PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
GBJ P.O. Box 766 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
VOL. 32 NO. 06
PAID
GLENS FALLS, NY 12801 PERMIT #600
HH The Business Newspaper of Warren and Washington Counties HH
www.glensfallsbusinessjournal.com
AUGUST 2020
HVCC Plans New Building, Programs To Lake George Survey Indicates There Is Help Fill Shortages In Skilled Trade Workers ‘A Strong Pent Up Demand For Travel’ BY CHRISTINE GRAF Hudson Valley Community College is responding to the skilled labor shortage in the area and across the state by pursuing plans to build a new $65 million facility for skilled trades education. The proposed 130,000-square-foot Applied Technology Education Center (ATEC) will allow the college to expand its training of the skilled technical workforce. A capital campaign is underway, and a concept plan of the project has been prepared by JMZ Architects and Planners of Glens Falls. Construction of ATEC, a net energy zero building, is in the planning phase. The architectural bidding process will begin in one to two months. Officials said that within 10 years, ATEC will be able to graduate 4,877 technicians in a variety of fields, including mechatronics, plumbing, electrical, welding, HVAC and automotive. That would benefit areas including Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 773 in Glens Falls are among the area groups that have bemoaned the lack of people to fill job openings. According to Dr. Jonathan Ashdown, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), “The crux of what we are trying to do with ATEC is build enough capacity into this 130,000 square foot building up front to account for the growth we anticipate. We want to accommodate students that are on our wait list every single year for (STEM) programs.” To illustrate the demand that exists within STEM, Ashdown referenced HVCC’s $14.5 million Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills. The building opened in August 2019 and allowed the college to double AMT (Advanced
This is a rendering of the proposed Applied Technology Education Center (ATEC). Courtesy HVCC
Manufacturing Technology) enrollment from 144 to 288. “We built capacity into that building and already filled and exceeded capacity in one year,” said Ashdown. “We just had to start a wait list for that program.” The addition of the proposed ATEC building will allow HVCC to expand existing programs as well as add a new welding and fabrication degree program. “Expansion into welding is crucial, as NYSERDA is investing $20 million into an offshore wind proposal for the Capital Region, which will result in the creation of hundreds of Continued On Page 14
A survey done by Warren County Tourism, Mannix Marketing and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce says tourists still want to travel to the lake, despite the pandemic. Courtesy Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce
Businesses in the Lake George area may be heading into their busiest months of 2020 yet, with almost 62 percent of nearly 6,000 customers surveyed planning to visit in August or the fall, according to an online survey conducted by Warren County Tourism, Mannix Marketing and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce. The survey results came in as the region continues to experience an unexpectedly strong July. “The survey confirms that there is a strong
pent up demand for travel and Lake George offers just what travelers want,” said Sara Mannix, owner of LakeGeorge.com and Mannix Marketing. “Survey respondents stated they had the most interest in visiting the beaches, touring the lake on a cruise ship and experiencing the area’s lakes on paddleboards, kayaks and boats. The most desired activity that was not on the lake was outlet mall shopping and Lake George is home to more than 50 outlet Continued On Page 14
ECHL, Including Adirondack Thunder, Plans Ed Bartholomew, Economic Development To Start 2020-21 Hockey Season On Dec. 4 Leader, Beloved Community Supporter The ECHL Board of Governors, in conjunction with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association, has approved a revised start date for the 2020-21 ECHL Season, which includes the Adirondack Thunder which plays at Cool Insuring Arena. The anticipated start date is Dec. 4 for a full 72-game schedule. The league did not comment on whether fans will be allowed to attend. The ECHL 2020-21 Season was originally scheduled to start Oct. 16. Adjustments to the 2020-21 ECHL Schedule will be announced at a later date, officials said. “We are eager to return to hockey, but at this time we believe this decision is prudent for the safety of our Players, Employees and Fans,” said ECHL Commissioner, Ryan Crelin. “The ECHL and our Board of Governors are focused on the 2020-21 Season and remain optimistic for the safe reopening of our venues across the continent. We appreciate our partners and fans continued support and patience, as we work together with our venues, local health officials and the members of the PHPA’s Executive Committee toward the safe return of ECHL hockey.” Began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-tocoast league with 26 teams in 19 states and two Canadian provinces for its 32nd season in 2019-20. There have been 676 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 14 who have made their NHL debuts in the
The Adirondack Thunder and the ECHL are is set to start play on Dec. 4. Courtesy Adirondack Thunder
2019-20 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 31 NHL teams in 2019-20, marking the 23rd consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. The 2020-21 Adirondack Thunder season tickets are on sale. For more information on ticket packages, call 518-480-3355 or visit ECHLThunder.com/tickets. For all the latest Thunder news, follow the team on all social media at ECHLThunder.
Edward M. Bartholomew Jr., president of the EDC Warren County and the lead voice for economic development in the Glens Falls/Lake George Region, died on July 21 at the age of 70. He was responsible for many projects in the county including the Glens Falls Civic Center, a project which he oversaw as mayor in 1979. He continued his economic development efforts right up to his death, officials said. “Throughout the COVID-19 (pandemic), Ed was a fixture at economic response and recovery meetings and was an integral partner in stabilizing the future of Warren County’s local economy post-pandemic,” said Warren County Administrator Ryan Moore said. Matthew Fuller, chairman of the county EDC, said Bartholomew was “tireless” in his pursuit of progress and entirely bipartisan in his approach to solving problems. Fuller said Bartholomew died from complications from a medical procedure. Bartholomew became a leading architect of the modern City of Glens Falls when in 1977 he was elected mayor at just 28 years of age, the EDC pointed out in a statement. He was the youngest mayor in New York state at the time and set about healing political divisions in his hometown over the building of the Glens Falls Civic Center, now Cool Insuring Arena. “He made it his mission to make the Civic Center a success. Ed recruited a big-name Civic Center director in Union College’s legendary hockey coach Ned Harkness and landed an American Hockey League team in the Adirondack Red Wings,” the EDC said. “These
Ed Bartholomew, president and CEO, EDC Warren County, died in July at age 70. Courtesy EDC Warren County
were just the first of many Ed Bartholomew projects over the next 40+ years to benefit the City of Glens Falls, Warren County and the entire North Country region.” EDC pointed out that as mayor, he built a modern ball park and brought minor league baseball to Glens Falls. He brought new industry to Pruyn’s Island and an intermunicipal sewage project to the Upper Hudson River. He helped establish the Greater Glens Falls Transit System. Continued On Page 3