NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING FOR $1.2 MILLION DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE FROMER MARKET GARDENS EXPANSION IN TANNERSVILLE

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley today announced the groundbreaking of the $1.2 million expansion of the Fromer Market Gardens, a crucial piece of the Village of Tannersville’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). This project will breathe new life into the store, including expanding the farm stand and the parking lot to provide more spaces, including accessible ones. The approximately 50 percent expansion of the farm stand, which is utilizing $366,000 in DRI funding, will increase the availability of fresh produce to the community. 

“Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting new chapter for Tannersville, transforming an underutilized site into a vibrant asset the entire community can enjoy and benefit from,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, New York State is proud to partner with local leaders to bring new energy, opportunity and economic growth to Fromer Market Gardens, an investment that reflects our continued commitment to strengthening small towns and ensuring they remain dynamic places to live, work and visit.”

The Fromer Market Gardens is a small, organic farm on Main Street located near the Hunter/Tannersville High-Middle School with a more than 8,000 square-foot cold weather greenhouse and several acres of cultivations and open fields which provide produce to the Mountaintop community. It also includes the “Fromer Farmhouse,” an historic building used for weekend events, a barn, free-standing farm stand and food production facilities. 

These projects are part of Tannersville’s efforts to support economic activity and reinforce the role of downtown as a center of community life. By improving the overall user experience of its downtown, the Village is boosting existing businesses, encouraging new investment and increasing activity in the downtown area.  

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Projects that encourage new investments and generate new energy and interests are at the core of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The expanded Fromer Market will invite more residents and visitors to explore Tannersville's Main Street, supporting other local small businesses, while growing access to fresh produce and culinary education."

Sean Mahoney, Executive Director, Hunter Foundation and Town of Hunter Supervisor said, “The Fromer Market Gardens Culinary Hub represents a major step forward in how we think about community development here in Tannersville. This project is about more than a building, it’s about creating a space where local agriculture, education, and opportunity come together in a meaningful way. We’re especially grateful to the New York State Department of State and Empire State Development for their support in helping bring this vision to life. Their investment is not only helping us break ground today but helping us build something that will serve this community for years to come.” 

Lee McGunnigle, Tannersville Mayor said, “Fromer Market Gardens is an integral anchor in the revitalization of our community, promoting farm-to-table awareness and supporting ecotourism. The project aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen our downtown, improve traffic flow, and enhance this longstanding community staple. We are grateful for the investment from New York State’s DRI Program. It is wonderful to see projects come to fruition as envisioned in our original scope.”

In addition to the Fromer Market Gardens expansion, the following DRI projects are also being funded by the DRI in Tannersville:

• Spruce Street Affordable Housing Project: Development of 62 mixed-income residential units on a currently blighted site (former Cold Spring Hotel), in a low-scale, with wood-framed buildings of two- to three stories.
• Expand and Upgrade the Orpheum Performing Arts Center: Equipment upgrades, construction of new dance studios and streetscape/accessibility improvements to expand annual performing arts season and educational programs. Exterior upgrades include implementing a vertical planting façade and new signage.
• Improve Village Connectivity and Trailhead/Parking Areas: Implementation of a multi-component connectivity project to improve walkability and pedestrian safety through the installation of sidewalks and crossings, as well as creation of two parking areas that will serve as trailhead sites and public spaces.
• Revitalize Mixed-Use Site at 5975 Main Street: Construction of a new 12,000-square-foot building to replace the former Spinning Room building, which has been vacant due to structural issues. The new development will include 12 residential workforce units and a retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.
• Create the Painted Village Festival Event Grounds: Infrastructure and site work on the Colonial Golf Park to prepare the site for a festival, concert, and events ground to fulfill a multi-phase vision that would reintroduce festivals to the Mountaintop region.
• Implement a Municipal Solar System: Installation of solar panels in 4 locations: Village Hall, lake area pavilion, Gooseberry Creek Park, and new trailhead parking area. This solar panel system will cover the full municipal power usage.
• Upgrade Country K Grocery and Renovate Upper Floor Apartments: Renovation of the Country K grocery/pizzeria and addition of a deli section to occupy the entire ground floor. Renovation of upper floor workforce housing apartments, creating additional 2 units.
• Implement Upgrades at the Mountain Top Library: Implementation of 4 projects to improve different aspects of the library and expand activities offered. The projects are: installing an outdoor pavilion, creating a pop-up art gallery, replacing exterior doors and installing a new power generator.

The Fromer Market DRI project is complemented on-site by the expansion of a culinary kitchen in the Fromer Farmhouse funded by a $500,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture, $50,000 from the Empire State Development Strategic Planning and Feasibility Study grant program, $100,000 from Pro-Housing Community funds and $315,000 from the Hunter Foundation.  

The Village of Tannersville was named the Capital Region’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative winner for the fifth round in 2022. Other DRI winners in the region include Glens Falls, Hudson, Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Cohoes, Lake George and Catskill. 

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative 
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to achieving the State's bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through nine rounds, the DRI have awarded a total of $1 billion to 99 communities across every region of the State. The Governor has proposed another $100 million for the program in her 2026-2027 Executive Budget.