Depew, NY

Small Village, Big Ideas

A 5.4-Square-Mile New York Village Shows How Smart Leadership Can Transform Environmental Liabilities into Revenue Streams—While Delivering Top-Tier Municipal Services.

At a time when many small communities struggle for relevance, the Village of Depew, New York, stands as a model of what thoughtful leadership, fiscal discipline, and innovation can achieve. With a population of 15,178 residents packed into just 5.4 square miles, Depew has few opportunities for expansion—but that hasn’t stopped it from growing in all the ways that matter.

“We’re pretty much built out,” says Mayor Kevin Peterson, who in 2023 became the first Depew mayor to secure a second term since the late 1990s. “So, we’ve had to be smart—reimagining and maximizing every property’s value, both commercial and otherwise.”

From Railroad Roots to Modern Resilience

Founded in 1892 and incorporated in 1894, Depew was named after Chauncey M. Depew, president of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. Today, its compact footprint crosses two municipalities—Cheektowaga and Lancaster—presenting administrative complexities that could paralyze other communities. But Depew has used those challenges as catalysts for smarter governance.

“In 2017, we faced a real moment of reckoning when there was a push to dissolve the village,” recalls Peterson. “But we emerged stronger—more committed to proving what a well-run village government can accomplish.”

Green Innovation Meets Fiscal Discipline

While 154 communities statewide have been certified under New York’s Climate Smart Communities program, few have blended environmental leadership with financial ingenuity like Depew. The village consistently ranks in the top 10 for completed climate action items in western New York.

Mayor Peterson’s first initiative in 2019 was converting all 1,400 streetlights to LED. Since then, Depew is currently installing EV chargers at Fireman’s Park and Village Hall, has certified it’s code enforcement officers in community solar, and built one of Erie County’s first geothermal powered heating and air-conditioned public pavilions—a 15,000-square-foot facility in Fireman’s Park.

But perhaps the most inventive project stemmed from a long-standing environmental burden: a 35-acre former landfill that the NYS DEC determined needed remediation. Rather than burden taxpayers with a $1.8 million bond to cover that cost, Peterson brokered a partnership with a solar developer.

“We sold 15 acres of that site to build a solar array. That first phase is up now, and we didn’t have to borrow a dime to re-cap the landfill to DEC specifications,” says Peterson.

A Reimagined Main Street

In many small towns, traditional downtowns have hollowed out. Depew’s solution: focus not on retail density, but on walkability and community connection. While Route 130 (Broadway) carries most of the traffic, Terrace Boulevard—just one block over—has been recast as the community’s civic spine.

“Terrace Boulevard connects Village Hall, Veterans Park, Fireman’s Park, the Boys & Girls Club, churches, post office, fire station and a community center—everywhere people gather,” Peterson says. “That’s our real ‘Main Street.’”

Depew has invested nearly $1.5 million in sidewalk infrastructure using CDBG grants, enhancing pedestrian safety and access. The layout itself still follows Frederick Law Olmsted’s signature spoke-and-wheel design, culminating in Veterans Park—the village’s cultural and recreational hub.

Open for Business

With limited space for new construction, Depew has focused on revitalizing existing properties and welcoming progressive industries.

“Vacant storefronts don’t stay vacant long here,” Peterson says. The village welcomed Herbal IQ, one of western New York’s first legal cannabis dispensaries. It’s now Erie County’s top-performing dispensary and ranks sixth statewide, recently doubling its footprint.

Perhaps the most transformative project is the $65 million redevelopment of a 150,000-square-foot former HSBC site into a 219,000-square-foot Erie 1 BOCES K-12 Instructional Services Campus for special needs students. Scheduled to open in 2027, it capitalizes on Depew’s central location and accessibility to school districts throughout Erie County.

Other new developments include a 200,000-square-foot storage facility and expansion of concrete operations—repurposing underutilized land for tax-generating uses.

Infrastructure That Delivers

Municipal infrastructure is costly—but Depew has found ways to keep services top-notch without burdening taxpayers. Roughly half of the village’s revenue comes from property taxes, but strategic use of state programs like CHIPS, Pave New York, and Bridge NY allows the village to maintain local roads while relying on state and county partners to maintain major routes like Routes 130, 78, and Walden Avenue.

Another major win: fiber internet. In 2022, Depew became GoNetspeed’s first local partner in Erie County. The Village’s compact layout made fiber rollout economical. Today, residents enjoy service from two competing fiber providers—GoNetspeed and Greenlight Networks—giving them rare redundancy and reliability.

A Model for Sustainable Growth

In a community where the housing stock is mostly built out, growing the tax base without adding single-family homes is the key to sustainability.

“We’re not going to cut services—our residents are happy with what they have,” says Peterson. “So, we have to think creatively.”

Future plans have the Village pursuing a $4.5 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant to rehabilitate aging homes and further incentivize private investment. The housing market affirms Depew’s success: properties that sold for $86,000 three decades ago now routinely list above $280,000, due to regional demand and Depew’s livability.

“Depew is an ideal place for young families,” Peterson says. “We’ve improved the park system, strengthened public safety, enhanced walkability, and kept taxes in check. Our services are second to none.”

Depew’s Formula for Success

By transforming environmental liabilities into solar assets, reimagining public space, prioritizing infrastructure, and embracing strategic development, Depew shows what’s possible when small communities think big.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Village of Depew

What: Erie County municipality ranked #1 best place to live in western New York’s large hub category, known for innovative green financing and fiscal management

Where: Western New York

Website: www.villageofdepew.org