Colonie –The Colonie Chamber of Commerce announced plans to honor Former Town of Colonie Police Chief, Steve Heider with their Spirit of the Community Award at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner. The dinner will be held at the Century House on January 28^th, 2016 starting at 6:00 PM. 

 

Created by the Colonie Chamber of Commerce to honor community members who have continually made Colonie a better place to live and work, the Spirit of the Community Award will be presented to Heider, who retired earlier this year after over 42 years on the job.

 

“This award is in recognition of a job well done and a way to thank Chief Heider for his dedication and service to our community.” noted Tom Nolte, Chamber President.

 

Last year’s first ever Spirit of the Community Award was presented to David and Ruth Hoffman of Hoffman’s Playland.

 

The Chamber’s Volunteer of the Year Award will be presented to Frank Paladino of Time Warner Cable Business Class for his contributions to the organization as a Chamber Ambassador.

 

Check presentations will also be made to WERC, the Capital District Women's Employment & Resource Center on behalf of the Chamber’s Women for Women Committee (W4W) as well as to the American Cancer Society for the Chamber’s recent No Shave November fundraiser.

 

In addition the Chamber will also announce the recipients of the Town of Colonie Beautification Achievement Awards at the Annual Dinner. The Beautification Achievement Awards were created to award businesses who strive to enhance the quality of life in the Town of Colonie and contribute to the community’s physical environment. 

 

Awarded by the Chamber’s Government Relations, Economics, and Transportation (G*R*E*A*T) Committee, three recipients will be announced under the categories of New Construction, Redevelopment, and Interior Remodel, the awards are designed to recognize three distinct improvements. 

 

 

The three finalists for each category are:

·         New Construction:

o    Cole’s Collision - completed in 2015 and located at 1517 Central Avenue, this 18,000 sq. ft. facility features some of the world’s most advanced auto repair equipment and has revitalized a property that was deemed “unsafe” with an attractive, state-of-the-art building. 

o    Kinderhook Bank - located at 782 Troy Schenectady Road, the Latham branch compliments the surrounding area with great visibility as well as a clean, modern look that adds to the existing aesthetics of the Route 7 corridor. 

o    Staybridge Suites - completed in December 2014 this energy efficient hotel features 112 spacious suites with a beautiful outdoor courtyard. The property offers guests amenities including a beautiful, heated indoor pool and Jacuzzi as well as an expansive fitness center all within walking distance to entertainment, dining & shopping.

·         Redevelopment:

o    Mabey’s Moving & Storage - included the construction of two climate controlled storage buildings on the corner of New Loudon and Sparrowbush Roads featuring attractive landscaping, fencing and signage.

o    Panda Express – built on property that previously housed a bank the first Panda Express in our area completed construction earlier this year. Known for its clean lines and inviting signage the restaurant is located at 545 Troy Schenectady Road.

o    Plaza 7 Commons - renovations to the 1210 Troy Schenectady Road location have breathed new life to what was formally known to most locals as the “Old Bowlers Club”. Now home to Innovo Kitchen, Ayelada Frozen Yogurt & NexGen Indoor Golf Center among others the property will soon boast a new open marketplace.

·         Interior Remodel

o    Colonie Center - upgrades were completed throughout the Center including center court, the food court, restrooms and family lounge areas. The renovations include iPad stations, lighting, large screen digital TV’s, private nursing stations and new furniture and carpeting; all to upgrade the shopping experience. 

o    Reel Seafood Company – three weeks of renovations were completed in January 2014 and the $500,000 project was inspired by the Aegean-style of clean lines with tints of blues and whites featuring modern trim and lighting, an expanded bar and raw bar area as well as 24 feet of adjoining fish tanks.

o    Swifty’s Restaurant & Pub -  nominated for upgrades to their 95 Everett Road location which included a complete remodel of the bar area from floor to ceiling to provide a more open concept with new televisions, booths andtables. The kitchen was completely gutted and remodeled with new equipment, flooring and walls.

 

ABOUT THE COLONIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:

The Colonie Chamber of Commerce is a business service organization formed to promote the interests of the commercial, industrial, and professional entities in and around Colonie, N.Y. We provide our business community with opportunities to develop strong, local networks, encourage business-to-business exchange, and work with local government officials to create a more business-friendly environment.