SARATOGA SPRINGS —Whitman Brewing Company, which occupies the building that had long housed the offices of The Saratogian newspaper, has submitted an application to the city Planning Board for two, one-day events to be held in a portion of the outdoor parking lot which is bordered by Lake Avenue and sits between Maple Avenue and Pavilion Row.
The first event would run 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1 and consist of live music (no stage) and local breweries pouring four-ounce samples of their beer. The ticketed event, limited to 300 people, would serve as a fundraising event benefiting Saratoga Pride.
The second event, featuring similar activities and capacity, would run noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28.
BALLSTON SPA — A Public Hearing will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14 at the county complex in Ballston Spa regarding a proposed Local Law stated “to protect owners of dwellings in Saratoga County from unlawful occupants commonly referred to as ‘squatters’ and to protect lawful occupants of dwellings from unlawful evictions.”
“We want to hear from the public,” Saratoga Springs city Supervisor Matt Veitch announced at the City Council meeting this week. “Essentially it gives some process and procedure for landowners to file affidavits for law enforcement if there are folks occupying their properties unlawfully.”
The county Board of Supervisors generally meets at 4 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month (May 21 this month), but the Public Hearing on the proposed law – titled Local Law no. 2 of 2024,” will take place at 4:30 p.m. this Tuesday, May 14.
County residents interested in reading about the proposed Local Law are instructed they may do so on the Saratoga County government website. Here’s how:
2. Scroll past the header picture and down to “Board & Committee Meetings,” click on that and a new page will open.
3. Scroll down to “Board of Supervisors” meetings, find “April 16, 2024,” move to and click on “Agenda,” and a new page will open.
4.Scroll down to page 56 – where Resolution 118-2024 is titled “Introducing A Local Law Authorizing Property Owners To Request The Removal Of Unlawful Occupants From Dwellings, And Setting A Public Hearing,” and read pages 57 – 60 where the proposed Local Law is detailed.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Impressions of Saratoga will host its 20th Annual Dog Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 11 in front of the store, at the corner of Broadway and Phila St.
Each dog will be greeted with fresh water and treats, first-time visitors will have their photo taken for the “Doggie Wall of Fame.”
Well behaved pets on leash and under voice control are welcome.
The Saratoga County Animal Shelter and H.O.P.E. (Homes for Orphaned Pets Exist) local pet rescue organizations will be on hand with information about their programs and animals looking for forever homes.
Donations of pet items such as food, treats, collars, leashes, blankets, and toys are accepted.
H.O.P.E.’s Walk for the Animals takes place Saturday in Congress Park at 10 a.m. Wellspring will be in attendance educating about their “Safe Pet Partnership” – a program to find foster homes for pets of those in an abusive situation who are afraid to leave for fear of what will happen to their pets.
Hop on Home, a bunny rescue and sanctuary will be in attendance with some adoptable bunnies and program information.
Sketch Plan of Planned Unit Development District (PUDD) at Wilton, where 382 units are anticipated to be constructed by 2026-27.
WILTON — A large multifamily housing project recently given the thumbs-up to proceed is anticipated to offer hundreds of new residential units as early as the summer of 2026 in the town of Wilton.
The project will take place alongside the existing Wilton Mall and is expected to be developed in two phases, with 296 apartments available for occupancy in the summer of 2026 and 86 townhomes made available the following year.
The Wilton Mall will remain largely operational, and the hope is it will gain new interest as a result. The space formerly housing the Bon Ton store will be demolished and atop nearly 9 acres of land, 296“market rate apartment units” will be constructed in its place. Demolition may take place as soon as this spring.
The additional 86 townhome units will be developed just across the road in the northeast corner of the property and on nearly 5 acres of land during the project’s second phase.
Mike Shaffer, general manager of Wilton Mall, is hopeful the combined 382 new units will provide a financial boost for the mall. At its peak in 2016, the mall generated about $95 million in sales, but by 2022 sales had dropped in half, due to factors such as the closure of Bonton and Sears, the pandemic, and a public shift to shopping online.
“The mall needs that residential catalyst to attract new interest,” Shaffer told the Wilton Town Board during its April meeting when it approved the creation of a Planned Unit Development District (PUDD) to allow the project to move forward. Specifically, Shaffer cited the project as catalyst to potentially attracting national retailers, restaurants and new uses such as entertainment.
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The evolution of the mall over the past decade or so has included bringing in Healthy Living, Planet Fitness and a 22,000 square feet Home Goods store as a tenant. It transitioned the vacated Sears box store to Saratoga Hospital for primary care, clinical care and administrative uses, sited OrangetheoryFitness and recently celebrated the reopening of a cinema. The redevelopment of the vacant BonTon marks the next step in the evolution of the mall.
To meet the spring 2025 construction plan, design and preparations are anticipated to take three to four months, site plan subdivision approval four or five months, and building two or three months in time. The hope is to have the first apartments online and for rent in the summer of 2026.
The Macerich Corporation and Paramount Development are collaborating on the project. “For the construction, we have 318 jobs, $14.5 million in associated earnings, $37.5 million in sales spent locally,” Tawney Farmer, of Macerich, told the Wilton Town Board during the 35-minute presentation and vote, which was approved 4-1, with Wilton Supervisor John Lant casting the lone vote against.“Annually, after the apartments are built, we will generate 125 permanent jobs, $5.6 million in associated earnings and $16.6 million in annual sales.”
Additional estimates point to the Town receiving $368,000 in new sales tax revenue annually, and the Saratoga City School District experiencing a net benefit of $809,000 after estimating 25 new enrolled students the project may produce.
The proposal for the project had been in the discussion and debate stage for at least two years. The Wilton Planning Board and the Saratoga County Planning board had each previously issued a positive recommendation for the project.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A six-day festival in June anticipated to produce an economic impact in 2024 of more than $50 million will feature a free kick-off concert on Broadway with the band Blues Traveler, officials announced during a May 1 press conference at the Skip Scirocco Music Hall at Saratoga Springs.
Nicknamed “Belmont on Broadway,” dozens of local business, tourism and government leaders were on hand for the announcement of a multifaceted celebration being planned for the week of the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
“Not only is the Belmont going to help economically for the city, but it’s going to put us on a pedestal that’s going to be worldwide,” said Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford, “This is just going to bring it to a whole new level.”
With construction ongoing at Long Island’s Belmont Park in 2024 and 2025, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will shift to Saratoga Race Course over the next two years. Racing days in 2024 will begin on Thursday, June 6, continue through Sunday, June 9 and will be highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes – the third leg of the Triple Crown – on Saturday, June 8.
Belmont on Broadway activities, slated to take place June 4 through June 9, will include a downtown window decorating contest, a pre-festival event called Embrace the Belmont, and a variety of other events including the free, outdoor concert with Blues Traveler, which will take place on Wednesday, June 5.
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The concert will start at approximately 6 p.m. (with Blues Traveler going on around 8:30) and end promptly at 10 p.m. The stage will be set directly on Broadway adjacent to the City Center and face south. Broadway will be closed likely from Van Dam to City Hall the day of the show, said Saratoga Springs City Center Executive Director Ryan McMahon.
Organizers anticipate 5,000 to 10,000 people to attend the event. Opening bands participating in the all-ages free concert as well as satellite parking, shuttle options, and additional weeklong activities will be announced leading up to the June 4-9 festival.
“We’re anticipating people will be coming up a little earlier in the week (prior to the June 6 race day start), so that’s why we’re trying to create these opportunities for people to have fun things to do, opportunities to engage with our community. And our hotels are definitely seeing some occupancy earlier in the week, so that tells you some good things,” said Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri. “It’s also something for our locals. Doing this free concert downtown, I want locals to know they’re welcomed too, they’re a part of this, were celebrating together.”
What will be interesting to learn is whether the staging of the Belmont in Saratoga brings different visitors to the area, compared with visitors who flock to Saratoga during the New York Racing Association’s annual July-to-September summer meet.
“Everyone is going to learn off the first year, and we can build on that in the second year,” said NYRA President & CEO David O’Rourke, who spoke at this week’s presser. “It’s a new big event. You have the Whitney, the Travers, and now The Belmont,” O’Rourke said. “You might see more of an international (crowd); it’s typically on another level in terms of international exposure – and then if you have a Triple Crown, that’s just going to change the dynamic.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi released a statement April 22 to applaud the changes in the 2025 New York State Budget, which includes an increase of $50 million for Aid to Municipalities (AIM), to be allocated to cities and towns across the state.
Saratoga Springs will receive an increase of $191,566 in 2025, raising the total aid to $1,841,267, Commissioner Sanghvi reported.
“This is the first increase in AIM funding in 15 years. Saratoga Springs, like many communities, has been advocating for a closer look at municipal aid,” Sanghvi said in a statement. “I brought forward a resolution in March which passed 5-0, and we sent a letter to the NYS legislature and the governor to advocate for an increase. The city also joined 370 other cities, towns and villages requesting an increase.”
Saratoga Springs had previously received about $1.6 million in aid through the AIM program, which remained flat aside from changes during the pandemic. In 2013, it was 4.25% of the city budget, and in 2023 it was just 2.7%. In that time, the city budget grew from $39.8 million to $57 million.
“Small cities need this partnership from the state to fulfill their community responsibilities. AIM is unrestricted funds, which means it can be used wherever the city most needs it.” Sanghvi said. “I’m grateful to our governor and state legislature for their advocacy during the budget process.”
BALLSTON SPA — THE Saratoga County Board of Supervisors on April 16 approved a resolution to proclaim May as “Older Americans Month” in Saratoga County.
This year’s theme is Powered by Connection – “offering an opportunity to explore a wide range of aging experiences and to promote the benefits of connecting with others,” according to the proclamation.
“The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors is committed to strengthening our community by connecting with and supporting older adults, their families, and caregivers, and acknowledging their many valuable contributions to society,” according to the adopted resolution. “This Board of Supervisors proudly urges every resident to celebrate our older citizens, help to create an inclusive society, and accept the challenges of flexible thinking around aging.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi released a statement April 22 to applaud the changes in the 2025 New York State Budget, which includes an increase of $50 million for Aid to Municipalities (AIM), to be allocated to cities and towns across the state.
Saratoga Springs will receive an increase of $191,566 in 2025, raising the total aid to $1,841,267, Commissioner Sanghvi reported.
“This is the first increase in AIM funding in 15 years. Saratoga Springs, like many communities, has been advocating for a closer look at municipal aid,” Sanghvi said in a statement. “I brought forward a resolution in March which passed 5-0, and we sent a letter to the NYS legislature and the governor to advocate for an increase. The city also joined 370 other cities, towns and villages requesting an increase.”
Saratoga Springs had previously received about $1.6 million in aid through the AIM program, which remained flat aside from changes during the pandemic. In 2013, it was 4.25% of the city budget, and in 2023 it was just 2.7%. In that time, the city budget grew from $39.8 million to $57 million.
“Small cities need this partnership from the state to fulfill their community responsibilities. AIM is unrestricted funds, which means it can be used wherever the city most needs it.” Sanghvi said. “I’m grateful to our governor and state legislature for their advocacy during the budget process.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The city’s Department of Public Works is seeking qualified vendors of parking attendant services for a seasonal parking program which will operate annually from Memorial Day to Labor Day city-owned garages and surface lots.
The sealed bids must be submitted prior to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, when they will be publicly opened and read.
Vendors are requested to provide one attendant for parking services, 24 hours per day, throughout the duration of the parking program. One attendant will be responsible for monitoring activity within all parking garages and surface lots, assisting the public with parking-related questions or concerns, checking pay stations and troubleshooting as required.
Vendors should submit the hourly rate they would charge for the service. Potential bidders can supply an unlicensed attendant rate and/or a licensed security guard rate for consideration. Hourly rate should include all fees and expenses associated with the service.
