By Susan Elise Campbell

The first of 14 custom homes broke ground some months ago at Riley Farm, a unique new development near Lake Lonely in Saratoga Springs. But developer Mike Phinney, owner of Phinney Design Group, said he would “be happy to take four or five years” to complete construction of the kind of “uniquely designed and sustainable homes” that Phinney is winning prestigious awards for.

“I am not just trying to kick out a subdivision,” he said. “The owner of the land, Kenneth Scott, wants to develop it in concert with nature.” 

Scott is a scientist who has traveled the world as an expert in gene therapy and anti-aging technologies, Phinney said. Scott purchased the former working farm in the 1980s.

“He has done his research and has high sustainability goals to make homes net zero,” said Phinney. 

Phinney has been a leader and pioneer in the sustainable design movement since the mid-1990s. His firm focuses on environmentally responsible construction methods and is headquartered in a sustainable green building.

When Scott approached him, Phinney didn’t sense a good match at first. 

“As soon as he mentioned a subdivision, I thought, we don’t do generic houses that aren’t tied to a site and where the only thing that differentiates them is the paint color,” said Phinney.  

But after a few discussions, Scott convinced him their goals were aligned and told Phinney he wanted him to be the dedicated builder, designer and architect, Phinney said. 

“I think I turned him down three times,” he said. “But he is a unique client with a passion for real estate as well as the ways that habitat can affect health.” 

By Natali Cobb

As we approach six years since the COVID-19 pandemic started, people are starting to notice the long-term impacts, and continuous aftershocks of this historical inflection point. About a year after the world shut down, people began to call this phenomenon “this generation’s 9/11”. Although I was just two years old when our country suffered the aforementioned tragedy on September 11th, I knew exactly what they meant. An event so impactful that history begins to be separated into timelines of ‘pre’ and ‘post’ event. We can draw many similarities between the post-9/11 and post-Covid worlds—heightened awareness of safety, generational rise in anxiety, shifting personal priorities, changes in travel, and cultural and workplace shifts. As a commercial interior designer, that last point is crucial to understand how people need to work and exist in this new world. 

Human centric design revolves around just that—human beings. It explores the needs, comforts, and well-being of humans in the built environment, and aims to create spaces that increase productivity, foster connections, and improve health and wellbeing. We as people spend an average of 90% of our time indoors, yet it has only been in recent years that the health of the spaces we exist in has really been considered. We are seeing more and more companies push for employees to return to the office, but are being met with resistance. People have become accustomed to working in their homes, with limited peer interactions except through virtual conferencing platforms like Zoom or Teams. Employees in the post-pandemic world crave comfort and flexibility in their workplace, and they are demanding more from an office than just a desk and wi-fi. 

Pre-pandemic offices prioritized efficiency of space over individual needs, but offices lined with cubicles are becoming a thing of the past. Some people thrive in buzz and collaboration, and others require quiet focus, and both can be true in the modern office. Flexibility in employees’ work environments has become critical to productivity—in Gensler’s 2024 Workplace Survey, employees who have a choice in where they work reported 14% higher productivity. This might include spaces like quiet zones, collaboration hubs, social lounges, and wellness rooms. Creating comfort in the workplace boosts creativity, reduces stress, and encourages employees to spend more time in the office. 

By LEE COLEMAN

Two local businessmen have purchased the long vacant Suzuki Autoworld building on Route 9 in Moreau and are renovating the structure to serve multiple small businesses.

Ben Alden and Brian McKenzie are calling the transformed building Moreau Commons. They purchased the Suzuki property from Robert Vittengl for $1million.

The 12,000 square foot building has been vacant for more than a decade. Suzuki discontinued automobile sales in the United States in 2012 although the Japanese company still continues to produce and sell vehicles in other global markets.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in the property,” Alden said.

“The building itself needs lots of maintenance, all new walls, new electrical, and insulation,” he said.

Alden owns Platinum Protective Coatings LLC at 1330 Saratoga Road (Route 9) in Moreau and McKenzie owns McKenzie Drywall, a local company that has done projects throughout upstate New York. The two men have known each other for 25 years and have done many projects together. They both live in Moreau. They started working together many years ago when they brought Linex truck liners to the region.