A thriving small town at the heart of the Western Catskills – where creative energy, sustainable living, and outdoor beauty converge.
Not that we feel sheepish or anything, but out private little secret has been truly outed. Livingston Manor – or Manor for most locals – has become a sought-after destination in the Catskills for creative professionals, foodies, hipsters and fans of sustainable living. If you love the outdoors and have a discerning, eco-conscious taste for food and design chances are you will find yourself spending weekends here, hopping from place to place in this upstate hamlet. Or even buying a sustainable, carbon-neutral home at The Catskill Project.
From Humble Beginnings to a Catskills Renaissance
It wasn’t always like this. Initially called Purvis and renamed to its present name in the 1880s, Livingston Manor has gone through a number of ups and downs. This Catskills hamlet was once home to a chicken processing plant, two lumberyards, and a string of bungalows and Borscht Belt hotels not far away. The good, hard-working people always loved their little town, but any lasting development was essentially capped by regular flooding of the Willowemoc Creek, Little Beaver Kill and Cattail Brook.
That all changed thanks to restoration work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who restored the natural upstream floodplains of these streams, thereby saving Manor from the unwelcome periodic inundation and opening the door for long-term revitalization.
What’s Fueling the Buzz?
The most recent accelerator was Covid, but other factors of course contributed to the current renaissance. Desire for healthy sustainable living, farm to table restaurants, craft breweries, active lifestyle, high-performance green homes, beautiful outdoors: these are but a few reasons why western Catskills have become such a mecca. Simply put, many people who came to escape at least some of its impacts in the city never left.
And why would they? With the George Washington Bridge merely 2 hours away, you can always go back for a meeting if you need to. The result is a vibrant — and growing — community of city transplants seamlessly integrating into the local vibe while bringing their own additional flavors, many setting up their own shops and starting new businesses. And all this is being done with a naturally healthy conservation ethos, respecting what exists while adding to it in an eco-conscious way.
Eat, Shop, Explore
It is hard to keep up with all the developments in Manor. Whether you’re just visiting or house-hunting, here are some of our local favorites:
- Breakfast at The Walk In gets you going.
- Homestedt, Old Souls and Nest are but a few or the stores and outlets to check out.
- Catskill Art Space is now fully on the map of cutting-edge galleries and performing arts venues.
- Main Street Farm has all the groceries, as many as possible sourced locally.
- The Kaatskeller, Threshold or Smoke Joint have delicious farm-to-table cuisine, ranging from wood-fired pizza to Korean to barbecue.
- The Catskill Brewery and Upward Brewing will satisfy the choosiest craft beer afficionado.
And who knows what’s next? One thing in the works we do know about is a little Japanese village, featuring a restaurant, sake distillery, boutique hotel and community gathering space – further proof this town is just getting started.
Livingston Manor Real Estate is Booming
All this contributed to Livingston Manor topping Zillow’s list for fastest-growing real estate markets in New York State in the last decade. But you haven’t missed the bus (yet). This trend is sure to continue. So come be a part of it!
The Catskill Project expresses all the multifaced current trend perfectly, via its selection of Passive House-standard, sustainable homes that reflects the best of what this region has to offer – energy efficiency, modern design, and a deep respect for the land.
Whether you are thinking a weekend retreat, a summer home, or full-time residence, we are here for you. Join the growing movement in the western Catskills and make The Catskill Project in Livingston Manor your next destination. You will feel right at home.