LIBERTY — Liberty is throwing its hat into the ring for a chance to win $10 million in state funds to invest in revitalizing its downtown.

A group of town officials, business leaders and local residents met at the Liberty Senior Center on Wednesday, August 11 to discuss their 2021 downtown revitalization application.

Now in its fifth operational year, the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) started by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office is expected to continue under incoming Governor Kathy Hochul.

In previous years, the program granted $10 million to one community in each of New York’s 10 Regional Economic Development Councils. Due to the program being postponed last year while the state dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, the money from 2020 carried over and each region is eligible for up to $20 million this year.

In addition to the Town and Village of Liberty cooperating on an application, the Village of Monticello plans to submit their own as well.

The state describes the goal of this economic development program as “to transform downtown neighborhoods into vibrant centers that offer a high quality of life and are magnets for redevelopment, business, job creation, and economic and housing diversity.”

Town of Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo said that the Town and Village of Liberty are working together on a joint application since proposals that demonstrate cooperation between different local governments and organizations carry more weight.

“We have two governing jurisdictions - the town and the village - but as a people we’re unified,” Supervisor DeMayo said. “By remaining unified in our endeavors I'm sure that we can enhance our way of life here.”
DeMayo said that they would seek input from leaders business owners, county government officials, the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and others to draft a final application which is due by September 15.

“It’s very important that we show contributions from as many entities as we can,” DeMayo explained.
For Liberty resident and County Commissioner of Health & Family Services John Liddle, the DRI application has become a personal project.

“I think there’s a good story to tell,” Liddle said last week to the group of businessowners and community stakeholders assembled. “There is a lot of good work that’s been done.”

The draft DRI application from 2020 presented a vision of Liberty with a resurgent tourism industry, a growing arts and culture community and a broader look at attracting some light manufacturing along the Old Route 17 Corridor.

“Altogether, Liberty’s downtown and immediate vicinity offer galleries, museums, special events, golf courses, cycling trails and other leisure activities, making it the ideal ‘base camp’ for enjoying the Catskills and Upper Delaware region,” the 2020 draft application reads.

Representatives in Liberty say that more than $6 million has been invested in the demolition and cleanup of the former Grossinger’s Resort site. The town hopes that they can eventually attract a new developer to this 1,200 acre property which once hosted 150,000 visitors a year at its peak.

In addition, the historic Liberty Theater is in the middle of a multi-million dollar rehabilitation with some help from the Restore Ny program, which provides municipalities with financial assistance to restore blighted commercial and residential properties.

There’s high hopes that the project, led by liberty businessman Bruce Davidson, could restore half a downtown block to its former glory and inspire new life in the heart of Liberty’s downtown.
The Town also expressed optimism about plans to expand the Sullivan County Golf and Country Club, as well as more than $600,000 invested by the Sullivan County Land Bank to rehabilitate blighted properties in the village.

“The state wants to see that we are investing in ourselves to show that we are a worthy investment for them,” Liddle said.