On January 10, 2023, in her State of the State speech, Governor Kathy Hochul called for the nations’ most aggressive ban on fossil fuels yet in new buildings. During her speech, Hochul urged the State Legislature to phase out the sale of fossil fuel heating equipment in existing residential buildings beginning in 2030, and for commercial buildings, 2035.  The Governor also proposed that new residential buildings be all electric by 2025, and commercial buildings be all electric by 2030.

Cerrone Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is a local business that has been on the front line of the evolution of clean energy. Joe Cerrone, the owner and manager, is aware that the future in the industry will be electric: “They are starting to change the laws to push everyone to heat pumps” he said during a recent interview.

A heat pump runs on electricity and can both heat and cool the home. As the industry evolves and changes, Cerrone sees what he calls “hiccups” with covering the heating load of a house: “When a house is converted to be all electric, the heat pump will have a back up strip heater in the unit. So when the heat pump can’t keep up, the electric heater will help cover the load. The issue is that the electrical panels are not large enough to take care of the load of the house. So if the house has a 150-amp panel and with all of the electricity being drawn from it, the panel would have to be upsized to a 400 amp meter” Cerrone said.

Cerrone with his experience in the field of HVAC would recommend a gradual change towards the technology: “Right now, people still like their standard furnaces… They are all hooked up, and the furnaces last for 15 years or so. Right now what I would recommend to customers is if their central air conditioning system needs to be replaced, then replace it with a heat pump” Cerrone said. 

There are rebates available to encourage customers to move towards installing heat pumps, offered in ranges between $500 and $5,000. Cerrone Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning has completed the training for the certifications to be an affiliated contractor with the clean heat program; they are one of the few contractors in the area fully trained to offer these rebates and services. 

Although the industry is shifting, the technology of heat pumps is not new: “So, we’ve been installing heat pumps, mainly mini-ductless heat pumps, for 15-plus years. So they have been around… It didn’t happen overnight. They have been getting better and better over the years, and in some situations they can take the whole load for the house” Cerrone said.

Despite the construction industry seeing increased material costs, rising interest rates, and a slowing overall economy, building just keeps going. An 11-acre property off of Bloody Pond Road – about a mile from Million Dollar Beach, on the southern shore of Lake George – is in the early stages of review with the town of Lake George for a 32-unit senior housing project. Rich Schermerhorn Jr. is seeking to develop the property, and the project is scheduled to be discussed at a Town of Lake George Planning Board meeting on February 21st, 2023.

Schermerhorn is aware of the changing market conditions: “We are still getting notices every other day about price increases for compound, plywood, roofing, trusses and shingles, and interest rates have a drastic effect on projects. Where things stand now, I can still develop and make a fair return and make projects happen. We just have to put in more sweat, equity, and a lot more liquidity” Schermerhorn reportedly said.  

Schermerhorn – in his thirty years in business – has built a portfolio of over 2,500 apartments, and he has hundreds more apartments in various stages of approval. Just last year, Schermerhorn bought undeveloped land in Warren and Washington County. 

Schermerhorn made headlines last summer when he purchased the former Water Slide World amusement park in Lake George for $3-million in cash – he plans to transform that property for mixed commercial and residential use.

The preliminary plans for the property on Bloody Pond Road is for a three-story, 32-apartment senior housing complex. The property is currently owned by George McGowan, a former town board member and former restaurant owner.

Quaker Road in Queensbury is the proposed next location for a new Taco Bell. The franchise – which is known for its tacos and catch phrase ‘Live Mas” – is looking to expand and build a restaurant at the intersection of Dix Avenue and Quaker Road. The restaurant would be constructed on a portion of land currently owned by Binley Florist & Garden Center. The Taco Bell franchisee – Hospitality Syracuse Inc. – has 17 locations in the Albany Area. 

Binley Garden Center currently has 7.18 acres of property at 773 Quaker Road. Plans for a subdivision have been filed with the Queensbury Planning Board, which is scheduled to review the request on February 21, 2023. This project will require subdivision approval as well as site plan approvals for the restaurant, and minor adjustments on the remaining 5.83 acres of the garden center. The preliminary plans call for the construction of a 2,650 square-foot restaurant with 42 seats and a drive thru. The restaurant would be located between the garden center and the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant.

Binley Florist & Garden Center has been providing flowers and plants to the Glens Falls & Queensbury area for about 130 years. The business has been owned by two families; it was started by Arthur Binley in 1893, and later the business flourished under the leadership of Alexander Hirsh. Today, it is operated by the younger generation of the Hirsh family. The 773 Quaker Road location was purchased by Binley Florist & Garden Center as an expansion in 1978. Understanding the evolution of business has helped keep the business alive: according to the Binley website, Al Hirsh shortly before his death said, “We discovered early on in business, that as years go by people’s tastes change. A flower or a plant that is very popular in today’s market won’t be as popular in a few years so we try to follow the trends.”

Following these trends have led the business to look for new ways to use the land, as well as carry on the traditions of Binley Florist & Garden Center.

The 132-acre property located at 2999 State Route 9L on the east side of Lake George formerly known as the Dunham’s Bay Resort was acquired for $1.8 million by investors Mike Caruso and Daniel Ellsworth. Dunham’s Bay Resort was purchased along with an adjacent property, and the deed filed with the Warren County Clerk’s Office states that the transaction closed in November. 

This resort features two restaurants: The Brasserie At Bayside, and Tavern on the Bay, both operated by Chef Jason Travis and his wife Nicole. These two restaurants will have guests’ expectations covered, providing both an upscale farm to table restaurant, and an upscale tavern dining option. Travis and his wife have also owned 10 McGillis Public House in the Village of Lake George since 2019. 

In addition to the two restaurants, the resort features amenities including banquet spaces, 36 year round and seasonal cabins and cottages, fire pits, pickleball courts, and an indoor heated pool with a jacuzzi. There are also 118 acres of wooded hiking trails.

The property was purchased from Swordfish Realty, a holding company for a NYC hedge fund company. The previous owners had purchased the resort for $2.62 million in 2013; during this time, hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in bringing internet lines from the Village of Lake George to the resort. This resort was used by their investment management firm to give employees a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City while still allowing them to conduct business.