Eight things you need to know on topics related to Saratoga County's economy.

1. Department of Environmental Conservation Clears Ballston Spa Brownfield For Development

The former Haight/Americans Hide on Bath Street, also known as the Angelica laundry property has been cleared by the State Department of Environmental Conservation and primed to become a mixed-use building -- commercial on the first floor with condos on the second. The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership is guiding the village's revitalization of its commercial core. As part of that, Saratoga Partnership President and CEO Shelby Schneider said the organization conducted a survey. Of the 420 responses, Schneider said, "there was a considerable number of people who wanted housing geared towards those looking to downsize and housing to attract young business professionals to the village". Read more about the survey and the Village of Ballston Spa's revitalization plans here.

2. Scaling Up Using Social Media

The Saratoga Partnership has partnered with SUNY Adirondack, Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the NYS Small Business Development Center at UAlbany for an event on March 5th from 7:30am-9:00am titled Scaling Up Using Social Media. Tom and Bri Lyons, founders of Glens Falls Living, have built a modern lifestyle brand dedicated to celebrating life in the Glens Falls area. With more than 73,000 followers on their Instagram feeds, Tom and Bri will share tips on how to use the power of social media to grow your business, whether small or large. Click here to register and join us for insights, networking, and a peek behind the scenes at the inspiration of their brands: @glensfallsliving @theyellownote @wheresthewagoneer.

3. Northern Border Regional Commission 2020 Economic + Infrastructure Development Grant

The Northern Border Regional Commission is pleased to announce the 2020 Economic + Infrastructure Development grant application opportunity. Eligible organizations, which include nonprofit and governmental entities (state, local, + Indian tribes), will be able to access grant application details (available via NBRC's website, nbrc.gov) beginning March 2. While not required, Letters of Interest are requested by March 31, and the online application portal (also available via NBRC's website, nbrc.gov) will be open by April 6. Applications are due by 5pm on Friday, May 15. Please email Saratoga Partnership President Shelby Schneider for more information.

4. CBRE-Albany MarketView Office and Industrial Reports

This past Wednesday, the Saratoga Partnership attended the 2020 CBRE-Albany MarketView event which provides a snapshot of what's happening in the Capital Region and the Nation in terms of commercial real estate. Following the event, CBRE-Albany has released their H2 Office and Industrial MarketView reports. The reports provide an overview of the office and industrial real estate sectors, giving an indication of how the Capital Region is faring in vacancies, total market inventory, and lease rates. Check out the H2 Office and H2 Industrial MarketView reports.

5. New York State Saves 3.6 Million Truckloads Due To Freight Railroad Operations

In the 19th century, it was railroads that united small towns and big cities, farms and factories, truly making New York the Empire State. From Long Island to Western New York and the North Country - and everywhere in between - freight rail still supports businesses and drives innovation and economic opportunity for New Yorkers. New York's 37 freight railroads operate over 3,279 miles of track and employ 2,909 in the Empire State in 2017. GoRail calculates that it would have taken approximately 3.6 million additional truckloads to move the 64.5 million tons of freight that moved by rail in New York in 2017. Intermodal and waste and scrap materials make up the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in New York. Intermodal shipments and chemicals are the state's largest rail imports. GoRail educates community leaders across the country about the public benefits of freight rail investments, mobilizing them in support of an even stronger rail network.

6. 3 ways cities can redefine their economic trajectories

According to this article by Brookings, the path to prosperity is neither obvious nor uniform. Every community in America possesses a unique economy and culture. Their values and priorities cannot be captured in a one-size-fits-all prescriptive agenda for regional economic development. Communities that leaned on their existing advantages but, in doing so, strengthened their unique capabilities and know-how. Other places can take note. In regions that have suffered stagnation and brain drain since the recession, attempting to chase job growth and tax revenue by replicating other cities’ industrial clusters or by targeting narrowly defined advanced industries is a recipe for misplaced effort and resources. Brookings advises that by understanding the nuance and trajectory of a city’s unique industrial structure, leaders can chart a course to shared prosperity and inclusive economic growth. Click here to read more from Brookings.

7. Virtual Reality Engineer Explains One Concept in 5 Levels of Difficulty

The technology behind modern virtual reality is rapidly evolving, but what exactly helps create a better sense of realism and immersion? WIRED has challenged Oculus CTO John Carmack to explain the concept of realism in virtual reality to five different people; a child, a pre-teen, a college student, a grad student, and a VR expert. John goes over what makes his company's product, the Oculus Rift, so successful at creating convincing VR, as well as the initial hesitance to introduce the lower-powered Gear VR into the market.  Watch the Youtube clip here .

8. Most Adults Aware of 2020 Census and Ready to Respond, But Don't Know Key Details

As the 2020 census gets underway, most U.S. adults are aware of it and are ready to respond, but many do not know what it asks or how to participate. A majority incorrectly believes a citizenship question is on the questionnaire, and only about one-in-five know they will have the option of answering online, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Other basic facts about the census are more widely known: A large majority of the public knows that the census asks about their race and age. Majorities correctly say the census is used to decide how many representatives each state has in Congress (59%) and that the census is used to decide how much money communities will get from the government (56%).