saratoga living recently had the chance to interview Bryant Luizzi, owner of Luizzi Bros. Sealcoating & Paving (LBS), a third-generation, Albany-based business. (The Luizzi name has been paving in the Capital Region since the early 1950s.) Bryant founded LBS in high school, and his company now specializes in both residential and commercial sealcoating and paving projects. We asked Bryant to introduce us to his company, and tell us why it stands out in the greater Capital Region.
How did you get your start in the industry?
My grandfather was a paver and founded a company in the ’50s, and then my father took over from him. Eventually, I launched my own company. I saw an opportunity to use the skills and resources I’d acquired from working alongside my father, filling a niche and providing services that he no longer offered clients. My business is now focused not only on sealcoating and paving for residential clients, but also a number of commercial ones.
Why is the Capital Region such a great place to run a business?
Because it’s so diverse. You have all kinds of economic backgrounds and living situations—rural, urban and suburban—located within one small region. This makes it easier to develop relationships with customers.
Tell me about one of your favorite projects.
For the first time ever in our area, we put in a new, neon-green bike path along the Corning Preserve. The idea is to install bike paths just like it all over the Albany area, so that bicyclists riding in the bike-share lane will be more visible to drivers.
What sets your business apart from the other companies in the region?
I would definitely say the amount of knowledge we have. We’ve been around a very long time, which makes our customers feel more confident and comfortable hiring us. It also means that we have an expertise in paving and sealcoating that others don’t.
What impact do you hope your business is having on the greater Capital Region?
One of our goals this year is to get more involved in giving back to the community. But beyond that, we impact the local community with the quality of work that we do. After we put a driveway in, I’ve noticed how proud our customers are the first time they drive on it, realizing the complete transformation that’s occurred. They’ll call back and tell us how happy they are that this is their home, and how great a job we did.
