Glens Falls, NY
The City of Glens Falls commissioned a new community and market center to serve as a year-round venue for events, festivals and the long-standing Glens Falls Farmers Market. As the centerpiece of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and located adjacent to the Three Squares Historic District on South Street, the building anchors a broader strategy to bring complementary uses to surrounding sites and transform South Street into a vibrant, welcoming destination.
The project pursued four key goals: to embody catalytic and transformative potential, support and expand local and regional resources that improve public health, create more open and sustainable infrastructure, and maximize design, construction , and operation efficiencies.
The completed building achieves these goals through thoughtful design and strategic interventions. Its massing, materiality , and orientation create a striking counterpoint to the historic downtown while making the building highly visible. Nineteen overhead tilt-up doors and flexible open space allow seamless indoor-outdoor integration, expanding the 6,000-square-foot interior to 34,000 square feet for warm-weather events. At night, the clerestory glows as a beacon, signaling the building as a community hub.
Biophilic design inspired by native Adirondack yellow birch - including natural timber finishes, split roof forms, and abundant daylight - supports human well-being and the DRI's mission to strengthen local agriculture, nutrition and public health. Green infrastructure strategies manage stormwater on-site, reducing municipal strain and protecting neighboring properties.
Check out the promotional video from the City of Glens Falls
Photography Credits:
Liz Lajeunesse Photography
Addison Kelly (AJA Architecture & Planning)
Brian Whitney (Adirondack Web Solutions)
Gabi Sarhos (Envision Architects)
