Category Archives: Business News

Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) the new performance center in Saratoga Springs, opened on Feb. 29 before a sellout crowd that was entertained by singer-songwriter Roseanne Cash.
While the renovation and construction is not quite complete, it is finished enough to begin a season that already includes well known acts from across musical genres, and also standup comedians.
The transformation from 19th century High Victorian Gothic church to a 700-seat, state-of-the-art performance facility was long and expensive, but worthwhile, officials said.
The opening of UPH, at 25 Washington St., capped a $13.5 million effort by community members to turn the church building into a performance space. Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly helped cut the ceremonial ribbon before the concert.
“When we saw it was possible to open on a Leap Day, we leapt,” said Philip Morris, CEO of the Proctors Collaborative in Schenectady, of which UPH is a subsidiary, during a new conference before the concert.

SUNY Empire State College and SUNY Adirondack Community College have approved a phase-one agreement for five joint-admissions degrees in business and management at SUNY Empire’s Saratoga Springs campus.
Under the agreement, SUNY Adirondack students will benefit from increased access to SUNY Empire’s campus in Saratoga Springs, where they can matriculate in bachelor’s and eventually graduate programs in a convenient location upon completing their degree at SUNY Adirondack.
While SUNY Empire has shared space on other college campuses around New York state—including Alfred State College, Cayuga Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, SUNY Adirondack, and SUNY Plattsburgh—this is the first time in its nearly 50-year history that SUNY Empire will host a fellow SUNY institution, creating greater opportunity for Saratoga residents to earn associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees close to home.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer
DeLucia’s Deli & Grocery is under new ownership as long-time owners Ronald, Gilbert and Vince DeLucia exit the business.
Brothers David, Eric and Gregory Mohr purchased the business and some surrounding properties in December. The Mohr family, comprised of seven siblings, holds an expansive commercial portfolio in the Capital Region.
“We started in 2012, taking over Mohr’s Service Center in Saratoga Springs after our father passed away,” said David Mohr. “We also own the Mobil gas station on that corner, as well as a car wash nearby.”

Shelby Schneider, a 17-year veteran of economic development in Saratoga County, is the new president/CEO of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, a county-based economic development organization.
The announcement followed the resignation of Marty Vanags as president, effective Jan. 8. Vanags left in order to pursue new opportunities, the organization said.
For the last month, Schneider had served in the position as the interim president and CEO of the agency.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Partnership and lend my experience to leverage new public and private investment bringing more jobs and opportunities to our communities,” Schneider said. “I look forward to working closely with the board and am committed to fully engaging all of our stakeholders including elected officials, businesses, and community leaders.”
“As an organization, we look forward to helping our communities plan for future success, partnering with employers, developing our workforce, and serving as an advocate for initiatives that will drive our success into the future,” she said.
The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership provides a point of contact for business retention and expansion, enabling a seamless delivery of programs and services for businesses seeking to grow, and spearheads semiconductor industry marketing and attraction, global trade assistance, community economic development, and data collection and planning.
“Shelby has over 17 years of experience working in economic development and is well respected amongst community and business leaders in Saratoga County and throughout the state. I know she will provide the organization with strong leadership moving forward. The Saratoga Partnership board and staff will continue to work with the public and private sectors to promote and plan for long-term growth and a strategy for unified economic development in Saratoga County,” said Kevin Hedley, Partnership board chairman.
Under Schneider’s leadership, the Saratoga Partnership team will continue Next Wave Communities Initiative which assists communities within Saratoga County in developing economic development plans tailored to their particular strengths, needs, and aspirations.