VERMONT
Downtown, Village Center and Older,
Historic Building Bill Moving in the Legislature
The effort to pass legislation in the State Capitol that would
improve Vermont's Downtown Program and to establish incentives
and supports for village center building is making
progress. With the support of the Dean Administration,
Downtown Network, Preservation Trust of the Vermont, Vermont
Downtown Program, and the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, the House
Commerce Committee has spent considerable time over the past
several weeks crafting a bill, H.208, that would do the
following good things.
- Without expanding the existing state
commitment of resources, H.208 would reform current state
tax incentive programs so they are more effective. Current
Vermont law dedicates at least $2.3M/year to several tax
programs supporting investment in downtown development
projects. The draft bill proposes to consolidate these
programs, expand targeted credits, and authorize a
number of new tax credit programs. The new programs
would help developers installing elevators, lifts, and
sprinklers in older and historic downtown buildings, help
redevelopment projects in village centers, and support
investment in village center general stores and privately
owned post office buildings
- H.208 would improve predictability and
increase flexibility in Vermont's building codes. More
clear, flexible policies on the phasing of fire and life
safety requirements and on the triggering of new
construction standards in older buildings, and analysis of
code variances practice for potential codification as
exemptions, are on the long list of code policy and
implementation improvements that would be advanced by the
bill.
- H.208 would also reduce state land use
regulation over some projects in Designated Downtowns.
Act 250 jurisdiction over medium sized projects in
designated downtown areas often duplicates existing local
regulation and adds unnecessarily to regulatory uncertainty.
The bill would raise the jurisdictional thresholds for
housing and mixed use projects in Designated Downtown areas
from the current trigger of 10 units to a higher number
depending on the size of a town.
Many of the details in H.208 were developed over
the summer and through the fall by a legislatively created Task
Force on the Redevelopment of the Upper Stories of Downtown
Buildings.
Folks are encouraged to contact their
legislators to express support for H.208 (http://www.leg.state.vt.us/
for more info). If you would like any additional
information about the bill or how to contact your legislator,
please feel free to contact us.
Captain White House, Burlington
Construction is nearly complete on the rehabilitation of the
former Chicken Bone Cafe, now known as the Captain White House.
The King Street building was at the center of
a controversy last year when an application for its demolition
in order to build 5 new units of low-income housing was met with
opposition from a UVM student who revealed a rich history
associated with Gideon King, an important commercial maritime
figure, and with the White brothers, ship-builders, also
prominent in Lake Champlain maritime history.
After Mary O'Neil brought the rich history of
the building to everyone's attention, the Preservation Trust,
the City's Community and Economic Development Office, and the
affordable housing community worked very hard to find an
alternative to demolition. In December 2000, Don Dickson
from the King Street Neighborhood Revitalization Committee and
Paul Bruhn from the Preservation Trust testified before the
Burlington Development Review Board requesting a 30-day stay to
explore alternatives. After much work exploring a variety
of options, it was agreed that the main block of the house would
be rehabilitated for offices and program space for the Lake
Champlain Maritime Museum and the ell demolished to construct a
new Habitat for Humanity House.
"It has been a long road for everybody,
but now that the building is coming back to life it holds
great promise as a new community asset and I am confident we
all did the right thing by pressing forward." Art
Cohn, Director, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
The entire project would would not have been
possible without a major grant from the Josephine Bay Paul and
C. Michael Paul Foundation, the willingness of the Lake
Champlain Maritime Museum to take on the project, the blessing
of the housing advocates, and a host of other charitable
contributions and grants from the Lake Champlain Maritime
Museum. The museum still needs to raise $25,000 to
complete the project.
For more information about the project,
contact: ann@ptvermont.org
For more information about the Maritime Museum: http://www.lcmm.org/site/index/framesets/frameset_home.html
Burlington's City Market Co-op Opens!
At last, the doors are open for business at the new 16,000 sq.
ft. City Market Co-op on South Winooski Avenue in Burlington.
The store offers a wide selection of groceries, both natural and
mainstream products, great produce, and prepared foods to eat
there or carry out.
As part of its continuing efforts to build
strong and vibrant downtowns, the Preservation Trust assisted
the Co-op in raising funds for the project.
The grand opening isn't expected for several
weeks.
Men of Maple Corner Makes Half a Million
The idea to make a calendar to raise $30,000 in funds for
improvements to the Maple Corner Community Center was more than
just a good one -- it was a great one, generating
$498,698. The lure of 13 men posed in the buff was
unprecedented and sent the calendar into its fourth
printing. The excess funds -- more than $250,000 -- will
likely be invested in a trust, the earnings of which would be
used to pay future operating costs of the community
center. The Community Center has served as the centerpiece
of the very active Calais community for over 50 years hosting
potluck suppers, theater productions, readings, festivals and
more.
Community History Project Unveiled at
the Statehouse
The Community History Project of the Vermont Historical Society
was formally unveiled last Friday at the Statehouse in
Montpelier.
The Community History Project will work with
12 to 14 pilot sites in Vermont, each site comprised of a local
historical society/school team. The team will create a story
around a critical component of the community's history using
original sources; a place-based approach to learning and
integration of the Vermont Standards will occur at each site.
Each of the community stories will be digitized for placement on
the Internet. Students, teachers, and local society
representatives will be provided training in curriculum
development in addition to training in technology, story telling
and collections care management.
Additionally, during the 2-year implementation
of this project, teams will be invited to participate in
educational experiences conducted in the spirit of a Chautauqua.
VHS's Chautauquas will feature such Vermont notables as
Katherine Paterson, Jay Craven, Ron Powers and Frank Bryan who
will strive to educate and entertain our teams as they bring the
past to life again.
For more information: http://www.state.vt.us/vhs/community/index.htm
Vermont Carving Studio Buys Site
The Board of Trustees of the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center
in Rutland, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the main
building, another nearby building and 5.5 surrounding acres.
According to Board President Barry Cohen, a permanent home has
been a goal the Studio has been actively pursuing for several
years. Property ownership will allow for major physical
improvements which will, in turn, make year-round programming
possible.
Property ownership will also enable the
Carving Studio and Sculpture Center to take advantage of a
$50,000.00 grant from the Freeman Foundation and the
Preservation Trust of Vermont. These funds will be used to
install a much needed new roof and to point the masonry walls of
the main building. The Studio is dedicated to preserving the
stone working heritage of Vermont, as well as educating new
generations of sculptors. Their workshop brochure for the 2002
summer season is available by calling (802) 438-2097. The
schedule may also be viewed at www.carvingstudio.com.
Project Home changes name to HomeShare
Congressman Sanders announce the new name of HomeShare and
introduce our new website as part of our 20th anniversary
celebration. The website has a complete listing of available
homesharing situations and can be a great resource for anyone
you know who might be looking for a place to live in Chittenden
County.
http://www.HomeShareVermont.org
Correction!
In an article about the Jeudevine Library in PTV's last
newsletter, we incorrectly noted that the St. Johnsbury
Athenaeum was designed by Lambert Packard. Fairbanks Museum
(erected in 1891) is a Packard design, along with the Jeudevine.
The Athenaeum architect (1871-1873) was John Davis Hatch, a New
York architect. Lambert Packard worked on the Athenaeum
building, but he was just starting out working in the Fairbanks
company at the time the Athenaeum was built. The Athenaeum's
style, French Second Empire, with a mansard roof and front
tower, is very different from the Richardsonian revival of Mr.
Packard. Richardson used rusticated red stone, arched entryways
and eyebrow windows. Visit the Athenaeum's website for pictures:
http://www.STJATHENAEUM.ORG
PRESERVATION IN PROGRESS
Bellows Falls Town Hall and Theater
The Town Hall is located in the center of Bellows Falls and
includes a full screen, approximately 250 seat theater.
Downstairs is smaller performance/meeting space used by the
women's club. Above the theater are the town
offices. Our Town has been raising funds and
completed the restoration of the clock tower in front of the
building. Now a restoration group is working to raise
funds for rehabilitating the theater, which remains in active
use, and is operated by the town.
Ferrisburgh Town Offices
The Town of Ferrisburgh is looking for a new location for their
town offices. The Preservation Trust is working with
concerned citizens who want to keep the offices in the
village. One idea is the rehabilitate the Grange building
for shared use as town offices, Grange, and community meeting
space. A condition assessment of the building, partially
funded by the Preservation Trust in July 2000, cited $89,000 of
repairs needed for the Grange building. Coincidentally,
the Selectboard has set aside $90,000 from an Agency of
Transportation Grant for building new town offices. The
issue will be voted on (voice vote) at Town Meeting.
Granville
Granville is going through a bit of a resurgence. The
Preservation Trust helped with the Town Hall, and now
there is interest in "resurrecting" the library.
Several new retail art and t-shirt shops recently opened
up. In the center of town is a 2,000 sq. ft., 3-1/2
story building, next to the post office, that the Planning
Commission and an enthusiastic local developer are looking to
save. [Any more info about the building?]
Ludlow, United Church of Ludlow
This impressive shingle-sided Colonial Revival church was
designed by New York architect, Edward Hapgood and built in 1892
by Clinton Smith and J. T. Remington. The church still
houses its original 1898 Hutchins pipe organ. An
assessment has been completed on the work that needs to be done,
and fundraising efforts by the church are underway for the
$68,000 rehabilitation.
NATIONAL
Enhancements and Preservation-Related
Transportation Funding Endangered by 27% Reduction in
Federal-Aid Highway Program Budget
The Administration's budget for fiscal year 2003 proposes a
calamitous 27% reduction in the federal-aid highway program, an
$8 billion drop from highway spending this year. As
a result, State transportation agencies and road builders are
predicting large layoffs of workers and dramatic delays in
construction projects. In addition, it is likely that many
states will respond to a reduction in federal aid for highways
by concentrating resources on road building to the detriment of
programs that favor historic preservation.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
have introduced legislation – the "Highway Funding
Restoration Act" (S. 1917/H.R. 3694) – that would restore
at least $4.4 billion of the anticipated loss in FY'03. The
National Trust for Historic Preservation supports the funding
restoration bill and is asking preservation advocates to help
secure cosponsors for the legislation.
Contact your two U.S. Senators and your
representative in the House and ask them to cosponsor S. 1917 or
H.R. 3694. Congress will be in recess for a district and
state work period from February 16-24 and we urge you to take
advantage of this opportunity to call on them at their local
offices or at town meetings in your community.
If you have any questions or need additional
information, contact the Dan Costello in the Public Policy
Department at (202) 588-6255 or email him directly at Dan_Costello@nthp.org.
PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES
Barns: Legacy of Wood and Stone
Did you ever spend a lazy summer day in the haymow, counting the
swallows as they'd swoop overhead? Or pondering the shafts of
hay chaff and sunlight that would pierce the barn's shadows on a
late August afternoon?
Whether or not you have barns in your blood,
we think you'll enjoy VPT's newest documentary, Barns: Legacy of
Wood & Stone. Once again, we've been traversing the state,
digging into our collective history, talking with the experts
and bringing Vermont's proud heritage to life. And those
familiar structures that dot the landscape from Berkshire to
Brattleboro have proven a worthy subject.
"When you visit an old timber frame barn,
you can really see connections to the land - and to our past.
Soaring haylofts, rutted wooden floors where the cows wore a
path, hand-hewn timbers cut from local forests..." Caro
Thompson, producer and host for Barns, enjoys talking about her
project. "We've really made an effort to represent the
historical significance and architectural beauty of Vermont's
barns, as well as to provide practical information for those who
wish to explore further."
Caro has also made an effort to represent a
wide range of Vermont barns, from the imposing edifices of
Shelburne Farms, to an operating 10-sided dairy barn in
Strafford, to a preservation project in Peacham. Other locations
include East Burke, Leicester, Richmond and Newbury, with a few
stops in between. The program also offers a rare glimpse at a
modern-day barn raising.
Plan to spend a little time this month getting
to know Vermont, and Vermont's barns, a little better. You'll
come away with a whole new appreciation for those everyday
structures that we often overlook. Caro Thompson did.
"Producing this show has been an awe-inspiring
experience."
We think you'll find that watching it is
pretty awesome, too.
Vermont Public Television will broadcast
program "Barns: Legacy of Wood and Stone" at
8:00 PM on Sunday March 3 and again Wednesday, March 06 - 9:30
pm, Friday, March 08 - 11:00 pm and Sunday, March 17 - 9:30 pm.
Web Site: Tradition Building.Com
On this Site, you'll find sources for such things as:
Architectural Antiques & Salvage, Tin Ceilings, Period-Style
Lighting, Columns & Capitals, Metal Roofing, Slate &
Tile Woods, Antique Boards, Historic and Replacement Windows,
Victorian and Arts & Crafts Tile, Terrazzo Floors,
Ornamental Metal Castings, Fences & Gates, Registers &
Grilles, Architectural Sheetmetal, Stained Glass, Mosaics,
Period Plumbing, Masonry Restoration Materials, Landscape and
Streetscape Fixtures, Architectural Millwork, Murals &
Decorating Painting, Plaster Moldings . . . and much more.
http://www.traditional-building.com/
Demand for Planning Guides Prompts
Second Printing
Two sold-out “smart growth” guides are available again, free
and online, thanks to funding from the Lake Champlain Basin
Program. The Vermont Smart Growth Scorecard, Growing
Smarter: Best Site Planning for Residential, Commercial and
Industrial Development and Making Smart Growth Work
were produced last year by the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, as part
of the Way to Grow series on best practices in development
planning.
The guides focus on best practices in
sustainable development, and provide strategies and tools for
dealing with the troubling aspects of sprawl. “Our goal of
providing alternatives to sprawl development matches the Lake
Champlain Basin Project’s efforts to reduce excessive storm
water runoff, fragmented open space and loss of natural habitats
and riparian areas,” noted Vermont Forum on Sprawl's Elizabeth
Humstone.
Free copies of The Vermont Smart Growth
Scorecard, Growing Smarter, and Making Smart Growth Work may be
ordered through the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, 864-6310, while
supplies last. Or, download the publications as www.vtsprawl.org.
EVENTS
March 3
Keeping Track of Sprawl: How Development Patterns Are Leaving
Their Imprint on Vermont’s Natural Habitats, Jericho, VT.
Please join us for a day of hiking and wildlife tracking at Wolf
Run Wildlife Habitat with environmentalist Sue Morse and a
discussion on the effects of development on natural areas,
wildlife preserves and quality of life. Presented by the
Vermont Forum on Sprawl Together With Keeping Track, Inc.
RSVP by February 21. Phone: 802-864-6310 info@vtsprawl.org
March 6-17
A production about the Value of our Communities
Vermont Stage Company presents Our Town by Thornton
Wilder
FlynnSpace, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington.
“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live
it----every, every minute?” So says Emily Webb in this
timeless classic celebrating the wonder of being alive.
Set in a small New England town at the turn of the last century,
Our Town reminds us of a simpler time and the value of community
and family. Directed by Mark Nash and
featuring Willem Lange along with a cast of local actors. Call
86-FLYNN for tickets or Vermont Stage Company at 862-1497 with
questions. Visit the VSC website at www.vtstage.org
March 8-10
Preservation Expo 2002, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Sponsored by Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation.
Contact (518) 587-5030, www.saratogapreservation.org.
March 13-16
3rd National Conference on Historic Preservation Practice: A
Critical Look at Design in Historic Preservation,
Baltimore. Co-sponsored by American institute of
Architects, National Park Service, five universities.
Contact David Ames, (302) 831-1050, davames@UDel.Edu.
March 20-23
Restoration and Renovation Conference, Boston.
Sponsored by Restore Media, LLC. Contact 1-800-982-6247, www.restorationandrenovation.com.
May 10
Vermont's 8th annual Historic Preservation Conference in
Rutland. For more information, please contact conference@ptvermont.org.
April 6, 2002
A Masked Ball Fundraiser for Historic Windsor
Contact: (802)674-6752 or histwininc@valley.net.
April 7-10, 2002
National Main Street Conference, Fort Worth, Texas
"The 2002 National Town Meeting on Main Street offers
proven ideas and strategies for commercial district
revitalization. Come to Fort Worth and learn tools and
strategies to turn your Main Street into a vibrant commercial
center. Small towns and urban districts alike will benefit from
the targeted information National Town Meeting provides. More
than 75 educational and field sessions will give you the chance
to learn and interact with informed, experienced, professionals.
Networking opportunities allow an exchange of ideas with others
in the field, in a dynamic environment that will re-charge your
batteries and leave you with ideas you can take home and
use."
Get all the details and registration forms at:
http://www.mainstreet.org
OPPORTUNITIES
Executive Director: Vergennes
Partnership, Inc.
The Vergennes Partnership, Inc., a 501c.3 non-profit corporation
dedicated to the continued revitalization of downtown Vergennes,
VT. is seeking an Executive Director. The applicant shall
have strong organizational and communication skills with an
ability to build a broad base of community support for a vital
downtown. Familiarity with the National Main Street
model, promotion and marketing, architectural design and
economic development is required. The applicant shall
display the ability to organize and work productively with
volunteers and committees. Proven grant writing and
fundraising skills are a plus. This is a part time
position of 10-20 flexible hours weekly with a competitive
hourly wage. Please forward resumes and references by
March 10, 2002 to: Vergennes Partnership, Inc. P.O. Box
304 Vergennes, VT 05491.
Apply for a Museum Assessment Program
(MAP) grant from IMLS and begin to improve and change today!
The MAP process of self-study and peer review yields both
immediate and long-term benefits.While the process helps develop
a long-range vision, many museums find that, in addition, they
benefit from the experience during the early stages of MAP.
The next deadline for applications is March
15, 2002.Grants are first-come, first-served so don't
hesitate. For more information or a MAP application,
please call (202) 289-9118, e-mail map@aam-us.org,
or visit our website at www.aam-us.org.
The John H. Chafee Trustees’ Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy
Call for Nominations
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is currently
accepting nominations for the John H. Chafee Trustees' Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy. This award honors an
outstanding contribution to historic preservation in the field
of public policy. Nominations for this award are judged
according to the following criteria:
* Outstanding achievement in historic
preservation public policy at the federal, state, or local level
over a sustained period of time.
* Broad and effective advocacy for the value
of historic preservation to elected officials and government
agencies, either as a colleague or constituent.
* Leadership on issues of importance to
historic preservation policy, as an elected official, career
public servant, citizen volunteer or advocate.
* Success in broadening the base of support
for historic preservation beyond its traditional constituencies
Applications for this award can be obtained by
calling the Preservation Awards Coordinator
(202-588-6236), sending an email request to awards@nthp.org,
or by visiting the National Trust website at www.nthp.org.
Nominations must be postmarked by March 1,
2002. The award will be presented in October 2002 at the
National Preservation Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.
Station Foundation Announces 2002
Station Grant Program
The Great American Station Foundation is now accepting
applications for its 2002 cycle of grants for train station
revitalization projects. The Station Foundation is quickly
becoming a national intermediary organization not only for
station revitalization, but also for community revitalization in
areas surrounding intercity, commuter and urban rail
stations. In keeping with that mission, these grants are
intended to help jump-start a community's effort to restore its
rail station as an active inter-modal transportation facility
and ensure that it contributes to community economic
development.
There are two types of grants available this
cycle:
* Project seed grants,
which are intended to give a community the capacity to begin a
station revitalization project or station-oriented development
project, and
* Project capital grants,
which require a fifty- percent match, and provide funds for
station rehabilitation, station area specific planning or other
capital improvement projects around a station.
Full details on the grant program, along with
an application package, are available on the Foundation's
website, http://www.stationfoundation.org,
under the "Programs and Grants" section.
Applications are due by April 12, 2002.
Preservation Leadership Training
Institute: Marshall, California, June 22-29, 2002
Preservation Leadership Training is an intensive one-week
experience tailored to the needs of state and local preservation
organizations. PLT provides participatory learning
experiences in leadership and organizational development
techniques; stimulating educational session; and
up-to-the-minute information on current preservation practices,
issues, and action strategies.
For board members and staff of preservation
organizations and agencies and others who are in positions to
influence preservation efforts in their communities. Application
deadline is April 19, 2002.
For more information contact the National
Trust for Historic Preservation (202) 588-6067, plt@nthp.org.
Wanted: Top Preservation Projects
Nominations are now open for the 2002 National Preservation
Awards, sponsored by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Past recipients in Vermont include the
Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Shelburne Farms and
Chester Liebs. Click here for more information:
http://www.nationaltrust.org/news/docs/20011203_awards.html
Or write to: Liz Weaver Williams, Preservation
Awards, National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785
Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036. E-mail:
awards@nthp.org.
Phone: (202) 588-6236
For more information about Historic Vermont, to subscribe
or to unsubscribe to the email version, or to submit something
for publication please contact Meg Campbell, Editor. meg@ptvermont.org
