Ellenville - A Journey of Rediscovery
by Elliott Auerbach
It has often been said that “it has taken Ellenville twenty years to become an overnight success”! The germination process, albeit a long one, has allowed “the land that time forgot” to bloom organically, fertilized by the COVID crisis, an abundance of affordable housing and commercial spaces, the creative economy, the natural surroundings and the shift to remote work.
During its golden era and up until the end of the 20th Century, the Ellenville area boasted an economy fueled by manufacturing and industry, resorts and hospitality, and retail and distribution businesses. Along with that, the community was a banking hub, had a healthcare and hospital core, and was the heart of commerce for Southern Ulster County and Eastern Sullivan County.… then the bottom dropped out!
The industries that employed thousands (aluminum extrusion, electronics, clothing, wood products, window and knife manufacturing) relocated, divested or simply shuttered. Most of the area’s resorts closed their doors as vacation habits shifted, resulting in another wave of job losses and the local economy continued to contract. All of this created a domino effect that was felt by the local businesses, banks, car dealers, furniture stores, restaurants, and the distributors and suppliers of everything from ice cream, frozen foods, produce, meats, breads, poultry, and fish. The population shrank, houses were vacated, and stores and large manufacturing facilities went dark…and then fifteen to eighteen years later a strange phenomenon occurred…the Ellenville area started to become “discovered”.
The pivot was less obvious to the “locals”, but realtors started to recognize the value in a housing stock that was abundant with mid-century homes at prices tens of thousands of dollars less than more tony communities. There were thousands of feet of commercial space ready to be reimagined and large factory and warehouse space awaiting repurposing. One prominent area real estate agent stood up at a meeting in the dawning hours of the 21st Century and was quoted as saying “the bad news about Ellenville is that it is isolated, but the good news about Ellenville is that it is isolated”. And it was this isolation that primed the greater Ellenville area to rise.
Today the resurgence is quite obvious and driven by a number of dramatic changes. Businesses have sprouted including bookstores, restaurants, clothing stores, cafes, vintage and collectibles shops, art galleries, museums, and several pop-ups. Cultural magnets like the Shadowland Stages, with its two performances spaces and the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum, paying homage to the “Dirty Dancing-Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” era have drawn thousands of people to the Village.
The community has become home to numerous celebrations of its rich history and culture including the Borscht Belt Festival, the Blueberry Festival, the Wawarsing Wassail and the Electric Fire Truck and July 4th Parades.
The reuse and repurposing of factory spaces has seen manufacturers including Optimum Window, Allied Wine, Parvenu Aerospace Products and Cresco Labs find their way to Ellenville. And a recently approved women run, and female founded recreational cannabis company, Hudson Valley Herbals, will revive local farming with a 21st Century approach to agriculture
And while traditional business models continue to thrive, the eco-tourism business has percolated. The once forgotten and abandoned rail beds of the O&W Railroad and canal paths of the D&H Canal have caught the interests of hikers, bikers and walkers who realized that they would be able to navigate miles of rebuilt trails that reflect both history and natural beauty. In addition, the Smiley Carriage Road, a gateway to Minnewaska State Park, has become a favorite of birders, bikers and hikers who want to avoid the crowds at the traditional trailheads.
On the horizon are several large and small projects that will continue to reshape Ellenville. A few that are currently moving forward are the Devil Dog Dungaree Factory being transformed into makerspace, offices and thirteen apartments; the Nevele Hotel revitalization by Somerset Partners; and Terrace Motel redevelopment by Shawangunk Ridgeview Terrace, LLC.
But change does not happen magically. The “Ellenville Rising” phenomena is being piloted by a number of active organizations like the Ellenville-Wawarsing Chamber of Commerce, the Ellenville Noonday Club and the Committee of Forward Facing Ellenville (COFFE). All who are not just stoking the economic engine, but are playing an integral role in making it happen.
The confluence of all these forces continues to contribute to Ellenville’s positive change, a testament to resilience, creativity and the power of community-driven revitalization.