Highland, a small town in New York's Catskills region, is restoring its 19th-century courthouse building with a $250,000 state grant, part of a larger effort to preserve aging civic infrastructure while meeting new climate standards.

The building has served multiple purposes over its long history: first as a schoolhouse, then as a courthouse and constabulary, and now as Highland's town hall. The State and Municipal Facilities Program grant will fund restoration work on the structure, which sits in a region where many historic civic buildings face deferred maintenance after decades of economic decline.

The town is also using a separate $10,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to install split heat and air conditioning pumps in the building, part of the state's push for municipalities to reduce emissions from their operations.

Highland, with roughly 5,600 residents, has limited tax revenue for capital projects, making state grants essential for major repairs. Sullivan County's median household income runs below the state average, a legacy of the area's economic struggles since the decline of the Borscht Belt resort economy.

The town is seeking contractors for both projects. Interested parties can contact Supervisor John Pizzolato to schedule site visits and submit proposals.