Rensselaer County

#CapNYRedAlert Profile: Jon Elbaum, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

September 17, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Like many venues in the Capital Region, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall cancelled or postponed their Spring and Fall 2020 concerts series. Further, Executive Director Jon Elbaum is feeling “pretty questionable” about Spring 2021. The impact of that loss is shared by many. “We won’t be hiring stagehands, caterers, and doing our usual marketing and media buys,” Elbaum said. “That’s 50,000 fewer patrons coming to Troy, where they’d be shopping and dining.” Their annual budget used to be $2 million, and it’s now shrunk to a small percentage of that.

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Executive Director Jon Elbaum

Despite these challenges, TSBMH was able to put on drive-in concerts this summer. Additionally, 20 outdoor shows brought entertainment to nearby al fresco restaurant patrons. “The artists were so thankful for the chance to perform,” Elbaum said. This winter, they’ll be streaming performances from the hall. “This won’t make up for lost income, but it will help our patrons and supporters to see these performances and stay connected with us”

Jon Elbaum’s Recommendations

ACE asked Elbaum what would help TSBMH, and he mentioned the following:

Federal relief legislation, including Senator Chuck Schumer’s Save Our Stages bill
Grants, rather than loans. (“The loans were helpful, but we need more.”)
Clear communications and guidelines regarding reopening. (“Rules, timeline, health criteria, and more,” Elbaum stressed.)

The biggest unknown is whether audiences will be comfortable coming back inside the nation’s venues, Elbaum said. “There is so much riding on that.”

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is located at 30 2nd St, Troy, NY 12180-3292.

Support TSBMH and our other local creative businesses and organizations by participating in #CapNYRedAlertNov1. Click here to register today.

100+ CapNY Breweries, Distilleries, Wineries and Cideries

July 28, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Hudson Chatham Winery, Photo: Albany.org

The Capital Region has a dazzling array of craft beverage venues and makers that, IMNSHO, rival anywhere in the U.S. To help you explore, we’ve created a downloadable Google map, below. So grab your friends and take a tasty trip to a new, nearby locale. Choose your vibe. Urban warehouse. Creekside patio. Rural vineyard tasting room. There are 110 in all, with something in nearly every CapNY city, town and county.

Share you faves with us! Tag your visit with #CapNY, #getCAPtivated, and #upstatecreative.

CapNY Brew Reviews

ACE and CapNY are spotlighting businesses and makers driving the industry. Additionally, we’ll ask 518 Influencers for their faves.

Mad Jack Brewing, Reviewed by Tim of #TimsNYKitchen. Mad crazy history and stellar sandwiches abound. Urban / cozy / patio setting in historic hotel.

Cap Region Bike Trails: Jeff Buell’s 16-Mile Loop, From Albany to Troy

May 19, 2020 By wordpress

By: Jeff Buell, Principal of Redburn Development

Over the past couple of months, biking has become the preferred mode of transportation for many looking for socially distant recreational activities. Jeff Buell, a Schenectady resident, Cap Region enthusiast, and Principal of Redburn Development is an avid biker, so we asked him to share one of his favorite Cap Region bike trails…read on!

From 1994 to 2019, I biked around 75 miles. Generously. Since we’ve shut down our lives, I’m one short ride away from 600 miles! I’ve biked more in two months more than I’ve driven, a notion I would have scoffed at if ever suggested to me prior to COVID.

Naturally this makes me an expert in 2020, and so here are a few tips for a Cap Region ride, especially for all the new cyclists (that’s what we call ourselves) out there looking for expand their horizons.

For today, we will talk about my loop.

Jeff’s Loop: Albany to Troy

Just about every day I head out from the base of Jennings Landing (it’s the footbridge on Broadway, plenty of parking available) in Albany and head towards Troy. The total loop is just about 16 miles, and with a few exceptions, is quite an easy ride.

The first 5.5 miles is on the bike path. You can’t get lost, you can’t take a wrong turn, you just go. It’s crowded until you clear the I-90 bridge, then loosens up. Be prepared then when passing, many people wear headphones, and do not always excel in walking in a straight line.

At 5.5 you’ll hit Watervliet and must head onto the streets where the cars care less for bikers than the pedestrians you just passed, though admittedly, it’s probably close. Hug the road that 787 parallels (Broadway) until you get to 25^th Street. There you want to hang a right until you get to the Green Island Bridge.

There’s something freeing about slowly moving over the Hudson River and being able to take it all in.

Right now you’re about 8 miles in and you’re going to head back. OR, you can head into downtown Troy and stop somewhere. Little Pecks is always a great option, so is Liza’s. Or, if you’re me, you stop and talk with your buddy Heidi on her stoop for a while.

To Get to Downtown Troy:

From the Green Island Bridge you can head right into Riverfront Park where a bike lane mysteriously appears and will take you all the way through South Troy to the Menands Bridge. Be forewarned, the deceptively hilly and always windy last mile of South Troy can be a challenge for new bikers, but you got this! Sure, sometimes I feel like I’m going backwards, but that really is just a feeling. Promise.

View of Troy from the Green Island Bridge

Over the Menands Bridge you go until the path dumps you back onto the bike path where you are about 4.5 miles from Jennings Landing. Go right, not left, off the ramp.

There’s a few alternate plans that head you up to Waterford, or Schenectady if you are intrigued. All are great paths with some hills. All eminently accessible via the Interweb.

Biggest takeaway? Fear not the streets! Cars are (mostly) aware of you. Go in a straight line. Wear a helmet. And see the Cap Region from a brand-new vantage point!

Creative Economy Mixer at Collectiveffort: Photo Highlights

February 27, 2020 By upstatecreative

Our February 2020 Creative Economy Mixer was at Collectiveffort in Troy, a new creative agency and workspace whose mission is building and bridging communities. We enjoyed entertainment from The Age, an informative tax workshop (especially for freelancers!) with Kelly Saposnick of Wojeski & Company, food from K-Plate Korean BBQ, beverages from Rare Form Brewing and much more.

Collectiveffort is not just a coworking space- check out the other amazing things that happen there:

Podcasting: Collectiveffort wants to help you tell your story! Come chat with them during the event at the live Podcast station.

Media Studio: Part of what helps to build a great brand is great content. Stop by the media studio to get updated photos for your social media and website.

Event Giveaway: One lucky guest received a special gift from the team at Collectiveffort.

Special thanks to the event sponsors Center for Economic Growth,MVP Health Care, The Community Loan Fund, Rensselaer County Chamber, and promotional partners Redburn Development, CapGirls, The Collaborative, Troy BID and Rensco Tourism. Event production by 2440 Design Studio.

Creative Economy Mixer: Arts Letters & Numbers Studios

May 30, 2019 By upstatecreative

Thank you for joining us at Arts Letters & Numbers Studios, where we toured their facility, met resident artists, enjoyed food tastings by Laughing Earth Farm, beverage tastings by Albany Distilling Co, a performance by Rachelle Smith-Stallman and more!

We’ll also had an engaging discussion with Arts Letters & Numbers Founding Director David Gersten, and Andrew Frishman of Big Picture Learning.

Without the generous support of our sponsors, this event would not be possible. Thanks to Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region, MVP Health Care, and promotional partner Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce.