15th Annual Liberty Main Street Forum

A two-day conference in Liberty will feature over 30 specialists in downtown and main street revitalization as well as building preservation from around New York State. This year’s annual event takes place on November 6 and 7 at the Liberty Museum and Arts Center located at 46 South Main Street in Liberty. It is co-sponsored by the New York Main Street Alliance (NYMSA) and the New York State Urban Council.

Now in its 15th year, the annual “Main Street Forum” on Monday, November 7 will offer practical advice and information to communities about downtown revitalization issues. For the first, the format will be all panel discussions with Main Street experts that will cover basic, intermediate and advanced topics.

One panel discussion will be moderated by representatives from the NYS Housing and Community Renewal, which has been responsible for millions of dollars in funding and grants for main streets and downtown redevelopment throughout New York State.

The tenth annual “New York Preservation Forum” will be held on the previous day, Sunday, November 6. Speakers will discuss restoring Main Street buildings, as well as historic preservation issues and techniques with the focus on cultural buildings on Main Street. The day concludes with an evening reception for the 10th Annual Preservation Photography Show.

The cost of registration is $40 for Sunday, $95 for Monday or $120 for both. Breakfast and lunch at the museum are included with registration. Discounted registration rates are available for three or more persons registering together. Scholarships are available through the Liberty Museum.

Sullivan Renaissance Community Planner Helen Budrock is one of the conference speakers and the event may be of particular interest to organizations and individuals that have had Sullivan Renaissance projects on their Main Streets. For more information contact Helen Budrock at 845-295-2462 or hbudrock@sullivanrenaissance.org no later than November 3rd.

Photo: Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce

Farewell Great American, for now…

Yesterday the Great American supermarket in Liberty was open, today it’s officially closed. For generations Great American has been serving the grocery needs of residents in the Village and beyond. And it hasn’t changed much at all over those many years. But Great American is now closed, that is for a few months at least.

The store was sold to Butch Resnick of Glen Wild. Resnick who owns a market in Newark, NJ plans to refurbish Great American over the next 2-3 months. Resnick has been involved in other possible ‘rehab’ projects in Sullivan County before. He presented a plan back in January to refurbish the Apollo Plaza in Monticello. We couldn’t reach Mr Resnick for comment.

There are already grumblings about the sudden closure of Great American. There are a lot of people that frequent the store from within the village. They walk to it and most are elderly and have no way to make it out to Shoprite on Rt 52. Can our limited transportation choices in the Village help get them out to Shoprite? We’ll see in the next few months.

The other thing people are concerned about are working conditions in the new Great American. Great American has always been a Union shop. Some believe that the time period for refurbishing is set to allow Union contracts to expire. Employees at the new Great American will then be non-union, resulting in a cost savings to the new owner.

Regardless of what the future is of Great American, I think we can all agree that it was in dire need of make over. For now we can only wait and see what happens over the next few months. What do you think about the ‘new’ Great American or share some stories about the old Great American in our comment area below.

Friend this: ‘the social network’ in Liberty on 8/19

The third installment of the 2011 Summer Outdoor Movies series in Liberty, on Friday August 19, will be “the social network”, the 2010 winner of multiple Academy Awards and Golden Globes.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake, the movie chronicles the history of facebook – from the early beginnings in 2003 to what has now become a global social network that revolutionized communication – making its creator Mark Zuckerberg the youngest billionaire in history. But such success comes at a price…

Showtime is approximately 8 PM – whenever it’s dark enough to start. The Summer Stage is located next to LaPolt Park and opposite Town Hall at 120 North Main Street.

Liberty Movie Nights are made possible and presented by the Liberty Community Development Corporation, Liberty Rotary Club, the Town of Liberty Parks & Rec. Department, and Floyd & BoBo’s Bakery.

Provided by the Liberty Community Development Corporation

Superhero comes to Liberty

IRON MAN 2 is the opening movie on Friday, August 5, of the 2011 Outdoor Movies Series on Liberty’s Summer Stage on North Main Street.

Robert Downey, Jr. reprises his role as superhero Tony Stark as he battles it out with the bad boys of the world, this time in the shape of Mickey Rourke aka Ivan Vanko. Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, and Samuel L. Jackson complete the cast of this 2010 movie, described by Roger Ebert as “a polished, high-octane sequel, …building once again on a quirky performance by Robert Downey, Jr.”

Showtime is approximately 8 PM – whenever it’s dark enough to start. The Summer Stage is located next to LaPolt Park and opposite Town Hall at 120 North Main Street.

Liberty Movie Nights are made possible and presented by the Liberty Community Development Corporation, Liberty Rotary Club, the Town of Liberty Parks & Rec. Department, and Floyd & BoBo’s Bakery.

Crowds flock to Annual Liberty Festival – Photos and Video

This past Monday was the Annual Liberty Festival in the Village of Liberty. Hundreds, even thousands of people descended on Main Street to enjoy a great parade, a large number of vendors, and a beautiful day. Liberty also looked great thanks to the hard work of Liberty Pride and the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce.

There was not a parking spot to be found in Liberty before the Parade started it’s way down main street. But once you were able to get on main street you were treated to a great parade featuring firetrucks, classic cars, motorcycles, and this being an election year for the Town – many aspiring politicians.

There was a wide array of vendors on Main Street – everything from jewelry to clothing, and things you just don’t see everyday like miniature fake dogs. Our favorite food vendor Carrero’s Italian Sausage was on site temping your taste buds with their classic sausage and peppers.

We especially enjoyed the Sullivan County ASPCA with their adorable puppies.

The best part of the day was the smiling faces on the kids that were taking in the day. This is the kind of event that Liberty’s future will recall years from now.

We captured some of the day in photos, and one video of Liberty’s Charlie Barbuti playing the tuba:

It was a great day, hope to see you on Main Street again next year!!

Liberty Fitness the first project to make Liberty’s Main Street stronger

Liberty Fitness on North Main Street is the first project under the Liberty CDC’s Main Street Program to move into the construction phase and begin transforming the Liberty Fitness Center, inside and out. Owner Cindy Fracasse and CDC Executive Director Heinrich Strauch recently signed the grant contract that awards funding to the project out of the CDC’s Main Street Grant from the NYS Office of Housing Community Renewal.

Says Liberty Fitness’ Fracasse:” I am proud to be the first recipient of Liberty Main Street funds, and it is fitting that this program comes along as Liberty Fitness is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary.” Adds Strauch:” Liberty Fitness is exactly the kind of business that you want on a Main Street – it creates foot traffic, its customers use other Main Street businesses, and it offers an important service to the community. What better partner than Liberty Fitness to start our efforts to get Main Street into better shape?” Acting Liberty Chamber of Commerce President Jeremy Gorelick, who will support Fracasse as construction coordinator, says:”Liberty Fitness is an important and dedicated member of the Village’s business community. We look forward to seeing it rejuvenated as part of the bigger Main Street program. Come Summer 2012, Liberty’s Main Street will have made another important step forward.”

The Liberty Main Street program is funded through a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant from the NYS Office of Housing and Community Renewal. A committee of community representatives selected 17 Main Street properties (out of 27 applications) to receive funding of up to 75% of total project costs for proposed improvements, with all projects to be completed by August 2012.

Memorial Day Weekend Happenings in Liberty

Friday, May 27th

Penny Social to Benefit American Cancer Society Relay for Life
Liberty Presbyterian Church on Main Street
Doors open at 5pm

Saturday, May 28th

YARD SALE-O-RAMA
throughout Greater Liberty Area* / 11am-4pm
*maps available at Liberty Fitness, Floyd & Bobos,Village Hall and The Catskill Hudson Bank

ART-IN-THE-PARK ART & CRAFT SHOW
LaPolt Park • 12-4pm(rain date Sunday, May 29)

FOOD FEST
LaPolt Park • 12-4pm(rain date Sunday, May 29)

TALENT SHOW & OPEN MIC
LaPolt Park Pavilion • 12-4pm (rain date Sunday, May 29)

DUCK RACE
1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm (rain date Sunday, May 29)

André Turan breaking the GUINNESS BOOK WORLD RECORD FOR SQUATS!
plus
FREE YOGA CLASS at 11am by Marilyn of Sat Nam Yoga

SUNDAY, May 29th

YARD SALE-O-RAMA – CONTINUES
throughout Greater Liberty Area* / 11am-4pm
*maps available at Liberty Fitness, Floyd & Bobos,Village Hall and The Catskill Hudson Bank

MONDAY, May 30th

LIBERTY MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
Main Street LINE-UP 10am PARADE 10:30am

MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES
LIBERTY VETERANS’ CEMETERY on Cold Spring Rd. Immediately Following Parade
Guest Speaker: JODI GOODMAN Sullivan Legislator District 6 SULLIVAN COUNTY VETERANS’ CEMETERY on Sunset Lake Rd. 1:00pm
FREE ICE CREAM FOR KIDS

Frankel Hardware Uncovers Windows

The brown paper on the windows of Frankel Hardware was removed today to reveal a fully-stocked hardware store. Frankel Hardware was before my time in Liberty, but looks like something is up at this location. Does anybody have the scoop?