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.