New businesses moving in, old ones expanding, as development diversifies
Big box stores losing ground in favor of smaller shops, educational space
The Daily Mail
Feb. 26, 2000

Residents of the Liberty Street neighborhood had the opportunity to discuss with Village President Vincent Seeley and other village and Town officials some of their grievances and hopes for Catskill’s future Wednesday night at the Catskill Senior Center.

The Liberty Street group voiced concern over on-street parking, their flooded basements and the loss of trees in the neighborhood. They also suggested that a revitalized village district should not include big box stores but could include a bookstore and a BOCES classroom to help students learn a trade.

Seeley took notes.

Seeley thanked the Heart of Catskill Association for all its hard work over the years to develop Catskill, comparing the village to a growing child.

“Now I’ve got a crazy teenager, not knowing what they want to do with their life,” he said, “so now we have to to figure out what we want to do with ourselves, as a community.”

Seeley said that without input from the community, he and the village trustees had to guess what would help Catskill’s residents and businesses.

Greene County Legislature Majority Leader Keith Valentine (R-Catskill) described Catskill’s downtown as fragile, and on thin ice.

But, he said, the village’s downtown district, and all of Greene County’s other downtown districts, has made strong improvements over the last few years.

Valentine said that Catskill’s riverfront and deep-water port offered some business opportunities in the past and could again in the future.

“We need to find the right, positive growth to go with it,” he said.

But not every newcomer is waiting for a revitalization plan.

Nancy Richards, Catskill’s community development coordinator and planning board secretary, described some of the new businesses that have either opened or are close to opening in the village.

Catskill Liquors recently opened near the village’s Price Chopper store.

Model homes and homes for sale will soon open in Cauterskill Estates, a 77-plot subdivision on Cauterskill Avenue, she said.

She said a Furniture 4 Less is coming to Boulevard Avenue, and River Street Bake Shop, which has participated in the summer farmers markets, will be opening on Brandow’s Alley, she said.

Plaza Car Wash is expanding and will soon include a place to wash large dogs, she said.

She also announced that a community revitalization workshop will be held in the Senior Center on Mar. 14, from noon to 5 p.m.

Lisa Nagle of Elan Planning and Design said the workshop will allow the people of Catskill to voice their opinions on the revitalization plan. People will be able to draw on maps of the village to indicate where they would like to see specific retailers or other attractions, she said.

Nagle said that ultimately, the strategic downtown plan will be something that will help market the area from West Bridge, West Main and Main streets from the railroad overpass to the point to potential investors.

“It is meant to enhance the existing businesses. It is meant to fill vacant storefronts,” she said.
Nagle said the plan could also help beautify the area by adding parks and benches at which families could congregate and spend time.

“We all have fond memories of where we grew up and where we live now, and it is fun to try to capture that,” she said.

Nagle said that although the economic downturn has made some residents, business owners and potential newcomers nervous, the situation is actually beneficial to community planning efforts.

“It is a good time to pause and think about our downtown,” she said.