Feb.12, 2001

LATHAM (February 12, 2002) - First Columbia, a commercial real estate development company and part of the Bette Family Companies, recently announced that New York Life, the nation's largest mutual insurance company, has expanded its operations and now occupies the entire third floor (15,000-square-feet) at 26 Century Hill Plaza.

"When we moved into this building in October 2000, we doubled the office space from our previous location," said Bob Mason, managing partner of the Albany General Office of New York Life. "However, this company continues to experience tremendous growth. We now employ 40 agents who serve Upstate New York, Vermont and Massachusetts and we had to expand our operations to meet their needs."

New York Life, which led the US in life insurance sales last year, was founded in 1845 to provide individuals, families and businesses with a broad array of insurance and financial products. Through the years, the Fortune 100 company has become one of the nation's premier insurance and financial institutions, and has insured the lives of many prominent individuals, including: Babe Ruth, J.C. Penny, Walter Chrysler, Nat King Cole and Susan B. Anthony.

The anchor tenant at 26 Century Hill Plaza, New York Life is one of several companies with offices within Century Hill Plaza located at Century Hill Drive in Latham. Other companies in Century Hill Plaza include: the New York State School Boards Association, the association representing more than 5,000 school board members across the state; NORESCO, a national energy services company based in Westborough, MA; and, two other Fortune 500 firms - General Electric and St. Paul Fire & Marine Life Insurance Company.

In August, BlueShield of Northeastern New York, one of the region's most established health plans, will relocate its local offices to 30 Century Hill Plaza. The state-of-the-art facility will provide the company with more conference/training space and expanded parking capacity for its 400 employees.