The mission of Black Olive Group is to breathe new life into forgotten cabins, barns, and homes in the Catskills in upstate New York. We renovate these culturally significant structures using reclaimed, green, and locally sourced building materials. We maintain a small footprint so that future generations can enjoy the same natural surroundings that we do.

We also believe in preserving forests and farmland. Far too often, developers disrupt rural communities with unimaginative subdivision plans. Our goal is to provide an alternative vision for what's possible for Catskill properties that might otherwise fall victim to either rural gentrification or natural decay.

Climate change and personal health are both recalibrating traditional demands that have dominated the American housing market for decades (3 beds, 2 baths). There's a growing demand in the housing market for authentic, environmentally-sustainable experiences and homesteads. These buyers and renters are seeking small, unique spaces with gardens, open land, surrounded by nature.

Black Olive Group was founded in 2020 by Thad & Abby Allender from Olive, NY. Their motivation to rehabilitate and restore forgotten structures in the Catskills is derived from their love of nature and community. Their first rehabilitation project was a small black cabin in 2012. Their most recent project is restoring an old barn. The name Black Olive Group was derived from their first cabin build -- literally a black cabin in Olive, which was left for dead in the forest for many years.