Glens Falls Business Journal
By LEE COLEMAN
Two local businessmen have purchased the long vacant Suzuki Autoworld building on Route 9 in Moreau and are renovating the structure to serve multiple small businesses.
Ben Alden and Brian McKenzie are calling the transformed building Moreau Commons. They purchased the Suzuki property from Robert Vittengl for $1million.
The 12,000 square foot building has been vacant for more than a decade. Suzuki discontinued automobile sales in the United States in 2012 although the Japanese company still continues to produce and sell vehicles in other global markets.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in the property,” Alden said.
“The building itself needs lots of maintenance, all new walls, new electrical, and insulation,” he said.
Alden owns Platinum Protective Coatings LLC at 1330 Saratoga Road (Route 9) in Moreau and McKenzie owns McKenzie Drywall, a local company that has done projects throughout upstate New York. The two men have known each other for 25 years and have done many projects together. They both live in Moreau. They started working together many years ago when they brought Linex truck liners to the region.
The men also partnered in the 1330 Saratoga Road building where Alden’s business is located along with a salon, a yoga studio and soon an Edward Jones office. McKenzie Drywall did all the interior building work and Alden manages the building.
“We are a field contractor. We do the fit up. Once the steel is up we do the inside work,” McKenzie said. His company has worked with many builders, including Bonacio Construction and Munter Enterprises Inc. on major projects.
Executive Property Services LLC is the name of the partnership. Alden and McKenzie estimate it will cost between $400,000 and $500,000 to transform the building to serve eight or nine small businesses. A coffee cafe and Upstate Barber Shop have already claimed space in the building.
The partners feel the Northway Exit 17 corridor is under served as compared to the Northway Exit 18 and Exit 19 corridors. Traffic counts indicate that 30,000 cars pass the building each day.
“It’s ideal for business. It’s a great location. It would be nice to get a restaurant here,” Alden said. Spaces still available range from 600 to 1,500 square feet.
McKenzie Drywall is doing all the renovation and interior construction work on the building. McKenzie said the goal is to have the project completed and most spaces filled by Nov. 1. The partners are seeking final site plan approval from the Moreau Town Planning Board this month. The town’s new sewer infrastructure makes commercial construction easier, according to McKenzie.
“Brian (McKenzie) is a mentor for me. It’s great to be a partner with him,” Alden said. He said McKenzie envisioned the way the Suzuki building could be divided up and transformed into Moreau Commons with a common entrance and a shared common area.
For those businesses locating in Moreau Commons electrical, all outside lawn and gardening work, and snow plowing are included in the lease. “Everything is included,” Alden said.