HAMDEN WAKES FROM SLUMBER

Several municipalities in the Catskills have changed appearances, mainly because of the Covid pandemic and influx of new residents, many from New York City.

"Just a few years ago, it was a sleepy little hamlet. The Hamden Inn was closed. The General Store was closed," said Hamden Town Supervisor Wayne Marshfield. "Basically, there was the bank, the post office, and the church."

Now, the tables have somewhat turned.

"I know a lot of people and don’t recognize any when I go into stores and other places of business," Marshfield said.

The church is still a community focal point, yet the bank is closed and the current post office location could change. (There is a Plan B.)

The influx of New York City residents to Delaware County spurred a general revitalization, and Hamden, in the center of the county, was no exception. The renovated Hamden Inn is popular, as is the Hamden General Store. Most of Hamden’s activity is on State Highway 10, making it an easy stop for visitors passing through to other destinations.

"It seemed like during Covid it was a period of development," said Marshfield.

Enter Sarah Bronilla and Luke Van Unen, who, some ten years ago, set their sights on the Catskills. Just say Luke and Sarah, and Catskillites near and far know who they are. The community-minded couple bought a dilapidated building, began renovations and, toward the end of 2021, opened their shop Meat & Flowers, though some of the building is still undergoing renovations. About one year later, they opened Hamden Blue Shop, a highend consignment store, at the same locale.

Van Unen’s affinity for Hamden stems from growing up in a similarly rural town in Australia. Also enamored of Hamden and the surrounding area, Bronilla said she wanted to "bring back the idea of knowing your local butcher by name" and enhance the local flavor of the town.

She says the initial goal was to have a multifunctional building, with two commercial spaces (Meat & Flowers and Hamden Blue Shop), and then transform other spaces into long-term apartments and Airbnbs to encourage New York City chefs to come to experience the culinary offerings of the Catskills and meet local farmers. Bronilla says they’ll design one apartment as a test kitchen, while the second one will have a soundproof recording studio.

Meantime, a fire left vacant a house next door to Meat & Flowers, and Van Unen and Bronilla purchased it. It is one of Bronilla’s favorite houses in Delaware County — an 1846 Victorian house that she intends to turn into the Doll House Spa. Planning board members approved the site plan review at the end of March. Bronilla, who hopes to have it up and running by this summer, envisions a wellness spa that functions as a work co-op. For example, a massage therapist would rent space and offer services. Same with a nutritionist, hair stylists, nail technician, and the list goes on. She wants to create job opportunities and empower local entrepreneurs.

To respond to more activity, Marshfield says that last summer the town had a crosswalk installed near where the bank was housed. In addition, a company has inquired about putting in a cell tower, which Marshfield says is an exciting development.

Another result of increased activity is that more people are walking about town, and there is a need to keep sidewalks clear of snow. Marshfield says the town council is drafting a local law to require residents and businesses to maintain/clear their sidewalks by a certain time after the end of a snowstorm. For example, many more people are coming and going via sidewalk from the Hamden Inn & Lounge, and safety is of concern.

Meanwhile, another defunct building is closer to revival as the Hamden Planning Board approved in late March the site plan review from the owner of Ty’s Taco-ria, who wants to redevelop the building to house a commercial preparation kitchen and serve as a storage location, and where she can park her food trucks.

In addition, Delaware Opportunities has plans to add onto its structure.

When Hamden began to bustle, there was a setback, said Marshfield, when the bank that had been there since the 1920s — Wayne Bank — closed in May 2022.

The town bought the bank building for $1 and resold it for $50,000 with a 15-month mortgage. Van Unen and Bronilla were the buyers and closed on it in February. Marshfield says the profits for the town, which amount to more than $20,700, will be used to set up and offer a grant program to Hamden businesses by early 2024. As the bank was a 100-year business in town, Marshfield says it is only right to offer the proceeds back to the community that supported the financial institution for so long.

Bronilla says the idea for the bank building is to provide a space for the post office if it cannot stay in its current location. The second space could be a wine shop.

"It takes a town to make a dream come true," said both Van Unen and Bronilla.