A Village Transformed

The Flood Buy-Out Program allowed many families to relocate out of the floodway, but it permanently changed Margaretville as more than six acres in the heart of the village, mostly on Main Street, became vacant. Local residents and civic leaders did not want the parcels to become overgrown and neglected, and although permanent structures could never again be built on them and water quality could not be compromised, they worked with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to find compatible community uses. In 2001 and 2002, the department entered into cooperative management agreements with Margaretville Central School and the Village of Margaretville for the use of all 21 parcels. These efforts led to a community playground, riverside paths, and a new entrance to the Village Park as part of a community revitalization plan, while other projects were envisioned for other buy-out lots. After the Flood of 1996, these cooperative flood-mitigation efforts transformed the village and made it more resilient in hopes that future floods would come at a reduced cost to everyone.

Margaretville, New York · United States