Main Street construction wraps up, Catskill to celebrate

CATSKILL—The orange cones are disappearing, the no-parking signs are coming down and, after nearly 18 months of torn-up pavement, underground utility work and sidewalk reconstruction, Main Street is finally emerging from one of the largest infrastructure projects in village history.

Now, it's time to celebrate.

The Village of Catskill will mark the completion of major construction along its historic downtown corridor with a First Friday Fall Festival on November 6, from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring live entertainment, shopping specials, family activities and a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

"The Village of Catskill reached a major milestone," said Village President Natasha Law.

"Really it was three massive projects roped into one," she explained. "We installed brand new water and sewer lines, eliminated lead lines and sewer overflows, put in 90 percent new sidewalks with bump-outs to make Main Street 100 percent ADA accessible, and freshly paved our main corridor along with several side roads."

The transformation came at a substantial cost, with most of the investment buried beneath the pavement.

Approximately $7.6 million has been invested in the project, including $2,395,727 for water infrastructure, $2,918,633 for sewer improvements and approximately $2.3 million through New York State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for streetscape improvements.

Construction began in May 2025, with crews excavating Main Street to replace aging water and sewer infrastructure, portions of which dated back to the village’s incorporation in 1806.

The roadway was temporarily patched in November to accommodate winter traffic before excavation resumed at the end of March 2026.

Water and sewer replacement work concluded earlier this year, with attention shifting to the more visible streetscape improvements. Sidewalk reconstruction was completed at the end of October.

According to Law, paving between the bridge and Greene Street is expected to be completed by Thursday, just in time for Friday's celebration.

"It was a true labor of love that brought me plenty of sleepless nights and even tears of frustration at times, but strong village leadership and an incredible team brought it to fruition," Law said.

Although the most disruptive work is finished, additional improvements are still on the way.

Installation of new period-style streetlights is expected to begin this week. The village also plans to plant more than fifty trees―representing a $69,000 investment―and install new benches, bicycle racks and trash and recycling receptacles.

New parking meters that accept both coins and credit cards are planned for the spring.

"This is all part of the $2.3 million in DRI funding which covered paving and 85 percent sidewalk replacement as well," Law said.

Beyond Main Street, the village is preparing to seek proposals for additional downtown enhancements, including a $465,000 wayfinding signage project covering design, fabrication and installation, also funded through the DRI program.

Other planned improvements include an ADA-compliant kayak launch along Catskill Creek and decorative LED lighting for the Black Bridge spanning the creek.

Friday's Fall Festival will feature live entertainment by Lex Grey and The Urban Pioneers, along with a variety of activities designed to draw visitors into local shops, restaurants and businesses.

Among the more unique attractions is a Puppy Pub Crawl, led by two rescued puppies accompanied by a handler from Precious Pound Pups. The crawl will begin at La Conca D'oro, with stops at Hemlock, Left Bank Ciders, Phos and Chemistry Wine Bar.

Other festivities include a pumpkin rolling contest, balloon animals by Mr. Twisty, a scarecrow entertainer, a silent disco and 50/50 raffles.

Participating merchants will offer specials and discounts throughout the evening, while merchant passports and swag bags will encourage visitors to explore the downtown business district. Patrons purchasing signature drinks will also have an opportunity to enter a drawing for a merchant gift card.

The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the head of Main Street, between Catskill Chocolate Co. and Loomie's Luncheonette. Main Street will be closed to traffic from the intersection of Main and Water streets to the traffic light from 5 to 9 p.m. to accommodate the festivities.

Law hopes both residents and visitors will come out to see the improvements and support the businesses that have weathered the disruption.

"While there is still some work left to do, the biggest hurdles are officially behind us,” she added. “This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor.”