Catskill was the eighth-round winner for the Capital Region in this year’s DRI awards, meaning the town will see $10 million in state funding for projects aimed at improving the downtown creek district. Residents were able to propose their own ideas to the Local Planning Committee in an open call earlier this summer. This month’s meeting at the Catskill Senior Center allowed them to make their pitch to the public.
HR&A Consultant Bret Collazzi says the winners should focus on one of four main goals identified by the planning committee (housing, downtown assets, community spaces, and accessibility). Winners will also need to be an air-tight plan.
“As you hear from project sponsors today, think about: Does the sponsor have the ability to execute a project of this scale? Does the sponsor have a clear path securing all the funding to execute the project on their timeline?" Collazzi notes. "And can they execute the process on a reimbursement basis? The way DRI funding works, project sponsors receive the funding after they’ve already outlaid funds, so there needs to some amount of capacity to fund projects in that interim period.”
Village Board President Natasha Law, who co-leads the planning committee, says they received nearly $30 million worth of ideas, including 28 major projects and 30 smaller ones. The committee expanded the boundaries of the downtown district during the open call to include the commercial portion of West Bridge Street.
The village itself is requesting nearly $3.4 million for four projects. Law says these would improve the streetscapes of Main Street and West Bridge Street, install more signs and crosswalks, add public restrooms, and build two boat launches on Catskill Creek — one for potential ferry service connecting to the Hudson River, and one for small crafts.
“The Catskill Creek is our defining natural asset, but for many it’s been physically out of reach," says Law. "The Catskill Community Creek Launch will change that, making the water accessible for everyone.”
Some attendees pointed out that a ferry dock could be included in a separate proposal for upgrades by Hop-O-Nose Marina and the Creekside Restaurant.
In other proposals: the Catskill Public Library is seeking nearly $1.5 million for renovations. One of the largest projects seeking DRI funding is a more than $30 million workforce housing project proposed for 506 Main Street. Developer Kearney Reality Group is seeking $1 million. Kenneth Kearney says he doesn’t own the property yet, but he envisions 70 apartments and four ground-floor storefronts.
“Fifty percent of the units are set aside for those pursuing artistic or literary activities. And then we set aside another 20-25 units for middle-income units," Kearney explains. "Our rents would be somewhere between $700-$1,100 for a one-bedroom apartment.”
Eleven of the 28 large-scale projects involve constructing or renovating existing buildings to create housing in Catskill. The Catskill Housing Authority is seeking nearly $2 million for a new playground and 12 affordable units at its Hop-O-Nose Homes campus on Bronson Street. Executive Director Timothy Mattice notes the housing is contingent on additional state grants.
“We would be submitting an application to the state to secure some important funding to make this project happen. And then we would hope to leverage the DRI funding as well," says Mattice.
Others would like to see the funds improve local theaters, breweries and businesses. Jeffrey Barrett, treasurer of the Bridge Street Theatre, is asking for nearly $600,000 to install a new fire-suppression system and make a “big room” for rehearsals.
“We’re getting more and more interest," he adds. "We’ve got children’s programs coming in. We’ve got children’s programs that didn’t come in because it’s like, ‘Well, where can we put you? If the actors are rehearsing on the stage, we have no other rehearsal space.”
None of the proposals have been selected yet. Law says the Local Planning Committee will vote on projects and recommend $12-$15 million worth to the state for review in November.
The committee also conducted a survey this summer, asking residents about what they view as the biggest issues downtown. The top three concerns? Not having a community center, a lack of housing, and difficulty accessing the Catskill Creek.
The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for September 29, to collect additional input.
