SECTION IIINVENTORY AND ANALYSIS

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-I

SECTION IIINVENTORY AND ANALYSIS

A. Regional Setting, History andCommunity Characteristics

Regional Setting - The Town ofDelaware liesalong the Delaware River in western SullivanCounty and is bounded on the north by theTown ofFremont and the Town ofCallicoon,on the east by the Town of Bethel and thesouth by the Town of Cochecton, and theVillage ofJeffersonville adjoins the northeastcomer of the Town.. To the west across theDelaware are Damascus Township andManchester Township in Wayne County,Pennsylvania. See Map II-I -- RegionalLocation.

The Hamlet of Callicoon, lying at theconfluence of the Delaware River andCallicoon Creek, is the largest commercialcenter in the Town ofDelaware. Hortonville,Kohlertown and Kenoza Lake also serve asvillage centers but have few commercialestablishments in comparison. The Village ofJeffersonville also serves as a commercecenter for many Town Residents.

History 1

It is very possible man first visited what isnow known as the Town ofDelaware, some8,000 to 10,000 years ago when nomadicbands ofPaleo-Indians wanderedthrough thearea in search ofbig game. We know fromarcheological research those people werepresent in the Upper Delaware River Valleyand were succeeded by various aboriginecultures culminating with the Iroquois andLenni-Lenapepeoples who occupied the areawhen the first Europeans visited. There is

1Town o/Delaware Master Plan, 1983.

abundant evidence of long occupations byArchaic, Transitional and Woodland periodIndians who inhabited the region pretty muchcontinuously from 5000-4000 B.C. to 1600A.D. Their chert andflint implements (most ofwhich are at least 2000 years old or more)andpottery (most ofwhich is 600-1000 yearsold) may be found throughout the· Town ofDelaware and especially along the DelawareRiver. White traders and settlers firstappeared in the Town ofDelaware dUring themid-18th Century. Dutch visitors named thelocal stream "Kollikoonkill"which eventuallybecame Callicoon Creek. There were settlersliVing at Callicoon and on BigIsland as early

. as 1760.

According to tradition, the name Callicooncomes from Dutchmen ofthe Hudson Valleywho hunted in the area in the 18th century.They called the local creek Kollikoonkill, inrecognition of the many wild turkeys theyfound there.

It was some time later, about 1755 whenJoseph Ross took up residence as Callicoon sfirst settler. Ross, who worked for absenteelandowner Joseph Greswold. moved hisfamily from Bound Brook, New Jersey, about1760, and built a cabin on the flat landdownstream from the Callicoon Creek.

Although no extendedsettlement appearedfornearly 100years, the important timber raftingindustry began within sight of the presentvillage, before the Revolutionary War. Itstarted with Daniel Skinner, who got the ideaoflashing togetherpine logs and rafting themdownriver for sale to the shipbuilders ofPhiladelphia. The idea grew and expanded.As logs and as sawed timber, thousands of

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-2

board-feet of timber floated down theDelaware to the saw mills and shipyards ofEaston, Trenton and Philadelphia each yearfor more than a century. Just as the raftingera began here, it came to an end here, in1921, when the last commercial raft on theriver was delivered to the Martin HermanLumber Company at Callicoon.

The history of the village really began withthe coming of the railroad. Chartered in1832, the New York and Erie RailroadCompany went through a variety offinancialproblems and route changes beforeconstruction began on the DelawareDivisionmore than a decade later. With the coming ofthe Erie, the new village ofCallicoon Depotcame into being.

In 1848, the first train moved over the tracks.ofthe DelawareDivision, andall ofCallicoonDepot came out to watch. The train did notstop as scheduled, but it did slow enough fora local man to hand the brakeman a bannerreading, "The Iron Horsefrom the Hudson isWelcome to Drink of the Waters of theCallicoon ".

It was another three years (May 1851) beforethe Erie officially opened for business. Tocelebrate the occasion, the company ran anexcursion train carrying such notables asPresident Millard Fillmore, Daniel Websterand local State Senator James Clark Curtis.

Life along the Upper Delaware had alreadybegun to feel the impact of its newtransportation system. Thousands oflaborers, many of them new arrivals fromIreland and Italy, had been brought in to laythe tracks. Many of them, particularly theIrish, stayed on to incorporate their religionand culture into the local way oflife.

However, the Irish and Italian influence was

small in comparison to that ofthe Germans.In 1840, even before the Erie provided readytransportation, a surveyorlland agent named'Solomon Royce printed German languagebrochures promoting local real estate. Thisled to establishment of a major Germancommunity, with its own customs andchurches.

Allofthese changes wereseen locallyas signsofgreat development to come. And, in 1869,with the growth of the area surroundingCallicoon Depot, local leaders convinced thecounty to split them away from the Town ofCochecton, forming the new Town ofDelaware.

High hopes notwithstanding, the winter of1888 was a devastating one. On March 12,the GreatBlizzardbrought icy winds anddeepsnows to the northeastern states. But that wasalmost an anticlimax in Callicoon Depot,where residents were still reeling from afirethat destroyed most ofMain Street two weeksearlier. Out of the wreckage of the fire,merchants began to rebuild Main Street,resulting in the 1880's architecture that stillcharacterizes the street.

Despite the setbacks, the 1880's and 1890'swere exhilarating times for the people ofCallicoon Depot. The lumber business,feeding thriving rafting and nearby tanneryindustries, led to prosperity. The Erie hadexpanded to a double track, bringing in trainloads ofimmigrants to populate thefarmlandand visitors to fill the boarding houses andhotels. There was a new interstate bridgeacross the Delaware (completed in 1899). Acreamery (built in 1882) processed andshipped out milk from local farmers to NewYork consumers. Bluestone from nearbyquarries made its way, via theErie, to curbingand sidewalks ofgreat cities throughout theNortheast.

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LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE ll-3

Published in 1892, Graham's CallicoonHistorian said ofCallicoon Depot: "It is theprincipal business depot upon the line oftheErie Railway between Port Jervis andSusquehanna. A number of stage routesconnect it with the large inland villages, andthe amount of produce shipped from thestation is immense." Graham listed fourhotels, a jewelry store, two general stores, afurniture and hardware stores, two harnessmakers, a druggist, a dentist, a feed mill, ablacksmith, a grocery store, a lumbermillanda clothing store. There were also twonewspapers.

The 1890's was also the time when theFranciscan Friars came into the river valley,taking over respQnsibility for local Catholicchurches in 1895. Sixyears later, when theirProvince of the Most Holy Name came intobeing, they turned to Callicoon as a site fortheir new seminary. The Order purchased alarge boardinghouse overlookingthe valley ­on a hill inexplicably called The Aroma -- andconverted it into a seminary and chapel. In1908, they began construction ofthe massivebluestone school building which stilldominates the Callicoon landscape. Thearchitecturally remarkable Holy CrossChapel was added in 1927.

Callicoon Depot soon outdistancedthe nearbyhamlet then known as Callicoon. In 1906, byact of the United States Postal Service,Callicoon Depot became Callicoon, and theneighboring town, which had formerly heldthat name, became Callicoon Center.

The boom-and-bust atmosphere thatcharacterized the last halfofthe 19th centurycontinued on into the first years ofthe 20th.In 1909, the uninsured Knapp Brothers Bankfailed. Accordingto contemporarynewspaperaccounts, local organizations, businesses and

individuals lost nearly $350,000, the result ofthe private bank's management siphoningassets "into the insatiable maw ofthe OutingPublishing Company. " Though devastating tosome, it was but a temporary setback, with anew National Bank (now United Nationa[2)immediately organizedandput into operation.

For the community's schools, 1909 was also abenchmark year, the year the first full classgraduated from Callicoon High School. Asfar back as the mid-1840's there had been anelementary school at Callicoon, but it wasn'tuntil 1908, when the Union School wasrenovated and expanded, that a full highschoolprogram could be provided.

More changes and community improvements- centralization ofthe-schools, establishmentof a hospital, building of a youth center,development of a library, construction ofRoute 97 - came along as the 20th centuryadvanced. However, the general economicpicture declined.

The automobile gradually replaced therailroad as the important means oftransportation. Callicoon was no longer astation on the main route between New Yorkand Chicago; instead it was at the end ofeverybody's delivery route. Ratherthan being"en route", it became "inaccessible".

Lumber and quarry based industries declinedas raw materials were used up and needschanged. Boarding houses went out ofbusiness, when they couldn't compete withmotels and resorts along main highways andnear spectacular tourist attractions.

It wasn't until the 1960's, with beginnings of

2The United National Bank is now the FleetBank and a branch ofthe First National Bank ofJeffersonville has opened in Callicoon.

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-4

the canoe livery/campground industry, thatnew economic vitality was seen. The secondhome industry also began to show new life.

In 1978, the area became part ofthe UpperDelaware Scenic and Recreational River, anew component of the National Wild andScenic Rivers System. In part, thisdesignation was an effort to deal with theproblems created by this new era oftourism,an effort to allow for recreational use oftheriver with its attendant economic benefitswhile protecting the natural and culturalresources that make it desirable. 3

Community CharacteristicsThe demographic composition andcommunity character of the Town ofDelaware and Sullivan County has changedsignificantlyoverthe past thirty years, movingfrom a very rural, agricultural community to amore second-home, recreation orientedcommunity linked to the nearby metropolitanand suburban employment centers. Certainly,national and regional economic conditions canbe expected to either stimulate or inhibit theshort term development patterns ofthe region.Nevertheless, given the geographic location ofthe Town and County in relatively closeproximity to metropolitan and suburban areas,with direct aCCeSS to the interstate highwaysystem, along with its rural character appealfor residential development, the continuedlong term, moderate growth of the Town andCounty seems inevitable. The rate ofgrowthwill also depend on the other economic andjob opportunities which become available inthe Town and region, as well as the appeal ofthe area as a place for retirement.

3Cal/icoon Main Street Improvement Study,1985.

The historical population of the Town ofDelaware, along with that of neighboringtowns and the County, is presented in TableII-I, Historical Population and Table II-2,Recent Population Growth. The Town'spopulation grew steadily between 1940 and1980, increasing by almost 850 persons. Thegreatest period of increase occurred between1970 and 1980 when the Town populationgrew by twenty-three percent. This largeincrease, almost 525 persons, coincided withan increase of some 160 housing units in theTown and the opening ofthe Delaware ValleyJob Corps Center at the former FranciscanSeminary Compund. The effect of the JobCorps Center on the population ofthe Town isalso reflected in the 1990 Census, whichreported a loss of 150 people from the Townsince 1980. The population age distributiondata for the Town reveals that the number ofindividuals in the 15-24 year old age groupdeclined by almost 200 between 1980 and1990. While some of this decline can beexplained by children leaving the area forcollege and employment, it is obvious that achange in the Job Corps Center residentscontributed to the overall decline in theTown's population. The 1983 Master Planreported the group quarters population in 1980as 430 persons, with the 1990 Censusreporting 361 perSons. The overall populationdecline of the Town is tempered somewhatwhen adjusted for the decline in the groupquarters population.

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TOWN OF DEL .. HARESullivan Comty, NY

Local WaterfrontRevitalization Program

MJp D-1- RegionalLocationMap

NYS I:qJarI1rent ofState DivisionofCoastal Resources andWaterfront Revitalizatioo

Legend

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Roads

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LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-5

TABLE II-I -HISTORICAL POPULATION

(U.S. CENSUS)

MUNICIPALITY 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Bethel 2,321 2,351 2,366 2,763 3,335 3,693

Callicoon 2,092 2,134 2,176 2,398 2,998 3,024

Cochecton 1,934 1,136 1,070 1,181 1,330 1,318

Delaware 1,934 2,089 2,141 2,260 2,783 2,633

Fremont 1,251 1,170 1,047 1,047 1,346 1,332

Sullivan Co 37,909 40,731 45,272 52,580 65,155 69,277

TABLE II-2

- RECENT POPULATION GROWTH(U.S. CENSUS)

Municipality 1960 %60-70 1970 %70-80 1980 %80-90 1990 1994*

Bethel 2,366 16.8% 2,763 20.7% 3,335 10.7% 3,693 3,783

Callicoon 2,176 10.2% 2,398 25.0% 2,998 0.9% 3,024 2,958

Cochecton 1,070 10.4% 1,181 12.6% 1,330 -0.9% 1,318 1,479

Delaware 2,141 5.6% 2,260 23.1% 2,783 -5.4% 2,633 2,525

Fremont 1,047 0.0% 1,047 28.6% 1,346 -1.0% 1,332 1,378

Sullivan Co 45,27 16.1% 52,580 23.9% 65,155 6.3% 69,277 70,3362

*Estimate by the New Yark State Data Center

Town records indicate that almost 80 buildingpermits for single-family housing units havebeen issued since 1990, and about 40 multi­family units. Unless most of these housingunits and the 73 unit increase between 1980and 1990 are for seasonal use, which is highlyunlikely, the data suggest that the decline inpopulationbetween 1980 and 1990was linkedto a change at the Job Corps Center suggestingthat the projection for continued decline in

population may be incorrect. The 1983Master Plan projected the Town's permanentpopulation to reach 3,060 persons by 1990 and3,340 persons by 2010. Populationprojections prepared by the NYS Departmentof Environmental Conservation andDepartment of Commerce in 1985 also wereoptimistic, predicting a constant growth forthe Town of Delaware, with the populationincreasing to 3,400 persons by 2010. (See

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM 11/ INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-6

Table /I-3, Population Projections.) The factthat the Town population declined by 150pe~nsbetweenI980andI990d~onstrates

thatpopulationprojections must be consideredonly in general terms for planning purposesgiven the small population base, the effect ofthe institutional population, and the volatilenature of population growth in areas soaffected by the market forces of proximatemetropolitan areas or a facility like the Job

Corps Center. Given the 1980-1990 declinein population and the only minor gains inprevious decades (discounting the large 1979­1980 increase registered due to the Job CorpsCenter), it is unlikely the Town willexperience significant population increasesover the next ten to fifteen years. Instead,should population growth occur, it can beexpected to be slow, or moderate at thegreatest.

TABLE 1-3TOWN OF DELAWARE POPULATION PROJECTIONS

SOURCE 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

1983 Master Plan 2,920 3,060 NA 3,340 NA NA

NYS DEC/Commerce 2,900 3,000 3,100 3,200 3,300 3,400

B. Upper Delaware Scenic andRecreational River

Much of the area's economy is based onrecreation and tourism, and the DelawareRiver has long been a key el~ent of thearea's attraction to second home owners andvisitors. As noted earlier, the Upper Delawarewas designated to the National Wild andScenic Rivers System in 1978. Althoughfocusing on the conservation of the RiverValley's natural and community assets, thedesignation and the subsequent involvementofthe National Park Service, the developmentof the River Management Plan, and theoperation of the Upper Delaware Council,have increased the level of tourism. In fact,the National Park Service estimates that some500,000 people visit the area each year. Thesevisitors canoe and tube down the River; fishfor trout, smallmouth bass, and walleyedpike;enjoy the scenery; and look for wintering baldeagles along the 73.4 miles of the Riverincluded in the designation. This level ofvisitation holds great economic potential for

the waterfront area in the Town of Delawareand any revitalization efforts must considertourism.

C. Existing Land and Water Use(See Map /-1 -- Waterfront RevitalizationArea and Existing Land Use for generalizedland use, and Map //-2 -- Downtown ExistingLand Use for land use in the core Hamletarea.)

Hamlet of CallicoonThe Hamlet of Callicoon is a picturesquecommunity which largely evolved as apermanent settlement during the early railroadera in the 1830's. Much of its developmentalhistory, predominately of the late 1800's andearly 1900's, is retained today in surprisingmeasure and quality in the historiccommercial architecture within the Hamlet'scenter along Main Street andAcad~y Street.Several structures along the southern end ofMain Street, which survived the devastatingfire in 1888, continue to represent an evenearlier period of history. Adding to this

N.Y.S. RemnantBridge Parcel

Lander CanoeAccess

I

TOWN OF DElAWARESullivan COImty, NY

Local WaterfrontRevitalizatirn Program

MJp 11-2 - DowntownExisting Land Use

NYS Department of Stale DivisionofCoastal Resources andWaterfront Revitalization

Legend

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LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-7

notable architectural heritage is the impressivepresence of the former Franciscan SeminaryCompound, located on fifty acres on theupslope overlooking northern end of theHamlet along Route 97. the Hamlet, today thesite of the Job Corp Training Center.

To envision the potential which thiscommunity holds for revitalization andwaterfront development, one need only stop toview the panorama surrounding the Hamlet ofCallicoon from the southern entranceway totown at the Route 97 bridge (in itself animpressive engineering sight) with its openvista upstream along the Callicoon Creek anddownstream to the ever-present DelawareRiver. The compact Hamlet of Callicoonspans the active Norfolk Southern railroad lineand is nestled into the hills rising from River'sedge to the promontory crested by theseminary bell tower.

The details provided in the 1985 Main StreetImprovement Study about land use show thatthe number and types of businesses havechanged little since then. The 1985 Studynoted that:

Callicoon has a very distinct separation ofresidential uses from commercial uses withalmost all commercial activities occurring onSchool (Academy) Street and Main Street.Approximately thirty businesses exist in theCallicoon vicinity, many occupying buildingsof historic significance. A variety ofcommercial uses arepresent in the downtownarea. These include: a canoe livery, hotel,restaurants, movie theater, supermarket, retailestablishments, service establishmentsconsisting ofa bank, library, laundromat andnewspaper and professional offices. Alsoincluded in the downtown area is apost officeandfire station.

The commercial area in the Hamlet continues

to be centered along Main Street andAcademy Street and is composed ofthe samemix ofsmall retail and service establishments.Two key River related businesses front theRiver in the Hamlet area. The privatelyoperated Upper Delaware Campgrounds issituated on thirty-four acres just downstreamofthe Callicoon Youth Center, and the LanderCanoe Base lies along the intersection ofA.Dorrer Drive and Bridge Street and theconfluence ofthe River and Callicoon Creek.A number of other businesses are locatedoutside the core area and include somewhatlarger commercial operations such as a cardealership on Route 97 and one on Route 17B,the bowling alley on Route 97, and the Agwayon Viaduct Street.

One ofthe prominent land uses in the Hamlet,and along the entire length of the waterfrontarea, is the railroad right-of-way which runsparallel to the Delaware and bisects theHamlet. The railroad, which was so vital tothe development of the Hamlet and Town ofDelaware as a whole, continues to be a keyfactor in the character of the community, yetnow plays little economic role, the five or sixdaily trains using the line serving commercialshippers far to the north and south.4

Associated with the railroad line, and alsoowned byNorfolk Southern, is the oldrailroadstation which currently is used only formaintenance.

The Callicoon Creek, which flows into theDelaware just downstream of the corebusiness area, is another prominent feature ofthe Hamlet. Downstream ofthe confluence ofthe River and Creek, Delaware Youth Center,Inc., formerly known as the Callicoon Aid

4At the time ofpreparation of this report, thepurchase of the railroad line by Norfolk-SouthernRailroad was pending, with daily traffic expected toincrease to approximately eighteen trains.

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-8

Center, owns fifteen acres of riverfrontproperty which includes the Callicoon YouthCenter and the NYS Department ofEnvironmental Conservation river access.

The residential areas of the Hamlet arecomposed primarily of single-familyresidences which are generally in goodcondition. Older residences on smaller lotsabut the commercial area with more recentlydeveloped, larger lots found in the northwestsection of the hamlet. Multi-family housingunits are interspersed with commercial usesand in many cases are situated on the upperfloors of commercial buildings. The 1990Census reported some sixty multi-familydwellings in the entire Town with many ofthis total located in the Hamlet ofCallicoon.

-Balance ofWaterfront AreaLand use in the balance ofthe waterfront areais a mix ofsingle-family residential dwellingsand open land. ~verfrornlandnorthofthe

Hamlet along ~ver Road, lying between theDelaware and the Norfolk Southem line, hasbeen largely subdivided into residential lotsfrom one-fourth to five acres in size.~verfront land upstream from the end of~ver road and upland from the NorfolkSouthern tracks is held in large forestedparcels with limited agricultural land. theseparcels ranging in size from twenty to 280acres.

Moving downstream from the Hamlet, withthe exception of about fifty acres adjacent tothe Youth Center parcel, little useable land issituated between the railroad and the ~ver.

The waterfront boundary area narrows in thisdirection and most of the land between therailroad and Route 97 is very steep and notconducive for development. This is also thecase for the land between Route 97 and theridge top between the Hamlet and the Club 97area. Farther south along Route 97 are

scattered a number of residences, and theCommunity hospital is located on fifty acresbetween Route 97 and the railroad. At theextreme southern end of the waterfront area,lying between the railroad and Route 97 is theDelaware Acres development which iscomprised of about twenty residential lotsranging from one to three and one-half acresin size. About ten lots in Top of the WorldEstates, all about five acres, are also withinthe waterfront boundary.

Future Development ConsiderationsThe principal concern to development of theHamlet riverfront and lower creek side areasis the low-lying topography of much of thisarea and its corresponding vulnerability toseasonal flooding. This is made evident bythe 1996 Flood Line painted on one of theCommunity Center storage buildings severalfeet up from the base. This building laysseveral hundred yards from the normal riverchannel. The flooding problem is alsoexacerbated by the high natural banking alongthe Pennsylvania side of the ~ver. Thefrontage area of the ~ver and lower creek isheavily overgrown and contains a number ofdowned trees. Clearance and clean-up ofthisarea would require considerable manpowerand time and presents the additional problemsofmaterial removal and disposal. Additionaldevelopment/use ofprivately owned'areas forpublic use would require negotiation ofeasements and use rights with private propertyowners.

The portion of the ~ver north of the PAINYbridge with its many small islands and multi­channel course exhibits a unique naturalcharacter and environment and could providefor exciting and novel, promotional ~ver

event confined to the immediate Callicoonarea. An example is a River Rat Race, wherecanoe teams have to negotiate a designatedriver obstacle course in and around the maze

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LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM 1// INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan COlDlty, New York PAGE 11-9

ofsmall islands and water channels. Such anevent could be the centerpiece of a day-longor weekend promotional event in the Hamletsponsored by local organizations and/or thecanoe rental business. Various teamcategories and course distances would help toattract a diverse group ofparticipants and theconcentration of activity to the immediateCallicoon area would foster use of theHamlet's businesses and amenities.

The sensitive development of activity areas,picnic sites, community outdoorbarbecuepits,performance amphitheater or stage, low­maintenance recreational sites and trails onavailable public waterfront lands couldprovide greater recreational opportunities forlocal residents, families and organizations,facilitate tourist. and visitor appeal, andenhance promotional events. Thedevelopment and maintenance of these areascould be used to create valuable trainingprograms and experience in landscaping,grounds keeping, design and construction,recreational and environmental planning incooperation with the Job Corps Center and theSullivan County BOCES Vo-Tech Program.

Development and use ofmarginal areas alongthe River and Creek must also be sensitive tothe need for soil stabilization andidentification of environmentally delicate orimportant elements. Facilities incorporated innew recreational areas should be designed tobe low-cost, easy maintenance, low-impactstructures because of the potential for flooddamage. Labor intensive projects and on­going maintenance needs for new publicfacilities will place additional demands onlocal government resources and taxpayers.

D. Zoning

The Town Zoning Law, as applied to thewaterfront area , is based on the Land and

Water Use Guidelines contained in the UpperDelaware River Management Plan. TheGuidelines represent the culmination of adecade long planning process undertaken bythe National Park Service and cooperatinglocal municipalities to develop land usecontrols aimed at sustaining the uniquecharacter of the river corridor and the manyvillages nestled along the River. Adopted in1996, the Town's current zoning law includesprovisions deemed in substantial conformancewith the Upper Delaware River ManagementPlan by the Upper Delaware Council and thesecretary ofthe Interior.. The zoning districtsestablished by the zoning law largely mirrorthe Upper Delaware River Corridor, andestablished the boundaries of the CallicoonHamlet Area as envisioned by the RiverManagement Plan. (See Appendix D for theSchedule of District Regulations for eachzoning district.) Given the long term planningeffort and level of Town commitment to theprocess, this plan affirms the current zoningdistrict boundaries as the most appropriatemeans of achieving long term compatibilitywith the Upper Delaware Land and WaterUseGuidelines and the overall intent of the RiverManagement Plan. This approach will limitcommercial development in the DR ­Delaware River District and the CAL-R-I ­Callicoon Residential District, but will allowsufficient flexibility for commercial and othernon-residential development in the CAL-B-I ­Callicoon Business District to implement anyof the recommendations of the WaterfrontRevitalization Program.

The CAL-R-I District and the CAL-B-IDistrict comprise the hamlet area and the DRDistrict encompasses the balance of thewaterfront area, north from Tower Road andsouth from near the upstream tip of BigIsland. The DR District intent included in thezoning law states:

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-10

The DR-Delaware River District is intendedto provide land uses substantially in accordwith theprovisions andpurposes ofthe UpperDelaware Scenic and Recreational River(UDSRR) co"idor as defined and designated.as a "Scenic Segment" or ''RecreationalSegment" in the November 1986, UpperDelaware Final River Management Plan(RMP) prepared by the Conference ofUpperDelaware Townships in cooperation with theNational ParkService. This District isfurtherintended to preserve the scenic integrity ofthat portion of the Upper Delaware RiverCo"idor within the Town ofDelaware, whileallowing recreational use anddevelopment ofthe area, to the extent which would remaincompatible with the aforementioned RMP.

The DR District establishes a minimum lotsize of two acres and allows one and two­family dwellings and agricultural andrecreational uses. Intensive recreational usessuch as boat liveries, RV parks andcampgrounds, and golf courses are notpermitted in the DR District and norecreational uses are permitted in ScenicSegments of the River corridor, whichincludes most of the upstream DR District.However, all types ofcommercial and publicrecreational facilities are permitted in theCAL-B-l District, while RV parks andcampgrounds are permitted only in RUDistricts none ofwhich are designated in thewaterfront area.

The two zoning districts which define theHamlet area are also intended to be consistentwith the River Management Plan. The CAL­R-l District is intended to provide for thesame type of residential district uses in theCallicoon Hamlet Area as in other residentialareas ofthe Town ofDelaware; but, to makesuch uses subject to the other requirements ofthis Law which are applied to the UpperDelaware Scenic and Recreational River

Co"idor Area. The District sets a residentialdensity of one unit per 40,000 square feet oflot area, with areduction to 20,000 square feetwith central water and central sewer. Many ofthe single-family dwellings in the Hamletconstructed prior to 1940 which are very largeand architecturally distinct in comparison tolater residential dwellings constructed in timesof smaller families and increasing energycosts. These nineteenth and early twentiethcentury structures share commoncharacteristics of scale, style, materials,setbacks and landscaping and are a vitalelement of the Town's historic character andadd appeal to the recreation and tourismeconomy so important to the Town. ZoningLaw Section 616 allows the adaptive use ofolder, existing residential structures in theCAL-R-l District to encourage thepreservation of such structures which may,due to their size and associated maintenanceand energy costs, fall into disrepair,deteriorate and diminish tax revenues orotherwise affect the welfare of the Town.Low intensity commercial uses such asoffices, studios and galleries are permittedprovided the structure was erected prior to1940 and the exterior appearance ismaintained.

The CAL-B-l District recognizes the uniquecharacter ofthe Callicoon Hamlet Area andprovides for future commercial developmentin the Hamlet Area; and at the same time,provides for the substantial conformance tothe River Management Plan. The Districtprovides for a variety ofcommercial uses andclassifies uses which may have greatercommunity impact as special uses which givesthe Planning Board the opportunity tocarefully review project proposals andestablish conditions of approval to minimizeimpacts. Given the existing character of thecore business area, the Town identified theneed for special standards governing the

lOWNOF DEIAWARESullivan County, NY

Local WaterfrontRevitalization Program

M1p1I-3-DowntownZoning OverlayDistrict

NYS Departn-entof SlateDivisionofCoastal Resoutt:eS andWaterfront Revitalization

Legend

/\ICounty RoadNParcelISI.State Road%\%Town RoadNWater_ Overlay districto Parcels

30 0 30 60 FeetI i

Sulli"" County DiWliOl1ofFl~IbIConmmityo....l<lplT6ll

CkIob<r 1998

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-II

erection of new buildings and the alteration,addition to and enlargement of existingbuildings, and established an overlay districtwith special standards. See Map II-3 -­Downtown Zoning Overlay District. Thestandards are intended to allow the reasonableexpansion of existing businesses and thedevelopment of new business in characterwith existing development; front setbacks arereduced to zero, off-street parking is notrequired, andmaximum building coverage andlot coverage are set at eighty-five and onehundred percent, respectively.

Section 613 of the zoning law sets additionalperformance standards for development in thethree waterfront area zoning districts. Specialuse approval is required for timberclearcutting and any structure or use withinone hundred feet ofthe ridgeline designated inthe River Management Plan or which isotherwise visible from the River. Buildingsand structures must be no less than onehundred feet from the River's normal highwater mark and new lots fronting the Rivermustbeplattedwith aminimum river frontageoftwo hundred feet.

The zoning law also establishes theFloodplain Overlay District which iscoterminous with the Special Flood HazardAreas delineated on the Flood Insurance RateMaps and Flood Insurance Study issued bytheFederal Emergency Management Agency. Inaddition to all other applicable standards inthe zoning law, development in the overlaydistrict is subject to the requirements of theTown Flood Damage Prevention Law.Adopted in 1998, the Flood DamagePrevention Law is consistent with the NYSDEC model law. On streams with aregulatory floodway as shown on the FloodInsurance Rate Map, which includes theDelaware River and Callicoon Creek in thewaterfront area, no new construction,

substantial improvements or otherdevelopment in the floodway (including fill)shall be permitted- unless a technicalevaluation by a licensedprofessional engineershows that such an encroaclnnent shall notresult in any increase in flood levels duringoccurrence of the base flood. The Lawincludes specific standards for anchoring andelevating structures, with the option offloodproofing non-residential structures, andto limit the production or storage ofhazardous materials in areas of special floodhazard.

E. Land Ownership Patterns(See Map II-2 -- Downtown Existing LandUse for core Hamlet area, and Map //-4 ­Downtown Fringe Land Ownership foradjoining areas.)

Most land in the waterfront area is privatelyowned. The publicly owned land is held bythe Town of Delaware, New York State andthe U.S. Department of Labor Job CorpsCenter. Town owned land includes two acresalong Viaduct Road on which the Townsewage treatment plant is located and threeacres between A. Dorrer Drive and CallicoonCreek. The three-acre parcel on A. DorrerDrive was recently acquired by donation andhas been developed for parking, with thebalance ofthe parcel, largely in the floodplain,part of the focus of this study. A plan for apark in this area has been prepared andincludes picnic tables, a playground, a beach,and a boat launch. The park plan will beevaluated in terms of implementing therecommendations of this study.

The State of New York owns a small parcelon the south side ofBridge Street which is aremnant parcel from the former state-ownedbridge which crossed the River prior to theerection of the new structure; and was thelocation of the toll house associated with the

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-12

earlier bridge. As previously noted, the JobCorps Center is located on the formerseminary property, a fifty-acre parcel ownedby the U.S. Department of Labor. Althoughnot immediately on the waterfront andunavailable for development, the presence ofthe Job Corps Center in the Town is apotential resource for plan implementationgiven the Center's past willingness to assistwith community improvement projects.

Although not publicly owned, the recreationfacilities owned and maintained betweenCreamery Road, Callicoon Creek and theRiver by the non-profit, Delaware YouthCenter, Inc., are a key community asset andhold additional potential for revitalization ofthe waterfront area. Included on this fifteenacres is the NYS DEC river access leasedfrom Delaware Youth Center, Inc. The HolyCross Cemetery and a nondenominationalcemetery owned by the Callicoon CemeteryAssociation, consistingoftwo parcels totalingtwo and one-half acres, are located alongCreamery Road just south of the CommunityCenter. Another community basedorganization, the CallicoonFire District, ownsa lot at the comer of School and Hill Streetswhere the District maintains its firedepartment facilities.

Norfolk Southern land is also a predominatefeature along the entire length of thewaterfront. As is the case with many of thehamlets along the River, the Hamlet ofCallicoon developed in conjunction with therailroad, and the Norfolk Southern lines andformer station are an integral part of theHamlet's character. Running up-riverparallelto River Road, the Norfolk Southern line liesto the rear ofriver-front properties and posesno problem to River access. North of River .Road, the railroad hugs the bank of the Riverand presents an access barrier to uplandproperties. The same can be said for the

waterfront below the Hamlet beginning justdownstream of the Upper DelawareCampground south tQthe Town ofCochectonline.

The waterfront areas also includes twosignificant Delaware River islands. Ninety­acre Big Island, at the southern end of thewaterfront, is privately owned; and, thirty-six­acre Butternut Island, lying near the upriverend of River Road, was recently donated byits owner to The Nature Conservancy, whichhas contracted with the Delaware HighlandsConservancy to maintain the island. Bothislands are undeveloped; the Conservancyownership of Butternut island will certainlypreserve its undeveloped state, and Big Islandis governed by the Town Flood DamagePrevention Law which is discussed in a latersection.

F. Public Access and RecreationalResources

The only formal public River access in thewaterfront area is the NYS DEC operated boatlaunch on the Youth Center property. (SeeMap II-4 -- Downtown Fringe LandOwnership.) The access road leading to thesite and the parking and launch area itselfarein need ofimprovement. The steep banks andtangle of vegetation and debris makes accessacross the Town-owned land along A. DorrerDrive difficult. Nevertheless, theimprovement of the undeveloped riverfrontand creek side areas would enhance the scenicbeauty and appeal ofthe Hamlet and promotea stronger community image, consistent withoutdoor, nature-related, eco-tourism, one ofthe fastest growing travel markets. Riverusers, primarily fishermen, access the River ata number of informal accesses across privateproperty including areas alongRiverRoad andunder the PA!NY bridge. A private canoerental business is located near the PAINY

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LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE ll-13

bridge and the commercial campgroundprovides access to the River for its patrons.The issue of public access to the River iscurrently being debated in the region andhinges on the complicated question of whocontrols the land under the River -- privateproperty owners or the State ofNew York.

Callicoon has a number of non-river relatedopportunities for recreational pursuits: amovie theater, bowling alley, roller skatingrink, community youth center, free library,restaurants and taverns, musicalentertainment, visitor lodging andcampgrounds, antique shops and fleamarkets.In addition, NYS Route 97 and NYS Route 17(now 1-86) have each been designated as aBike-Way and the Delaware River has beennominated for d.esignation as an AmericanHeritage River, both of which hold greatpotential for increased tourism. Although theRiver was not approved, subsequentnominations are anticipated. As stated byPresident Clinton, the American HeritageRivers Initiative is a federal program aimed atassisting local communities to revitalize theirwaterfronts and clean up pollution.

The nature of Callicoon's business mix,recreational opportunities, and availability ofover-night accommodations suggest that thenature ofmost tourism and visitation is short­term, single day, or on-route to destination,with limited extended and vacation destinationappeal. Many of Callicoon's recreationalattractions are fair weather activities whichlimit its year-round potential to attract visitors.Additional and diversified recreationalfacilities and opportunities would strengthenCallicoon's revitalization efforts, its consumerand destination appeal, its opportunities forresidents, and stimulate new residential andcommercial growth. However, it is importantto note that the Hamlet's proximity to year­round recreational opportunities and other

commumties of interest place it in acompetitive market area in which it must keeppace and develop its.own unique niche to besuccessful. Another option would be tocooperate with other nearby Rivercommunities and organizations to promotetourism.

G. Infrastructure - Water, Sewer, SolidWaste, Transportation

The term infrastructure generally refers to thephysical systems within a community whichprovide the necessary services and capabilitiesfor the conduct of that community's essentialactivities. A reliable, potable water supply,adequate sewage and solidwaste disposal, andwell maintained roads are critical to theeconomic success of any community. In the1985 Callicoon Main Street ImprovementStudy, three infrastructure deficiencies wereidentified as impediments to Callicoon'scentral business district development: lack ofa central sewage system, Main Street surfacedrainage problems, and inadequate storm­water drainage via the central culvert system.While these issues have been addressed,certain infrastructure concems remain to beaddressed.

The completion of the infrastructureimprovement projects is a significant anddemonstrable indication ofthe willingness ofstate and local government and local taxpayersto make substantial investments in communityimprovements which contribute to localeconomic development. This willingness anddemonstration establish a "track record" whichcan further the community's attempts toacquire additional governmental andcommunity support, grant assistance andprivate/public funding, and attract newbusiness. Further, such accomplishmentsillustrate the community's ability to identifylocal problems, develop corrective strategies

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-14

and plans, and implement those planseffectively.

Two key questions related to the significantinfrastructure improvements outlined here areraised in consideration of a revitalizationprogram: I) Have these precursoryimprovements been sufficiently integrated intoan overall strategy ofeconomic developmentin the Hamlet ofCallicoon, or are they simplyunrelated accomplishments in and ofthemselves? 2) As the additional stepsnecessary for such a revitalization will dependproportionately more on local communitysupport, planning, implementation andfinancing than these infrastructureimprovements have, is such a commitmentpossible?

Water SupplyThe entire waterfront area is served bygroundwater supplies. The Callicoon WaterCompany, a private, commercial operation,provides water to the Hamlet while theoutlying areas are served by on-site wells.Groundwater is generally ofgood quality andof sufficient quantity to meet foreseeableneeds given that residential and retail/serviceestablishment are the principal types ofdevelopment anticipated.

Sewage DisposalThe central sewage collection and treatmentsystem operated by the Town serves theHamlet area. Completed in 1992, the systemis in good condition and with flows averagingabout fifty percent of the daily capacity of120,000 gallons, the system will certainly beadequate to meet expected demand for manyyears. Provided the system is maintained andoperated in accord with NYS DECrequirements, it should continue to contributeto improved water quality for the CallicoonCreek and the Delaware River in theimmediate vicinity of the Hamlet of

Callicoon. Access to centralized sewage maybe an inducement for the location of newbusiness and light industry, provided that theassociated costs are reasonably containedand/or are subsidized or pro-rated toencourage such development. Sewagedisposal in areas not served by the centralsystem is provided by on-site sewage systems.New systems must be installed in accord withstate health department requirements. Whilemany of the older systems would not meetcurrent health department requirements, thelower density of development in these areashas likely minimized detrimental effects onwater quality.

Solid Waste DisposalThe Town provides no sanitation services andsolid waste throughout the waterfront area iscollected and disposed of by private wastehaulers contracted by individual propertyowners and residents. The National ParkService and NYS DEC, via cooperativeagreements with the Towns in the UpperDelaware corridor, provide some funding fortrash pick-up. The waste is hauled to state­approved landfills including the SullivanCounty Landfill in Monticello and theKeystone Landfill near Scranton,Pennsylvania

TransportationThe improved Route 97 provides excellenthighway access to Callicoon as does thePA/NY bridge from the Pennsylvania side.Access to and from 1-86 (formerly NYS Route17) at Monticello is only about fifteen milesvia Route 17A & 17B or at Liberty via Route52. Though not discussed in the 1985Improvement Study, the replacement of theRoute 97 overpass-bridge is a majoraccomplishment which enhances Route 97 asa major thoroughfare through the region andto Callicoon, and the bridge is an impressivestructure to add to the community's

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE n-15

transportation history. Main Street and theother central streets of the Hamlet have beenadequately resurfaced and are in goodcondition. While the resurfacing of MainStreet has been completed, the drainageproblem along Main Street and sidewalksneed improvement to eliminate theaccumulation of ice build-up on sidewalksurfaces during the winter months. Roadsurface improvements and the Route 97 bridgereplacement means basic modern access to theHamlet and its business district is maintainedand does not present unnecessaryimpediments to future development andincreased trade and tourism.

A. Dorrer Drive, behind the west side ofMainStreet, has recently been paved and serves asan alternate access to and from Peck's Marketparking lot and the rear parking area behindMain Street which has been developed by theTown. With the relocation ofLander's RiverTrips and the construction of the River Martconvenience store and gas pumps, theaccompanying increase of traffic in this areamakes for a somewhat haphazard traffic flowand can create dusty or muddy conditionsalong this drive. The paving of A. DorrerDrive has improved traffic flow, lessenedcongestion on Main Street, improved access toexisting businesses and private parking areas,provided additional on-street parking, andcreated new street-side locations forpermanent businesses or seasonal and event­related kiosks or booths. Attractive andcomplimentary amenities along the improveddrive would enhance pedestrian traffic andafford additional scenic access to the River,businesses and new recreational areas.

The 1985 Main Street Improvement Studyidentified parking and traffic circulation asproblems in the core business center. Therelocation ofLander's Canoe Trips to the rearof Main Street along A. Dorrer Drive, as

suggested in the 1985 study, has helped toconsolidate parking with this business awayfrom Main Street. Some additional publicparking has been added by improving theparking area on Norfolk Southern propertyand the lot developed by the Town behindMain Street along Dorrer Drive. Significantspace remains for additional parking at therear ofbusinesses along the west side ofMainStreet. The narrowness ofMain and Academy(School) Streets in the center oftown and theirassociated parking spaces still make parkingand traffic flow problematic. Traffic directionand business location signs, identified in the1985 study as inadequate, is still not uniform,clear and adequate to assist a smooth flow oftraffic, particularly in the case ofout-of-townvisitors. Uniform and consolidated traffic anddestination signs would reduce congestion,help orient and direct visitor and touristtraffic, and designate central business areasand recreational facilities.

Pedestrian foot-traffic in the Hamlet remainslargely unprovided for, as identified in the1985 Improvement Study, in the trafficintersection between Main and School Streetsand along Main Street connecting with Peck'sMarket. The condition ofthe sidewalks alongthe west side of Main Street still lacksuniformity of condition, construction andmaterials, and consistent, integrated provisionof public amenities. The use of sandwichboard signs in front of businesses constrictsthe already narrow sidewalk.

Services and facilities required for bicycletraffic and cyclists are also lacking in theHamlet. The recent designation ofRoute 97as part of State Bike Route 17 and NYSDepartment of Transportation efforts topromote bicycle use provide an opportunity tothe Town to encourage bicycle use and attractadditional tourists by providing bicycle racks,restroom facilities and bicycle route signs.

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-16

Grant programs could provide much of thefunding for this effort.

Continuing traffic, parking and pedestrianconstraints will inhibit the Hamlet frommaximizing its potential for economic andcommunity revitalization. Successfulrevitalization will create greater pressure ontraffic systems and parking facilities whichwill demand effective solutions andappropriate development; yet, the associatedcosts of improvements will strain localfinancial resources and will requirethoughtful, creative solutions and strongcommunity support.

Public transportation is unavailable in thewaterfront area or anywhere in the Town. TheNorfolk Southe~ line certainly holds greatpotential for passenger service connection tooutside the region and can serve the shippingneeds of any business or industry in thecommunity. The nearest freight siding islocated at Cocheton Mill However, as notedearlier, the railroad line also presents asignificant barrier to River access, and givenits prominent and disruptive location in thecenter of the Hamlet it may complicaterevitalization efforts focused on increasedtourism.

H. Historic Resources

Much of the Hamlet's potential forrevitalization resides in its architecturalstrength. In many cases, this strength can bemaintained on an affordable schedule ofpreservation and appropriate rehabilitation ofexisting structures. Without a method ofpreserving the existing architectural heritageofthe central business district and redirectingnew commercial development to other areas,Callicoon will lose much ofits current appealand potential for revitalization to become acommunity ofbuildings and businesses with

no centralizing theme. Efforts to establishhistoric areas and design guidelines oftenmeetwith misunderstanding and resistance frommany in the community, local government andproperty owners. Successful efforts requiresolutions which are equitable to all concernedand a good deal of public education andnegotiation. Consensus is often developed byemphasizing both individual and communitybenefits and gains. State, federal and non­profit organization assistance with historicpreservation is readily available and should beemployed by the Town and local businesses.However, participating government agencyexpertise and technical assistance must beprovided in a manner which is appreciative ofthe property owner's interests, vision,knowledge and resources.

The Hamlet of Callicoon possesses a wealthof historic and commercial buildings,approximately twenty-five in number, in itsexisting downtown area. Most of thestorefronts are occupied by businesses andmany of the upper-story spaces are utilized.Most of these structures were built in the late1800's to the 1920's, exhibit a strong sense ofdesign and place in time, and are concentratedalong the west side ofMain Street and the eastside ofSchool Street. The 1898 Erie RailroadStation is located centrally between these twostreets and is key to the historic character ofthe Hamlet. Unfortunately, development ofthe station and its grounds for a productivecommunity use continues to meet with a lackofenthusiasmand cooperation from its currentowner. This is an important ingredient criticalto the Hamlet's revitalization and reservationsto its integration into such a plan must beovercome via all available avenues.

Many of these structures retain their originalarchitectural points or have been adaptedalong reasonably appropriate and consistentpoints of their original design. However,

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-I?

some recent construction and renovations inthe downtown have opted for contemporarydesigns which conflict with the overallarchitectural themes of the surroundingbuildings. Several storefronts have beenremodeled without proper consideration ofmaterials and design which could havepreserved the architectural unity of thebuilding and storefront without appreciablyadding to renovation costs. In a number ofthese cases where renovation or re-adaptationhas not been consistent with the originalstructural detail, corrective measures wouldnot have to be extensive or prohibitivelyexpensive. Several additional buildings couldcurrently benefit from appropriate facadeimprovements which would equally benefitthe overall appeal of the business center.ManypropertyO'YIlers will opt for appropriatesolutions once they become knowledgeable ofproper design issues, techniques, affordability,and the economic benefits of suchimprovements.

Improvement of the Main Street sidewalk,addition of uniform public amenities (streetlights, trash receptacles, flower boxes andplanters), and elimination of sandwich boardsigns, would add to the historic charm ofthedowntown area and encourage pedestrian use.Delaying improvements along A. DorrerDrive and the Main Street sidewalk, Callicoonwill continue to project an uneven image ofhistoric and natural charm in the midst ofdeterioration and lack of planning anddevelopment of cohesive, modem publicaccess and amenities critical to attracting newbusinesses, consumers, and visitors.

The Town of Delaware Master Plan (1996)has created a "downtown overlay district" inthe central area ofCallicoon to accommodatepreviously non-conforming characteristics ofreduced setbacks, maximum lot and buildingcoverage, off-street parking and loading area

requirements; and this approach has beeninstitued by the zoning law. Nevertheless,increased sensitivity to historic preservation indevelopment zoning in and around the Hamletcan preserve the architectural uniqueness ofthe downtown area and still encourage neweconomic development and morecontemporary and commercial design inadjacent areas of the Town.

In addition to the central business district,there are a number ofother unique examplesofother architectural styles and time periodswithin the Hamlet: the 1940's style movietheater, the 1908 School building, severalchurches, the Seminary (Job Corps Center)compound, and several structures which pre­date the 1888 fire. The coal silos andassociated buildings are interesting and mayhave significant historic potential, butrehabilitation could be difficult and expensive.No historic sites have been inventoried outsidethe hamlet area.

The 1985 Improvement Study discussed thevalue of designation of properties to theNational Register of Historic Places notingthat:

The National Register ofHistoric Places issimply a list ofthe nation's important historicsites. It is referred to as a ''planningdocument", and puts no restrictions on anowner's use ofhis or herproperty. The ownercan add on, remodel or repaint it, regardlessofits historic designation. Designation doesoffer some advantages, including:

1. Funding eligibility - Littlepublic fundingis now available Jor historic preservation.The federal program currently concentrateson tax credits for restoration projects. Somefunding is also availablefrom foundations butrelies upon a highly competitive process.Hope ofreceiving such monies is enhancedby

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE ll-18

official historic designation.

2. Protection - The National Registerdesignation blocks federally funded projects,such as new highways, that threaten todestroy or disturb historic projects. All suchprojects must go through a lengthy federalreview process in which steps are taken toavert or alleviate negative impact uponhistoric properties.

3. Prestige - Public recognition as aNational Register property alone tends toencourage an owner to maintain andrehabilitate aproperty. Prestige may also beutilized for the marketing ofboth individualstores and the Main Street area in general.

4. Increased Property Value - Generallyspeaking,properties designatedas historicallysignificant and properties within officially,designatedhistoric districts increase in value.This is especially evident in cases whereproperty owners capitalize on the historicqualities of their property by properpreservation and maintenance.

5. Community Pride - Low community self­esteem can be a serious problem to smalltowns which have been through a longperiodofeconomic depression. Recognition oflocalhistory and glorification of the community'sheritage are powerful tools for fighting thispsychological enemy. Designation o/historicsites and districts, particularly when coupledwith a program of restoration and reha­bilitation, is an excellent way to drawattention to that heritage.

Four properties in the Town of Delaware arelisted on the State and National Registers -­the Callicoon Methodist Church and Chapel,Church Street (Route 97), the Saint JamesEpiscopal Church and Rectory on Mill Street,the Delaware Free Library on MainStreet, and

the Saint Joseph's Seminary property (JobCorps Center). The New York State Office ofHistoric Preservation- completed a MultipleProperty Inventory and identified severalother properties eligible for the NationalRegister all of which are located in theHamlet. (See Appendix E.) The Inventorydetermined that no area in the Hamletqualifies for an historic district and identifiedno properties in the central business area aseligible for the National Register. However,the Delaware House, given its recentrehabilitation, may now qualify, and withcertain facade improvements the downtownmay qualify for an historic districtdesignation. In addition, the CallicoonRailroad Station is eligible.

The 1985 Improvement Study noted that thecommunity may wish to look into thepossibility oflocally designated historic sites.Only on the local level can any restrictions beplaced uponprivateproperty owners. At suchtime as the area is upgraded and restored,residents may wish to "put some teeth into"such designations, in order to protect theirown property values from uncaring ordestructive property owners. Such action, itshould be emphasized, is purely a localprerogative and can be as restrictive or non­restrictive as the community chooses. TheUpper Delaware Heritage Alliance maintainsan Old House Registry of residences at leastseventy-five years in age. Homeownersrequest inclu&ion and the residence isreviewed by a panel of Alliance members.Several residences in the Hamlet are listed onthe registry.

I. Signs & Accessory Amenities

Improved signs is an affordable andachievable first-step for businesses and thecommunity which will contribute to improvedtraffic flow, customer interest, visitor

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE 11-19

orientation and promotion, and communityimage. Amenities, trees and plants, and urbanlandscaping which cater to pedestrians,shoppers and visitors also add warmth andappeal to a downtown area and would help tiethe commercial district to the naturalsurroundings ofthe River, Creek and hillsides.Such improvements can be planned to bemade over a multi-year period to offset costs,create sustained interest and community self­esteem, and provide visible evidence ofaccomplishment and progress. As withbuilding and facade improvement, someproperty owners may not initially embrace ormay fail to recognize the benefits of signimprovements and additional amenities. Signdesign guidelines should be developed anddisseminated, and helpful, responsive, non­threatening expertise and assistance should beprovided. In addition, changes may benecessary in existing codes related to signs.

The major entrance ways to Callicoon, Route97, the PAINY bridge and Route 17A lackeye-catching and inviting WELCOME signswhich could help to create a warm, positivecommunity image, to promote tourism and toincrease visitation and business. Many suchsigns incorporate a distinctive logo or visualrepresentative of a community's uniqueattraction. At major intersections, South Mainand Main Streets for example, signs arecluttered and piecemeal. At such locations,unified, uniform and subtle signs would aid inproviding useful directional informationto thebusiness district and points ofinterest withoutbeing visually distractive and unsightly.

A number ofbusiness signs in the Hamlet arewell designed and consistent with the style oftheir associated buildings and businesses.However, some signs in the doWntown arealack the basic elements which attractcustomers and add to a business's image:appropriate scale of sign size and lettering;

color and lettering which coordinates with andcompliments the associated buildings; properlocation on storefronts; and use of externallighting--not backlighting or neon, andpainted or made of natural materials--notplastic. Primary business signs should beflush with the buildings and storefronts. Ifprojecting or overhanging signs are permittedin keeping. with the original architecturalperiod of the building, they should berestricted in size and overhang distance fromthe building. Historically, overhanging signsusually depicted a business logo or graphicassociated with a particular business; this canenhance the uniqueness ofa business. Againsuch signs should be in keeping with thebuilding's style--no plastic, back lighted orneon signs. Doorways and windows shouldnot be cluttered with signs, posters, etc.,which are distracting, lessen visual appeal andinterfere with generating customer interest ina business, its window displays andmerchandise. Doors and windows ofbusinesses can be easily cleared of clutter,inappropriate signs, posters and banners.Clean windows and attractive displays onlyrequire a little manual labor and creativity andare the best single way to attract customersinto an establishment. Given the narrowsidewalks on Main Street, sidewalk sandwichboard signs are not practical. Ghost signs,those that remain after businesses no longerexist or have relocated, confuse, frustrate anddiscourage customers and visitors new to thearea, and should be removed.

The compact nature, closeness and businessmix of the downtown area is conducive topedestrian interest and pace of activity.However, this characteristic does limit theamount of open space in the downtown andalong pedestrian walkways. Much of thedowntown area is absent of flower boxes orplanters, trees and landscaped areas, attractivetrash receptacles, benches, period-style

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown ofDelaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE ll-20

lighting and other amenities that could wannthe Hamlet's image and which shoppers andvisitors enjoy. Nevertheless, there are severalareas that would lend themselves well topublic amenities like benches, trashreceptacles, period streetlights, and trees andlandscaping: the Train Station grounds andrail bed, south end ofMain Street near Peck'sMarket, the Community Center grounds, andopen areas between buildings. Anotherconcern raised by the business community isthe need for public restrooms in the downtownarea. An improved A. DorrerDrive is anotherarea that could accommodate these types ofamenities.

J. Business Development& Diversification

Callicoon has a _strong base of dining andentertainment establishments, antique shopsand flea markets, and a canoe rental/riverexcursion business which attract touristbusiness. A number oflocal consumer needsare provided for by a large grocery store,convenience store, bank, real estate office,insurance and legal services, car dealershipand service stations, health care services,phannacy, funeral home, laundromat and carwash, florist, a home and building center, afann and garden center, and other recreationalbusinesses identified earlier.

All of these businesses are dependent onseasonal consumer activity or the limited localpopulation, which also makes new businesscreation and diversification difficult. Inaddition, much local retail and servicespending is drawn from Callicoon to otherlocal market areas like Liberty, Monticello,Middletown, Narrowsburg, Hancock, andHonesdale, and majormetropolitan areas suchas Binghamton, Scranton and New York City.Adding to the dilemma is the fact that smalland first-time business owners have thehighest business failure rates, the majority

occurring in the first year ofoperation. Lackof experience, insufficient knowledge ofcustomer needs, inadequate promotion andmarketing, and financial constraints can allcontribute to failure. Local business supportsystems are vital to successful businessdevelopment.

The Hamlet could benefit from a number ofrelatively inexpensive methods ofidentifyingconsumer needs and potential business nichesripe for development. For example, customerand local resident surveys can identifyunsatisfied needs for products and services,and can also identify promising new, in-homeor fledgling businesses and entrepreneurswhich could be successfully developed andrelocated to the downtown. Business productand service checklists can identify gaps in thelocal business mix and potential areas fordiversification. Consumer market studies canbe purchased inexpensively which provide awealth of information about local consumerdemographics, income levels, purchasingpatterns and emerging needs and trends. Theidentification and initiation of these actionswould best be accomplished via acomprehensive businessplan for the Callicoonbusiness district. However, such a plan canonly be accomplished with concerted, unifiedand sustained initiative by the businesscommunity.

K. Marketing & Promotion

There are two basic promotional strategies:event promotion and institutional or imagepromotion. A number of events promoteinterest in the Hamlet of Callicoon: the JulyStreet Fair and Tractor parade, the HalloweenParade and Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts Show,the Library book sale, and other functions atthe Youth Center. Downtown retail sales andcontests are other examples of eventpromotion. Image or institutional promotions

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE ll-21

focus on drawing attention and customerinterest to the business district as a distinct,identifiable area. This type of promotionlends itself well to incorporating historicpreservation efforts, facade and signimprovements, new recreational facilities andpublic amenities, and other revitalizationefforts into creating name brand identificationand loyalty with consumers. Callicoon offersa wealth of opportunities for this type ofpromotion. Improved recreational facilitiesand locations would provide greateropportunity for new promotional ideas andevents that hold participants and theirpurchasing power in the immediate businessdistrict and improve the riverfront's positionas a visitor destination. However,deterioration or lack ofprogress in downtownand waterfront revitalization will generate itsown negative image promotion.

The Callicoon Business Association hascreated and disseminated an attractive andinformative brochure to promote the Hamletand its attractions. Again, the initiative ofanorganized business community cannot beoveremphasized as the key to success of anymarketing and promotion effort. The currentevent schedule needs strengthening anddiversification into activities that will appealto affiuent segments of the emergingconsumer market. However, bigger andbetterevents and promotions require effectiveorganization, coordination, cooperation andparticipation on the part of local business,government and community groups. In short,big events, to be successful, demand increasedtime and local effort. Increased visitor levelsand improved business for a day or weekendmust be balanced by the fact that such eventsmay not appreciably improve annual sales andbusiness volume.

Sales promotions need to be coordinatedbusiness-wide and incorporate group

advertising and merchandising. Manyrevitalization groups adopt downtown logosand slogans which. are incorporated incollective advertising, letterheads, brochures,business cards and promotional items likecoffee mugs, T-shirts, caps, shopping bags,etc. The sale of such promotional items canoffset their cost and generate revenue foradditional events andproducts while fosteringinterest and awareness of the downtown andriverfront. In addition, marketing efforts mustbetter identify consumer groups, their needsand interests and find better ways to reachthese groups; Job Corps students, secondhome owners and part-time residents are goodexamples.

The presence oflocal news media, the Librarybook sale, such as The Sullivan CountyDemocrat, The River Reporter and variousradio stations is ideal for local news coveragethat focuses on revitalization efforts, buildingand sign improvements, historic preservation,recreational facilities development, newbusiness openings or expansion, eventscoverage, etc., and promotes the Hamlet'simage. The media can also help developcoordinated advertising packages and offerreduced cost, group advertising plans.

L. Scenic ResourcesThe Upper Delaware's scenic beauty played akey role in the River's designation as aNational Scenic and Recreational River. TheRiver Management Plan states:

The Upper Delaware River is the mostoutstanding remaining example of a free­flOWing, relatively undeveloped river in itssection of the Appalachian Plateauphysiographic region. There is a markeddiversity ofunique landforms throughout theriver corridor. The Delaware River Gorgehas been identified by the PennsylvaniaBureau ofTopographic and .Geologic Survey

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-22

as one of the outstanding scenic geologicfeatures in the state. The gorge begins aboveMatamoras and runs north throughout mostofthe river segment, ranging between two andthree thousandfeet in width. A series ofriver­cut promontories within the gorge contrastwith the gently rolling hills of the regionallandscape. . . Unique land resources such asthe rock promontories and wateifalls of theUpper Delaware River corridorare examplesofthe important geologicalfeatures ofa rivervalley which the Wild andScenic Rivers Act isrequired to protect. Similar to the entirecorridor, the Delaware River valley in theTown of Delaware is characterized by broadvistas ofthe Riveras it flows between forestedridges. Outside ofthe hamlet, the goals oftheRiver Management Plan, as implemented bythe Town Zoning !aw, are aimed at conservingthe scenic resources of the corridor whileallowing reasonable levels of residentialdevelopment.

M. Water QualityThe water quality of the Delaware River isgood to excellent as evidenced by the variedand thriving fish populations; coldwaterspecies in the northern reaches and warmwaterspecies in the lower reaches. The DelawareRiver Basin Commission (DRBC), asauthorized by the Delaware River BasinCompact and the Water Code ofthe DelawareRiver Basin, has established and enforcesinterstate water quality standards. TheDelaware, is classified as outstanding basinwaters by the DRBC and NYS DEC classifiesthe River as anATprotected stream. Pollutantdischarge criteria assure antidegradation ofwater quality. For example, theantidegradation criteria are applied to theCallicoon Sewer District treatment plantwhich discharges to the Callicoon Creek ashort distance upstream from the Delaware.Water quality in Callicoon Creek is also good,with a DEC classification of CT, and local

volunteers monitor water quality incooperation with the Sullivan County WaterQuality Coordinating Committee, the NYSDepartment of Environmental Conservation,the National Park Service and the NationalResource Conservation Service.

N. Flooding and Stonn Water ControlAs noted in an earlier section, the Town FloodDamage Prevention Law regulatesdevelopment in floodplain. Most of theHamlet area is outside the IOO-year floodhazard area delineated by the National FloodInsuranceProgram FloodInsurance RateMap.Areas within the floodplain include the low­lying area along Callicoon Creek, the YouthCenter property and campground. (See theHamlet section of the Flood Insurance RateMap in the Appendix for details.) South oftheHamlet the floodplain falls below the railroadline. RiverRoad north ofthe hamlet generallydefines the floodplain boundary to thesouthern tip ofButternut Island, where the onehundred-year flood area extends beyond theroad in many areas. North of the terminus ofRiver Road, the railroad bed again defines thefloodplain line. The Town's waterfront areahas had its share of flooding and those areaslying within the floodplain will certainly beagain inundated. However, all revitalizationefforts must consider protection of publicinvestments. Non-flood related capitalimprovement projects should not beundertaken in the floodplain and privatedevelopment will be controlled in accord withthe Flood Damage Prevention Law in accordwith state and federal requirements.

A critical capital improvement project hasbeen recently completed in the Hamlet.Historically, the Hamlet has struggled with astorm water problem through the center ofthedowntown area, the flow ofwater arising fromthe heights and causing flooding at the lowerelevation. An unusual storm and snow melt in

LOCAL WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM III INVENTORY & ANALYSISTown of Delaware, Sullivan County, New York PAGE II-23

1996 resulted in the failure of the culvertsystem and severe erosion at Main Street andA. Dorrer Drive. The new system wasinstalled cooperatively by the Town andCounty with the assistance of federal flooddisaster funds.

o. Fish and WildlifeFish and wildlife populations in the non­Hamlet areas of the waterfront include thetypical animals and birds found in SullivanCounty, and hunting and fishing constitute animportant part ofthe local economy. As notedearlier, the River supports an abundant fishpopulation, with the Town of Delawaresection part of the transition area fromcoldwater to warmwater species. In terms offederally identified threatened and endangeredspecies, the bald eagle, recently moved fromendangered to threatened, is a frequent visitorto the River corridor. In 1986, the RiverManagement Plan reported that the area nearthe reservoirs associated with the lowerMongaup River and the Upper DelawareRiver supports up tofifty bald eagles betweenNovember and March each year and is one ofthe most significant bald eagle Winteringareas in the northeast United States. Thecorridor is also used regularly during thesummer months by eagles from the south,probably nesting in Florida. Over the pastseveral years, six to eight nesting pairs ofbaldeagles have been reported in the region, withat least two pairs nesting within the UpperDelaware Corridor. The exact locations ofeagle nests are not publicized in order tominimize human disturbance, therefore eaglenesting in the Town of Delaware waterfrontarea has not been confirmed.

P. Important Agricultural LandsAgriculture in the waterfront area is minimalwith no active dairy operations. Only a smallportion of the waterfront area, located at thenorthern boundary of the Town where no

revitalization projects are anticipated, isincluded in a state-approved agriculturaldistrict, and the only- agricultural activity inthis area is somewhat less than one hundredacres of hay fields. Situated at the southernend of the waterfront area, is Tamarack Flatswhere about forty acres are cultivatedprimarily for corn; again, no revitalizationprojects are proposed for this area.