Month: July 2026

Cerrone Builders Advances Two Residential Projects in Warren, Saratoga Counties

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A newly built home at The Village at Upper Sherman in Queensbury reflects Cerrone Builders’ response to demand for smaller homes, flexible floor plans and maintenance-conscious living options.
Courtesy Cerrone Builders

By Susan Elise Campbell

Cerrone Builders Inc. is addressing continued demand for varied housing choices in Saratoga County and the North Country with smaller homes and maintenance-conscious options for buyers who may not be seeking a traditional subdivision with larger lots.

Following its success with The Village at Sweet Road off Northway Exit 19, Cerrone launched a similar maintenance-free community two years ago: The Village at Upper Sherman in Queensbury, said Steven Cerrone, one of the managing partners of the family-owned residential construction business.

“‘Upper Sherman’ has been very well received, with more than half of the 45 lots sold,” said Cerrone. “The first six builds are waiting on permits right now.”

“Two model homes have been sold, and we got a building permit last week to build another one,” he said.

While the newer development was intended to mimic the Sweet Road project, Cerrone said The Village at Upper Sherman has larger lots and appeals to a broader demographic than the anticipated market of people 55 and older and empty nesters.

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Saratoga Builders Association Awards Two Annual Scholarships To Local Students

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Scholarship recipients Porter Sasko, left, and Lucas Jakubiak hold $1,000 awards from the Saratoga Builders Association as they pose with six others outside a building in Saratoga Springs.
Courtesy Saratoga Builders

Saratoga Builders Association, Inc. announced the recipients of its two annual $1,000 student scholarships: the SBA Scholarship and the “Bob Best” Memorial Scholarship.

Porter Sasko of Gansevoort was scheduled to graduate from Saratoga Springs High School in June and plans to attend the University of Buffalo to pursue a degree in Architecture.

Lucas Jakubiak of Ballston Spa is attending New York City College of Technology and pursuing a degree in Construction Engineering.

The Saratoga Builders Association makes the two scholarships available annually to high school seniors or college students who plan to pursue careers in the construction industry.

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Children’s Museum at Saratoga Opens Fab Lab With GlobalFoundries Partnership

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Fab Lab at The Children’s Museum at Saratoga uses a wafer display and magnifying glasses to show visitors how contaminants and scratches can damage actual semiconductor chips during production.
Courtesy Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum at Saratoga opened Fab Lab on June 13, an immersive, hands-on exhibit that introduces visitors to semiconductor manufacturing. The exhibit was made possible through a partnership with GlobalFoundries, which provided $250,000 in support.

Fab Lab transforms the museum’s STEAM space into an interactive look at how semiconductors are made and why they matter. Visitors explore how microchips power everyday technologies, including smartphones, gaming systems, cars and computers.

The exhibit follows the semiconductor manufacturing process, showing how materials move through precise, controlled steps to become finished microchips. Hands-on activities cover wafer production, cleanroom environments and the importance of precision.

“At GF, we are committed to inspiring the next generation of innovators by helping them understand the technologies that power our world,” said Ashley Castle, community affairs lead at GF Malta. “Fab Lab brings semiconductor manufacturing to life in a way that is accessible, engaging and meaningful for young learners, and we’re proud to support an experience that connects our community to the future of technology.”

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Capital Region SBDC Brings Practical AI Training To Small Businesses

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By Carol Ann Conover

The Capital Region Small Business Development Center will host “AI in Action: Practical AI for Small Business” on July 30 at the ETEC Building on the Harriman State Campus in Albany, bringing together industry experts, local business owners and U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko for a three-hour session to help small businesses put artificial intelligence to practical use. The seminar, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to noon, is part of the center’s ongoing AI Fundamentals programming and is sponsored by the New York State SBDC network, the Massry School of Business at the University at Albany and America’s SBDC, with support from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Greg Chanese, assistant director of the Capital Region SBDC and leader of the ASBDC AI Interest Group, said the event builds on training the center previously offered. “This is a continuation of similar AI training that we have conducted out of the Center,” Chanese said. “AI evolves very quickly, and we want to make sure that we are helping the small business community navigate the technology safely and effectively. Everyday more and more people are starting to implement AI within their business, and we want to make sure that we help them with it.” He said the seminar will pair a presentation with hands-on work, focusing on “helping the business community use AI for real-world, practical small business operations.”

Tonko, who represents New York’s 20th Congressional District, will speak at the event after his office approached the center about his involvement, Chanese said. “We’ve worked with the Congressman’s office on different topics over the years, and this is something that they approached us about having the Congressman be involved with,” he said. Chanese said Tonko’s remarks will address AI’s broader reach, while the center’s presentation will focus on practical applications. “AI is something that effects large swaths of people and businesses, so the Congressman will be there to talk about it briefly on a larger scale than we will during our presentation, which will be more focused on practical application of AI,” Chanese said.

Attendees will leave the hands-on portion with skills they can apply directly to their operations, according to Chanese. “What we want the businesses that attend to be able to walk out with is a comfortable level to be able to apply what they’ve learned at their business,” he said. The workshop will cover AI applications in marketing, business operations and ideation, using examples from participants’ businesses. “They’ll be able to use examples straight from their own business but with the advantage of having someone helping them use it more effectively,” Chanese said.

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