$1.2 million expansion begins at Fromer Market Gardens

TANNERSVILLE―Shovels hit the dirt on Wednesday for the official groundbreaking of the $1.2 million expansion of the Fromer Market Gardens.

The project will breathe new life into the store, including enlargement of the farmstand and the parking lot to provide more spaces, including accessible ones. The approximately 50 percent expansion of the farmstand is utilizing $366,000 of the Village of Tannersville’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funding.

“Fromer Market Gardens is an integral anchor in the revitalization of our community, promoting farm-to-table awareness and supporting ecotourism,” said Tannersville Mayor Lee McGunnigle.

“The project aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen our downtown, improve traffic flow, and enhance this longstanding community staple,” he added.

Nicknamed the Painted Village in the Sky for its vibrantly colored buildings and pristine natural environment, Tannersville was awarded $10 million in state DRI funding back in 2022. The program, administered by the Department of State, is aimed at strengthening small upstate communities’ downtown areas.

Fromer Market Gardens is a small, organic farm on Main Street 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.

The 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 Fromer Market Gardens Culinary Hub represents a major step forward in how we think about community development here in Tannersville,” said Hunter Town Supervisor Sean Mahoney, who also serves as executive director of the Hunter Foundation.

He said the state’s investment “is not only helping us break ground today but helping us build something that will serve this community for years to come.”

“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,” Mahoney added.

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 at the former site of the Cold Spring Hotel.

- 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 in Four 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 two units.

- Implement Upgrades at the Mountain Top Library: Implementation of four 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.