On March 24, MARK Project Executive Director Peg Ellsworth and Deputy Director Kent Brown held an application workshop to launch a new $25,000 competitive grant funding round and over twenty business owners and entrepreneurs were in attendance. “Some interesting business concepts were floated around during the workshop” said Ellsworth “ but the six weeks given to develop the application and a full blown business plan seemed to cause a bit of trepidation among some of the potential applicants.”  With this in mind, Ellsworth went back the Fund Review Committee and requested a deadline extension. “I would hate to see some great ideas for new development or business expansion fall through the cracks because they were intimidated by the timeline or process” added Ellsworth. The Committee unanimously agreed to extend the deadline to May 15^th.  Subsequently, MARK is poised and ready to help. There is a list of resources on the MARK site and one-on-one assistance is available by calling MARK for an appointment with one of our business mentors. It should be noted that this program is only available to businesses located in the Town of Middletown.

Applicants should read the Grant Guidelines and Endorsement Standards thoroughly prior to developing their application.

SBDF Lgr Grant Application

SBDF Guidelines

Middletown SBDF Endorsement Standards

Business Plan online Resources

Business Prep Guide

This site includes accurate and approved information to assist residents and business owners in the Town of Middletown, Delaware County, New York, recover from damages sustained during Tropical Storm Irene August 28, 2011.

This site is officially endorsed by Supervisor Len Utter and the Middletown Town Board.
Supervisor’s Office: 845 586-2462

In 1905, Arkville became even more of a railroad hub when the Delaware and Eastern, later the Delaware and Northern provided a west bound connection to Margaretville, Andes, The Reservoir Towns, Downsville and East Branch.

Today Arkville is in the midst of a rebirth, with the Delaware and Ulster excursion rail ride, The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development and The Erpf Gallery, the Catskill Forest Association, the Catskill regional office of The Nature Conservatory all within walking distance of each other along Route 28 in the center of Arkville. There is also a gym, a train station with rides in fair weather, a cafe, antiques, and auctions!

To learn more, go to the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce!

First pick up (approximately 8am) will be at the

Margaretville Country Store next to the school.

Then the following locations in pick up order.

Middletown Town Hall State Highway 28

Margaretville Hess Station on State Hwy 28

Arkville Beehive

Clovesville on Old Route 28 and Kissimee Rd

Clovesville Baptist Chuch

Fleischmanns Community Church on main Street

Fleischmanns Country Store

Belleayre Ski Center.

Services available at no cost at Belleayre include

Laundry –washers and Dryers

Hot Showers

Stress Management

Meals

County State and Federal Agencies present will be

FEMA

NY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

AG AND MARKETS

HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL

SOCIAL SERVICES

And many additional resources.

ALSO—BUS SERVICE TO THE DELHI PRICE CHOPPER THIS WEEKEND

Sunday of this weekend beginning at approximately 10 am

First Pick up at the

Fleischmanns Fire Department

Arkville Beehive and Margaretville Hess

2 hour time allotment to shop then return trip home

ALSO—BUS SERVICE TO ONEONTA WALLMART

Monday beginning at 10am

Roxbury Methodist Church

Grand George Civic Center

Bus service is on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVE basis.

The MARK Project is sponsoring a free LSWP class on Tuesday, May 4th from 8am to 4pm at Mountain Laurel Gardens Community Room, 55 Lamphere Lane, Arkville NY. Preregistration is required. Please print out the attached registration form and fax to the MARK Project by April 23rd in order to attend. Class size is limited, so it’s first come, first served.

The next step in the process is to take a 4 hour Renovate, Repair, Painting (RRP) class. These classes are in HIGH DEMAND all over the state. The MARK Project is attempting to arrange for a trainer to conduct this class locally, but if you are able to take the class elsewhere in NY sooner, you are strongly encouraged to do so as these new EPA regulations go into effect on April 22nd.

If you have taken the LSWP class previously, you still need this new RRP training. In addition, the contracting firm itself must have EPA Certification. For more information, go to http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/training/rrp/rrp.cfm

PDF Application

Design teams will bring “enterprising” creativity to one hamlet’s empty storefronts

Strolling on any of our village Main Streets, we’ve all peeked into some charming but empty storefront, many with full length display windows and fun, old-fashioned architectural detail. And we’ve all played the game of “that would make a perfect (fill in the blank) store,” decorating those display windows with our imaginations.

For three design teams this summer, that storefront game will be a real life design challenge, and for one “enterprising” local village, its Main Street storefronts will be teeming with creativity, design expertise and lots of curious window shoppers.

“The Re-Store Design Challenge is the perfect collaboration to showcase some of our overlooked assets, including some under-utilized Main Street architecture and the top shelf designers and creatives who love the area and want to give something back,” said MARK Project director Peg Ellsworth.

The brainchild of designer and entrepreneur Andrew Williams, the Re-Store Design Challenge Rules are simple but exciting: local towns compete to host the challenge, and three design teams (including a leader, an artist, a builder and a local student), will each compete to “Re-Store” an empty store, with one month to conceptualize their project and only two days in late July to do all the work of installation.

If we dream it, will they build it?

The design challenge is much tougher than just making pretty window fronts. “The store has to be completely fitted out to a depth of 15 feet, with either real products that are donated or loaned, or products that are artistically represented,” said Williams. “The funding for the project includes a modest $1,000 stipend for the project work, which means, just like real entrepreneurs, part of the challenge is making every penny count and coming up with creative solutions to make our concept work.”

Once the “Re-store” village is chosen in early May, high school seniors from that town will be invited to compete to join a design team for the summer. For three lucky students, there will be two months of invigorating design work with successful creatives, artists and designers. “The student component is one of the most exciting aspects of the project,” said Ellsworth, adding, “For at least one of these young people, this could be the summer that blows through their expectations into an entire new realm of career possibilities.”

The “Re-Store” shops will be open every weekend in August for visitors and locals to tour and vote on their favorites. Those votes are weighed with those of a juried selection team and the winning “Re-Store” will be announced at a gala awards event around Labor Day.

Each of the three design team leaders have deep ties to the area and are actively involved in local arts organizations and the business community. Williams is a designer and principal with Cooper, Robertson & Partners, an architecture and urban design firm, and a long-time second homeowner and former proprietor of Public Lounge in Roxbury. The other two teams will be led by Donald Hill, a second homeowner who leads one of the premier interior design firms in New York City and has long been active in local arts organizations, and Sean Scherer, an artist who has exhibited internationally and now makes his home upstate. Scherer owns the Kabinett & Kammer, a contemporary “curiosity shop” in Andes, featuring antiques, art and collectibles.

Funded in part by MARK and the O’Connor Foundation, the hope is that Re-Store Design Challenge will become an annual event, with designers vying to lead teams next year. An annual event, that is, until Re-Store turns into “real store” and there are no more empty storefronts left to “play.” Follow the Re-Store Design Challenge on Facebook with updates about town selection and team members, or contact the MARK Project at 845 586-3500 for more information.

Marty Iverson, head elf in charge of decorating, along with Joe Manon, assistant elf and Andy Straut, resident maintenance elf, spend several days after Thanksgiving bringing holiday cheer to the interior and exterior of the building.  In the Community Room tinsel dangles like icicles from the eaves as skaters spin around in a small holiday town display on a “snow covered” table in the corner. Christmas lights sparkle on the tree decorated with ornaments contributed by the tenants with a few special ornaments paying tribute to those friends who have since passed and are greatly missed.

The seniors are a very close group—a family, who hold weekly pot lucks, evening coffee clutch, and a card night. The cookie social, which is held thanks to community donations, was sponsored this year by an anonymous donor, lets the senior kick back, enjoy some eggnog  and share jokes, stories and memories of the holidays from years gone by. “One cannot help but feel nostalgic and wistful while sitting down next to a senior, who is reminiscing about horse drawn sleigh rides and family get-togethers of their youth.” says MARK housing manager Christine DuBois

As the evening activities wound down and the elves scurried off to bed, the tree lights dimly lit the room as the refrain of “Silent Night” echoed down the hallway and welcomed in another peaceful and happy holiday season at Mountain Laurel Gardens. For more information about housing opportunities at Mountain Laurel Gardens Contact Christine DuBois at MARK 845.586.3500 or christine@markproject.org.