Work starts on new I-87 Adirondack Welcome Center
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. » Construction has begun on a new Adirondack Welcome Center, between Exits 17 and 18, on the northbound side of the Northway just over the Hudson River in Queensbury.
The 8,615 square-foot, LEED certifiable building will combine two existing structures at the current rest area.
The center, scheduled for completion this fall, will have a classic Adirondack theme, expanded parking, as well as a boat inspection and washing station to help prevent the spread of invasive species. The site will also feature food and beverages made in New York through vending options under the Taste NY brand, as well as an Adirondacks Walk of Fame.
“Great hospitality starts with a great welcome,” state Senator Betty Little, R-Glens Falls said. “This improvement has been a long time coming so I am very eager to see the work begin. I am certain this new Welcome Center will very fittingly highlight so much of what our incredible region offers.”
The center will also provide a wealth of information about Adirondack region attractions, on interactive I LOVE NY kiosks, to help boost the state’s tourism industry, which has an economic impact of more than $100 billion per year.
In 2016, nearly 12 million peo-
ple visited the Adirondack region — 250,000 more visitors than the previous year, generating nearly $1.35 billion in direct visitor spending. This represents a 3.4 percent spending increase over 2015, and a nearly 14 percent increase since 2011.
In addition, regional tourism generated $169.4 million in state and local taxes last year. The tourism industry supports more than 21,000 jobs and $639 million in labor income annually in the Adirondack region.
One of the building’s proposed main highlights is an Adirondack floor map and an I LOVE NY “selfie” wall, where people can take their picture with a decommissioned ski chair lift. The structure will have environmentally-friendly elements including geothermal water source heat pumps for both heating and cooling, LED light fixtures, electric car charging stations, water efficient landscaping, energy efficient windows and doors, and storage and collection of recyclables.