Category Archives: Environment / Development

By Rod Bacon

Munter Enterprises, Inc. is in various stages of adding three new buildings to the W.J. Grande Industrial Park in Saratoga Springs.

According to Vice President Mike Munter, they have two projects underway on Skyward Drive.

They recently received approval from the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) for a 35,000-square-foot facility for Ambrave Corp., a company that designs and manufactures advanced tactical gear for military special operations forces and law enforcement under the brand Direct Action and for outdoor enthusiasts under the brand Helikon-Tex. 

Headquartered in Poland, the company has manufacturing plants in Nowa Ruda, Swiebodzice and Nysa. Some products are manufactured in Vietnam, Taiwan, and China.

The company distributes its products worldwide, with their current facility in Malta being responsible for marketing in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Under the name Direct Action LLC it has been in Malta since 2018. Ambrave was established as an umbrella company last year.

According to CEO Konrad Gdowski, the company’s U.S. operations started in Ballston Spa in 2014. They doubled their space with the 2018 move to Malta and doubled it again in 2021. 

“With the move to Saratoga we will triple our current space,” he said. 

In Poland there are 300 people employed in manufacturing, research and development, distribution, marketing and administration.

By ANTHONY DEFAZIO
Sustainable PR

In just the first half of 2025, the U.S. canceled or downsized a staggering $22 billion in clean energy projects. New York alone saw more than two-thirds of its onshore renewable power contracts canceled last year, setting the state back in its goal to reach 70% clean energy generation by 2030. These setbacks ripple far beyond industry losses as communities miss out on millions in potential tax revenue and thousands of jobs, while higher energy bills and continued pollution hit residents’ wallets and health.

In New York, where municipalities have significant control over land use, the path from a project proposal to a finished solar farm is often fraught with challenges. Misinformation, mistrust, and unanswered questions can fuel local opposition, leading to project delays or even cancellation. When this happens, both communities and developers lose. Developers see projects stall while communities forfeit millions of dollars in potential tax revenue and long-term economic gains. However, strategic and proactive community engagement can address concerns early, and establish trust between developers and the communities they serve and pave the way for approvals. 

Communities that lack experience with renewable energy projects often contend with opposition from residents when a project is announced. Residents’ concerns fester when unfamiliarity with technology meets widespread misinformation —often amplified online by fossil fuel-funded actors —and a lack of communication from developers, leading to growing community dissent. Opposition groups swell and place pressure on local boards to slow or halt development. Their efforts to influence municipal boards often succeed not by outright rejection, but through moratoriums that can delay projects up to a year or two, forcing developers to rescind their applications. Furthermore, when revised solar ordinances impose such stringent regulations on development, they can render projects no longer viable. 

By Christine GraF

As the LA Group prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary later this year, the company continues to expand its footprint throughout the United States. Established in 1974, the Saratoga Springs-based landscape architecture and civil engineering firm has a staff of 39 employees and small offices in Ithaca and Pittsburgh.  

“We started out as a local shop in Saratoga but have really bolstered our experience nationally,” said Chelsea LaMarco, marketing manager. “We do a lot of federal work with the government—specifically with the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

As part of that work, the LA Group was enlisted as the site designer and landscape architect for a major expansion of the historic Arlington National Cemetery, one that transformed a difficult steeply-sloping and wooded 30-acre parcel into a shrine to honor those who have served our country. 

By Paul Post

Hilltop Construction thrives in a challenging, competitive industry with a mix of commercial and custom home residential projects.

It’s a strategy the Queensbury-based firm has followed since its founding in 1976.

“We try to be diversified in what we do, which helps in different economic environments,” co-owner Dan Washburn said. “If the residential market is healthy and commercial isn’t, we’ve got the residential side to work with and vice versa. It makes it easier to adapt to ever-changing conditions that affect different industries.”

“Business is really good now on both sides,” he said. “We’ve got a solid workload into spring of 2025.”

This summer, Hilltop is doing everything from a ZZ Mobil Mart convenience store in Malta to a passive solar home in Brant Lake and a new Stewart’s Shop in Hoosick.

The annual summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course generates $371 million in economic activity and supports more than 2,900 jobs across the greater Capital Region, according to the findings of a new study by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency (SCIDA) highlighted today by the New York Racing Association.

The report, which was released Monday during a news conference at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, concluded that the overall economic impact generated by the summer meet has increased by 57 percent since 2014 across the nine-county Capital Region.

The study, based on data from 2021, finds that Saratoga Race Course is responsible for contributing $7.3 million of tax revenue to New York state, nearly $2.4 million of tax revenue to Saratoga County and nearly $2.1 million to Saratoga Springs.

In addition to Saratoga Race Course, the study commissioned by the SCIDA and performed by Camoin Associates analyzed the impact of Saratoga’s major attractions including SPAC, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Saratoga National Historic Park. According to the findings, those four entities generated a total of $647 million in economic impact and 5,770 jobs.

“Horse racing is a powerful engine for the New York economy that supports families and communities in every corner of the state,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA president and CEO. “Nowhere is that more evident than here in Saratoga Springs and throughout Upstate New York, where the popularity and importance of Saratoga Race Course are at an all-time high.”

by Christine Graf

Hilltop Construction is putting the finishing touches on a new office/warehouse headquarters at 21 Casey Road in Queensbury. 

The 10,000-square-foot facility is being built on two lots located in the Airport Industrial Park.

“Our company is growing, and we needed space for expansion,” said co-owner Dan Washburn. 

Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency sold the two vacant industrial park lots to Hilltop Construction for $40,500.

Washburn’s in-laws, Tom and Cindy Albrecht founded Hilltop Construction in 1975. After the couple retired two years ago, Washburn, along with his wife April Washburn, and brother-in-law Tom Albrecht Jr., assumed control of the business. 

Hilltop Construction builds custom homes that range in price from $400,000 to $5 million. The homes are located throughout the Capital Region and the Adirondacks. 

“We’ve done a lot of work in Schroon Lake, Brant Lake and Lake George,” said Washburn. 

On the commercial side, Hilltop has worked on projects as far west as Syracuse. Stewart’s Shops has been a consistent client over the years.

A $4.2 million redevelopment of Roosevelt Drive within Saratoga Spa State Park that improves transportation safety within the park is complete, state officials announced.

The project adds pedestrian and bicycling pathways adjacent to the park’s busiest stretch of roadway, which connects the Avenue of the Pines with the golf course, pools, picnic areas, and the Roosevelt Baths and Spa.

“We continue to make significant investments that enhance Saratoga Springs’ status as a world-class recreational, tourism, and historical destination,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “These improvements make Saratoga Spa State Park safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians and cyclists alike and will help welcome visitors for the Park’s greenspace, history, and shows for years to come.”

Officials said the roadway was moved away from the park’s classical arcades, making space for a large circular patio. It provides a new gathering place to families and friends to begin their exploration of what the park has to offer. 

As part of the Park of the Arts initiative, the corridor improvements mark another major milestone in the restoration of the National Historic Landmark campus. The project also expands parking for the Spa Little Theater plus the recreational and cultural attractions of the Roosevelt Campus and provides new EV charging stations.

The new Welcome Terrace, referred to as The Arcade, sits at the entrance of the Saratoga Spa State Park’s neo-classical Roosevelt Campus. It will feature a circle of benches to create the perfect spot for park visitors to socialize, relax, and take in their surroundings, state officials said. For a limited time, people can adopt and dedicate one of these benches.