Developer plans townhouses in Springfield

A northern Vermont construction firm is poised to tear down two dilapidated buildings on Valley Street and replace them with a row of townhouses.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150907/NEWS02/709079953

These buildings, 34 and 36 Valley St. may soon be torn down to make way for townhouse units. Photo: Photo by Len EmeryPublished September 7, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Developer plans townhouses in Springfield By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD – A northern Vermont construction firm is poised to tear down two dilapidated buildings on Valley Street and replace them with a row of townhouses. Fred S. Martin of Village Builders of Wolcott has purchased the houses at 34 and 36 Valley St. and has permits to tear down the yellow houses and build seven townhouse units, according to Bill Kearns, Springfield zoning administrator. It is the first new residential construction in downtown Springfield in recent memory. Kearns said that Martin has all his permits in place, and he understands the demolition will be carried out “soon.” Martin couldn’t be reached for comment Friday. Kearns said that Martin also purchased a vacant lot that borders the two buildings and Elm Terrace, which is next to 36 Valley St., to build the townhouse units. Kearns said that Martin was also interested in another adjacent dilapidated building, which has been called unsafe but is currently tied up in a legal dispute between a bank and an estate, Kearns said. “These banks won’t even talk to him,” said Kearns, saying that the condemned building would either be a good spot for an expansion of Martin’s project or green space for the tenants of the townhouses. Kearns said that Martin’s construction business does work all over the state, and it was possible that a couple of the apartments would be used by Martin’s employees. He said the townhouse building would be two-story, with parking underneath the buildings. The buildings would be set back 20 feet from Valley Street, and provide enough room for parking a car. The bottom floor of the buildings would be a garage with enough space for two cars, end to end, Kearns said. “Or one car and all your stuff,” he said. Martin has built similar housing in Barre Town, Kearns said, and comes with support from that town for his work. “His work looks upscale, very well done,” said Kearns, who said that similar townhouses he’s built have rented for $1,000 a month. “He expects to do more buildings,” he said. In addition to being a contractor, he also runs an insulation subcontracting business, Kearns said. Two years ago, the town launched an effort to crack down on dilapidated and unsafe buildings, and at town meeting voters approved a $100,000 fund to pay for demolition of buildings deemed unsafe, with the idea the money would be recouped from the building’s owner. The two buildings that Martin wants to demolish were not on the town’s list.