HGTV spinoff of 'Home Town' series filmed in Cornwall; episode to air in May

Karen Croke, Times Herald-Record
·2 min read
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In the fall of 2021, strangers arrived in the town and village of Cornwall. As they wandered Main Street, eagle-eyed fans of HGTV soon realized that TV stars and designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent were among them.

The crew, from a new series, HGTV’s “Home Town Kickstart, presented by People,” was in town to scout filming — and renovation — locations. The series is a spinoff of the network's popular "Home Town" hosted by Ben and Erin Napier.

The series, which premiered April 24, highlights the renovation of three spaces within each town: A public space, a business and the house of a “hometown hero.” The episode that reveals what was done in Cornwall airs on HGTV May 8 at 8 p.m.

Cornwall town leaders at the reveal of a refreshed gathering space designed by Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent for the new HGTV series "Home Town Kickstart presented by People."
Cornwall town leaders at the reveal of a refreshed gathering space designed by Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent for the new HGTV series "Home Town Kickstart presented by People."

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Over 5,000 communities applied to be considered for the series. Six were chosen, including Cornwall. The other communities featured in the series are Buffalo, Wyoming; Winslow, Arizona; LaGrange, Kentucky; Thomaston, Georgia; and Minden, Louisiana.

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent with Cornwall artist and owner of a local art studio, Vivien Collens. Berkus and Brent were in Cornwall as part of the new HGTV series "Home Town Kickstart presented by People."
Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent with Cornwall artist and owner of a local art studio, Vivien Collens. Berkus and Brent were in Cornwall as part of the new HGTV series "Home Town Kickstart presented by People."

Each had a design team come to town to help give the struggling downtown a "kick start." In the case of Cornwall, the series dressed up a Main Street boutique, worked with local leaders to create a fun gathering space and updated the home of the town's most caring family. We don't want to give away too many other details — but Berkus and Brent did spend some time with artist and art studio owner Vivien Collens — so viewers will have to tune into HGTV for the episode.

Throughout the process, Ben and Erin Napier offered insight and encouragement to all the teams working across the country.

Cornwall resident Michael Summerfield speaks with designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent in October. Summerfield and Amy Bandolik (second from right) co-led a successful effort to highlight Cornwall in an upcoming "Home Town Kickstart" episode on HGTV.
Cornwall resident Michael Summerfield speaks with designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent in October. Summerfield and Amy Bandolik (second from right) co-led a successful effort to highlight Cornwall in an upcoming "Home Town Kickstart" episode on HGTV.

A group of local residents, led by Amy Bandolik and Michael Summerfield, a former town councilman, were behind Cornwall's inclusion in the series.

The team gathered several project ideas to submit on the application, following the requirement that each project needed to be located close to a main street. The application highlighted Cornwall’s identity as an outdoor recreation destination for hikers and bicyclists, and put a spotlight on the main streets in the town and village.

When Berkus and Brent arrived in town just before Thanksgiving for filming, Bandolik told the Herald-Record that the group were adamant that they undertake a revitalization, not complete renovation.

Designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent will help renovate a residence, a public space, and a business in Cornwall for "Home Town Kickstart presented by People" on the HGTV network. Clockwise from top: Co-lead organizer Michael Summerfield, Jeremiah Brent, Nate Berkus, Councilwoman-elect Rokhsha Michael-Razi, Co-lead organizer Amy Bandolik, Supervisor-elect Josh Wojehowski, and his wife Heather Wojehowski.

“This should bring pleasure to residents, more commerce to the community ... and if other people want to drop in and spend money, that’s not a bad idea, either,” Bandolik said at the time.

Jane Anderson contributed to this story.

Karen Croke is the features editor for The USA Today network in the Hudson Valley. The Find my stories here. Reach me at kcroke1@lohud.com

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: HGTV offered a 'kick start' to this Hudson Valley town; what happened?