Pyramid Brokerage celebrates 50 years in business
Pyramid Brokerage, a commercial real estate services company founded in Syracuse in 1971 that later expanded to Albany and elsewhere in the state, is celebrating 50 years in business.
The company was founded by Joseph Scuderi to do business in both the residential and commercial spheres, but he quickly decided to focus on commercial alone, according a statement from the company.
In 1985, Pyramid expanded to Rochester, then Buffalo in 1989. In 1998, under the leadership of CEO Robert Berkey, the company made a quick series of expansions and acquisitions, including an office in Albany. The firm also
bought Robert Mead and Associates in Binghamton and opened offices in Corning and Ithaca. In 2003, Pyramid bought Berlow Real Estate in Buffalo and opened an office in Watertown in 2004.
After more expansion in 2007, Pyramid became a member of the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance. The global company has 400 offices and 53,000 employees and agents. Pyramid operates out of
10 offices across the state.
Accolades for preservation in Schenectady's Stockade
Schenectady Heritage Foundation has chosen three properties in the Stockade as winners of the 2021 historic preservation awards.
Arthur's Market was substantially repaired and preserved over the last three years by owner
Haley Priebe. Named for the late Arthur Polachek, a popular figure who once ran the store, the store has been the site of a market since 1795, when the town of Rotterdam built a market so farmers had a place to in the growing city of Schenectady to sell produce. Priebe made structural repairs, fixed the roof, painted the outside, and made a variety of upgrades inside the 3,672square-foot building. She received a grant from the Foundation to install new, historically appropriate windows. Priebe operates Arthur's as a cafe, grocery and gift shop.
Diane Runkel has been recognized for her efforts to restore the exterior of 12 N. College St., built circa 1891. Runkel peeled back aluminum siding and restored the original wooden siding, duplicating missing decorative elements where necessary. She received a facade grant from the Foundation. Runkel's father, George Kranick, bought and operated the nearby Whitmyre Broom Factory in 1947 and produced brooms there until the 1970s.
The third award recipient is Jac Solghan, who restored much of the exterior of 16 N. Church St. and upgraded the interior.
An informal celebration will be held at 4 p.m. May 20 in front of Arthur's Market.
Schenectady Heritage Foundation is a volunteer non-profit organization founded in 1979 with seed money from the Stockade Association.
In 2002, the Foundation expanded its scope to include all of Schenectady County and collaborates with other historic districts and advocates to further its mission of fostering historic preservation countywide.