There is a lot happening in and around Delhi right now. New businesses are opening, properties are being restored, people are discovering—or rediscovering—our corner of the Catskills, and there is an opportunity on the horizon to secure significant investment in the future of our main streets.
Taken together, several recent stories raise an important question: As the Delhi are grows, what do we want that growth to look like?
The Secret Is Out About the Catskills
A recent Wall Street Journal article, “The Catskills Were Once Considered a Hidden Gem. Now the Secret’s Out,” looks at the growing demand for Catskills real estate as buyers who have been priced out of other markets look farther north.
For those of us who have lived here for years, the appeal isn't exactly news. We know what makes this region extraordinary.
But increased attention and investment come with both opportunities and challenges.
Rising property values can bring investment, new residents, businesses and energy into our communities. At the same time, increasing housing costs can make it more difficult for longtime residents, young families and the people who work here to afford to stay here.
That tension is an important part of the conversation about our future. How do we welcome investment and opportunity while continuing to build a community that works for the people who already call it home?
Read The Wall Street Journal article about the changing Catskills real estate market here.
Investing in Main Street—From the Inside Out
At the same time that outside investment is flowing into the Catskills, there are people with deep roots here investing in Delhi's future.
Chamber Board Member Matt Krzyston is one of them.
Born and raised in Delhi, Matt continues to choose Delhi as home and has become deeply invested in helping create the kind of community where families like his can live, work and thrive.
His latest project involves the restoration of a prominent building at one of the most visible and heavily traveled points on Main Street. It's the kind of investment that can have an impact beyond a single property. Restoring an important building changes what people see when they enter town, strengthens the surrounding business district and demonstrates confidence in downtown Delhi.
For Matt, this isn't about turning Delhi into someplace else. It's about believing in what Delhi can become while preserving what makes people want to be here in the first place.
Read The Reporter article about the project and changes being considered for this important gateway into Delhi here.
Now, Delhi Has an Opportunity to Think Even Bigger
That brings us to what may be one of the most important community conversations happening this fall.
The Village of Delhi is once again pursuing New York State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative, commonly known as the DRI.
The DRI provides $10 million to selected communities to transform downtown neighborhoods through strategic public and private investment. Projects supported through the program can address everything from housing and redevelopment of underused buildings to small business growth, streetscapes, accessibility and public spaces.
Delhi was not selected in the most recent round; the Southern Tier's $10 million DRI award went to Ithaca. But nearby communities are demonstrating what state investment can mean for rural downtowns as well. Stamford and Margaretville each received $4.5 million NY Forward awards, with plans focused on restoring properties, supporting businesses, improving public spaces, housing and creating vibrant downtowns for residents and visitors.
Now Delhi is preparing for another opportunity—and the community needs to be part of the process.
The Village of Delhi Board of Trustees will hold a public meeting:
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
6:00 pm
Delhi Village Hall
9 Court Street, Delhi
The meeting will focus on the Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant and the future of Delhi's downtown.
Community participation matters. Successful revitalization isn't simply about winning a grant. It's about developing a shared vision for what our downtown needs and what we want Delhi to become.
Growing Delhi—Thoughtfully
Delhi is already changing.
People outside our region are discovering the Catskills. Local people are investing in Main Street. New businesses are opening. Buildings are being reimagined. And potentially transformative public investment could help accelerate that momentum.
Growth by itself, however, isn't the goal.
The opportunity is to create a stronger Delhi—one with a vibrant and walkable Main Street, successful local businesses, beautiful and productive buildings, places to gather, opportunities for entrepreneurs, and housing that allows people at different stages of life to call this community home.
A Delhi where someone can grow up, leave to build a career, and choose to come home. Where a young family can put down roots. Where a business owner sees enough opportunity to take a chance. Where longtime residents remain part of the community they helped build. And where newcomers bring ideas, investment and energy that add to what is already here.
That's a future worth talking about. We do it in our Chamber meetings each month. We host a meeting at 11am every second Tuesday of the month at 11am at 5 1/2 Main Street in Delhi. We also welcome you to join the conversation September 9 at Village Hall. Help us get think about what comes next for Delhi.
