MALTA — Jim Dawsey, President of MLB Construction Services, says that every building project has to “start with a strong foundation.”

And the strong foundation established at MLB has helped the company reach 75 years of business, which was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.

There was a large crowd on hand to celebrate the achievement, and Dawsey made note of three local business chambers in attendance: The Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, and the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We do a lot of work in all those different areas, but I mean, for that to be recognized by all these groups, it’s just a great feeling,” said Dawsey.

Speakers at the event included Malta Town Supervisor Mark Hammond and New York State Senator Jim Tedisco, who mentioned that MLB built the Memorial Field House at Union College in Schenectady, where Tedisco played basketball as a member of the Dutchmen men’s team. 

“It’s been a tough year, two years, three years, with this pandemic,” said Tedisco. “To think you’ve grown and expanded and are doing projects, and it’s been 75 years, is an unbelievable achievement.”

Tedisco presented MLB with a 2022 New York State Senate Empire Award, in recognition of “outstanding contributions, and dedication to the growth, prosperity, and betterment of their community,” Tedisco said.

Dawsey said the foundation laid by the company’s three founders, Fred Longe, John McManus, and Don Brockwehl, helped guide him in his role as President of MLB.

“I was lucky enough to work with all three of those guys,” Dawsey said. “They just taught me the right way to do business, especially in the construction field. You have to have respect, honesty, and transparency when you’re dealing with people.”

Dawsey highlighted the 1863 Club at the Saratoga Race Course and the science center at Skidmore College as recent MLB projects that stand out, and also mentioned a 1980s project with a hydroelectric plant at the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County.

“There’s like 12-foot diameter pipes that come out of the dam and go down to the city. We put a hydroelectric plant in front of those pipes going down to the city, so that we could generate power at the same time,” Dawsey said. “They used to have a fountain on that site, we put the fountain back so that the people could still enjoy everything that they remembered from growing up at that point. I think that was one of the most fulfilling jobs that I did.”

Dawsey, a Schenectady native, said he feels that the local area is “really alive,” noting the transformation that he’s seen through the years. 

“This whole area in general is just coming back, it’s really alive,” said Dawsey. “There’s a lot of young people that are now staying here in this area, and some people actually moving to the area, whether it’s for Global Foundries or for whatever reason. I think it’s a real growth area now within the state.”

And with 75 years of experience already under their belts, MLB will hope to continue to build and grow for the next 75 years.

“That’s the goal,” said Dawsey.

Paul Smith spent roughly 35 years in the construction industry, building homes. Now, he’s found a new career selling them.

Smith began working with Keller Williams Capital District roughly four months ago, beginning a new venture as a real estate agent. 

“I have done every facet of building homes, from start to finish to out the door,” said Smith. “Up until February, when I had to have major neck surgery and have my neck replaced, which I never would have thought possible. But hey, here we are.”

Smith said he was told by his doctor that he would not be able to continue construction. He said a friend recommended he try real estate, and the idea took off from there.

“I had to really step back and think, what could I do that I’m going to give the most back to the community?” Smith said during an appearance with Mike Nelson of Glens Falls Today’s ‘Chatting With’ series. “I had a buddy of mine that’s in real estate say, ‘Why don’t you get into real estate?”

He said he pondered the idea for a couple of weeks, and decided to jump into the world of realty.

“I got thinking about it, did some reading on it, and said, ‘Let’s go after it,’” Smith said. “I signed up for the course, a 70-hour course I did in nine days.”

Smith noted that his background in building homes has provided “a lot of knowledge” that carries over into real estate. 

“It’s very helpful to my clients, because when we look at a home, I can kind of go through with them, and I can visualize what they want to see,” Smith said. “That’s what I did for basically 28 years when I owned Hourglass Tile. I made people’s visuals come true. So now it’s the same thing in the home.”

Smith said that he tries to cater to his clients’ needs, asking them exactly what they are looking for in a home.

“I’m going to approach things differently than everybody else,” said Smith. “I have a different adage and a different attitude in how you’ve got to go about selling a home. I don’t want to just stuff it down somebody’s throat. I want the home that they get to be the exact one they want.”

Outside of work, Smith has a “drive for competition,” saying he has completed four Ironman triathlons and seven half-Ironmans. 

“I drive for the harder something is,” Smith said. “That’s why I’m going to be good at real estate. I’ve got that drive that just wants to move forward. I don’t care what’s in front of me, I’ll conquer it.”

He said that these triathlons show the tenacity of a person, and noted that qualities like this carry over into his real estate work.

“The customers that know that you’ve got that drive know that you’re never, ever going to give up on them,” said Smith. “They’re going to know you’ve got their back. If you can do that, you can do anything.”

Smith also spent time discussing the current state of the real estate market, saying “it’s going to be a slow trend” upward.

“I think by next summer we’re going to see it be more of a buyer’s market,” Smith said. “I think we’ll see more inventory, and what we need to see is everything leveling off, coming back to baseline. … It’s still a good market, and we’re seeing a little more inventory coming on. Not as much as I’d like to see, but it’s slowly growing.”

Smith mentioned the merits of buying versus renting, saying, “I always tell somebody, marry the house, date the rate.”

“You own the home, but you can always refinance down the road. If you buy it now and it’s high, you can always change that rate,” said Smith. “But if you can get into the home that you want to be in, if you plan on being there 10 years, you’re smart to do it.”

Smith’s focus is on Warren, Washington, and Saratoga Counties, but he said that he “will work with anybody.”

“That’s what I’ve done for 28 years, I’ve worked with all facets of customers,” said Smith. “Every house has its value, and I’m there to show that customer what in that house that they’re looking at is the value.”