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency said that the Saratoga Casino Hotel receives an average of 1.5 million visitors per year. The property hosts harness racing, concerts, and corporate events.

For more information on the 20-year anniversary celebrations, visit saratogacasino.com.

The State of Saratoga Real Estate: A Seller’s Market

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —If you’re considering selling your home, now may be the time to do it. According to Lisa McTygue, a top realtor at Julie & Co. in Saratoga Springs, “from a seller’s standpoint, this time of year is really the best to get ahead of your competition.”

“Everyone waits until April or May, when their grass is greenest, to list,” McTygue said. But during the warmer months, “competition for a seller greatly increases because the inventory goes up.” For sellers, listing their homes in the offseason can be beneficial because there isn’t as much competition.

Of course, it’s been a seller’s market in Saratoga for some time now. Inventory is still low, at around 2.2 months’ supply, which according to McTygue, is up slightly compared to this time last year. But “a normal market for buyers and sellers is 6 months’ supply of inventory, so we are way below, and this has been going on for a few years,” McTygue said. 

All of this is good news for sellers, as is the steady increase of property values in Saratoga Springs. “I’ve been doing this almost 20 years, property values just keep going up and up,” McTygue said. “Saratoga County has been an insulated area as far as being protected on values and being a very strong market for sellers, time and time again.” 

But the market is far more complex for buyers. “As far as the market goes for buyers, it revolves around interest rates and inventory. So right now we have high interest rates and low inventory,” McTygue said.

So what’s a buyer to do given this scenario? Waiting for interest rates to decline may not be as advantageous as it first seems. “If you keep waiting, prices go up, inventory goes up,” McTygue said. “In my opinion, it boils down to what’s the perfect time for the buyer. Are you qualified now? Do you have the funds to do it now? Don’t wait. You can always refinance if the rates go down a couple percent down the road. Don’t wait, because renting is 100% interest. Owning a home, you’re building equity and you’re building your wealth.”

McTygue said that in April and May, there will likely be an increase in inventory, but nothing “drastic.” She hopes that interest traits will fall to under 6% by the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second quarter. For buyers, the future might be a little brighter, but it’s still decidedly a seller’s market in Saratoga Springs.

New Hattie’s Location is Hiring

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Hattie’s job fair flier image via the company’s Facebook page.

ALBANY — Hattie’s, the Southern cuisine restaurant based in Saratoga Springs, needs new employees for its upcoming location in Albany.

A six-day job fair is currently being hosted at 121 Madison Ave in Albany until Sunday, January 21. The fair is open from 10am to 5pm. Some of the full-time and part-time openings include dining room supervisors, prep cooks, line cooks, servers, bartenders, barbacks, and dishwashers. Prospective employees can begin their applications online at BFG.org/careers.

“As we move toward the grand opening of Hattie’s Albany, building our team is an extremely exciting step!” said Chief Operations Officer of Hospitality, Richard DeJesus in a statement. “Being hired at Hattie’s is an opportunity to work for a beloved brand in an awesome environment. We look forward to continuing to provide delicious chicken in another Hattie’s location, all while staying true to the roots of Miss Hattie Moseley Austin’s vision.”

Hattie’s restaurant is located at 45 Phila Street in downtown Saratoga. Additional locations have subsequently opened in the Wilton Plaza and at the Saratoga Race Course. The new Albany restaurant is scheduled to open this year. 

Snider Fashion Still in Business Despite Saratoga Store Closure

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Snider Fashion Spring-Summer 2024 artwork provided by Staci Snider.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Despite the closure of its shop on Congress Street in December, Snider Fashion is still in business. The company’s products are available on its website, and additional trunk show events will soon be announced. Designer Staci Snider’s garments are also distributed to boutiques around the country. The company’s headquarters are now located in Raleigh, NC.

www.stacisnider.com