First Columbia Welcomes Garden Bistro to Newest Property

First Columbia announced earlier this year that it is adding new retail and office space to its well-known Riverhill Center, a 17-acre office park located near the Colonie and Niskayuna town lines.

“Riverhill Center has been performing well over the last couple of years,” said First Columbia President Kevin Bette. “Many of our professional tenants have been expanding in their existing buildings and the park is currently 94 percent occupied. This mixed-use building will not only answer a market need for additional space, but also offer those who work at Riverhill Center convenient on-site amenities. The park is expanding alongside our tenants.”

The newest tenant to sign is Garden Bistro 24. The casual restaurant serving classic French bistro-inspired food in a comfortable setting, is the second tenant announced for the new 22,000-square-foot, two-story building fronting Riverhill Center office park.

Last week, 1st Advantage Dental, a longtime Riverhill tenant, opted to relocate from 1201 Troy Schenectady Road, one of the park’s original buildings, into the new facility and will take a prominent corner space location.

“First Columbia’s strategic vision for developing the Route 7 corridor aligns with Garden Bistro 24’s vision for the markets we wish to serve,” said Garden Bistro 24 VP and Co-owner Charles Grizzaffi.“This move will enhance the overall dining experience of our current customer base while being more accessible to a new demographic.”

President and Co-owner John Grizzaffi added that he expects a smooth move into the new plaza.“We will continue to provide the high quality of food and service our customers have come to enjoy at our Central Avenue location until the early summer.Our well-trained and experienced staff will then relocate and our transition will be seamless,” he said.

Garden Bistro 24 opened in Colonie in 2010.The restaurant quickly gained favor among restaurant critics and patrons. In August 2013, a second restaurant opened in at 5 Vista Boulevard in Slingerlands. Both locations are overseen by John Grizzaffi.

“We are honored to be a part of Garden Bistro 24’s expansion and look forward to working with them,” said First Columbia Partner Kevin Bette. “With its location near the Colonie and Niskayuna town lines, 1207 Troy Schenectady Road is ideal for retailers who thrive off everyday business professionals and lunch hour traffic.”

First Columbia expects construction to be completed at 1207 Troy Schenectady Road by late spring/early summer of this year.The prominent mix-used building fronts the 94,000-square foot, three-building Riverhill Center. The centrally located office park experiences high visibility from Troy Schenectady Road, which has an annual average daily traffic count of 32,440 vehicles.

The new plaza is within close proximity to more than 7,000 employees working at neighboring office parks and has just 2,249-square-feet of retail available on the first floor.