Vermont’s Living Heritage: Revitalizing Historic Community Centers
Description
Join Preservation Trust of Vermont’s initiative to restore and repurpose 12 historic downtown buildings into vibrant community spaces that combine affordable housing, small business incubation, and cultural programming.
Presented By Preservation Trust of Vermon
This Movement Is Currently
In The Working With Lobbyists Stage.
Vermont’s historic downtown buildings tell our story and anchor our communities. But these irreplaceable assets face serious threats:
- Nearly 30% of historic downtown buildings sit partially or fully vacant
- Deferred maintenance threatens structural integrity of 100+ significant structures
- Rising commercial rents push out local businesses and community organizations
- Development pressure threatens historic character in growing communities
- Climate challenges create new preservation urgencies
When we lose historic buildings, we lose more than architecture—we lose community gathering places, affordable housing opportunities, local business spaces, and the authentic character that makes Vermont special.
THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION MODEL
Our innovative approach transforms historic structures into multi-use community anchors that:
- Provide affordable housing on upper floors
- Create accessible commercial space for local businesses
- Include community gathering spaces for events and programs
- Incorporate sustainable systems and climate resilience
- Honor and interpret local history
✦ TARGETED PROJECTS ✦
We’ve identified 12 critical buildings across Vermont for our pilot program:
NORTHERN TIER 🏛️ Former Bank Building, St. Albans
- 8 affordable apartments
- Co-working space for rural entrepreneurs
- Community art gallery
🏫 Historic School, Newport
- Intergenerational housing (12 units)
- Childcare center
- Community kitchen and event space
🏭 Mill Building, Richford
- 15 workforce housing units
- Maker spaces for artisans
- Indoor farmers market
CENTRAL VERMONT 🏪 Grange Hall, Randolph
- 6 affordable artist live/work spaces
- Performance venue
- Youth arts program space
🏠 Victorian Commercial Block, Barre
- 10 senior housing units
- First-floor retail incubator
- Community history center
🏤 Former Post Office, Montpelier
- 7 mixed-income apartments
- Nonprofit hub
- Civic engagement center
SOUTHERN VERMONT 🏨 Historic Inn, Bellows Falls
- 18 affordable housing units
- Farm-to-table restaurant
- Community event space
🏭 Factory Building, Brattleboro
- 20 mixed-income apartments
- Trades training center
- Community arts space
🏛️ Downtown Anchor Building, Bennington
- 12 workforce housing units
- Small business marketplace
- Cultural center
OUR APPROACH
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
- Historic preservation expertise
- Energy efficiency consulting
- Financial structuring support
- Architectural services
- Project management
FINANCIAL TOOLS
- Revolving loan fund
- Matching grants
- Tax credit assistance
- Capital campaign support
- Investor networking
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Visioning workshops
- Skills training programs
- Volunteer restoration corps
- Local history documentation
- Community ownership models
Meet The Organizer
Preservation Trust of Vermon
Organizer
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