Vermont downtowns are thriving, Moulton says

All over Vermont, downtowns are thriving, Pat Moulton, secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, told downtown boosters Monday evening.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140701/NEWS02/707019901

Len Emery Photo Vehicles pass through downtown Springfield on Monday afternoon. Published July 1, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Vermont downtowns are thriving, Moulton says By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — All over Vermont, downtowns are thriving, Pat Moulton, secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, told downtown boosters Monday evening. Since 2012, there have been 600 new jobs created in Vermont downtowns, she said, representing $100 million in new investment. There have been 87 public improvement projects, representing $13 million in investment, and 196 rehabilitation projects and 90 housing units. “That’s a number that will start going up,” she said. Moulton spoke at the annual meeting of Springfield On The Move, the downtown organization that is working to bring people and business to one of the state’s most challenged downtowns. Moulton said younger Vermonters are in part fueling the revitalization, and development patterns are shifting back in favor of downtowns. She said they want a walkable town or village. One of Vermont’s strongest tourism calling cards, she said, is its village cores and downtowns. Moulton said she started her economic development career in White River Junction about 30 years ago, and now new life is pouring into that downtown, which had been hard hit by the decline of the railroad and closing of area businesses. “Who would have thought there would be a trendy bar — yes, trendy — in White River Junction that is popular with Dartmouth students?” she said to laughter. But she said White River’s success is a result of “20-year-plus perseverance.” One big downtown revitalization project is the $24 million rehabilitation of the Brooks House in downtown Brattleboro. The large downtown block had been gutted by fire, and would have stood vacant for “eons,” she said, except for a concerted effort by the community. “There wasn’t a dollar unturned,” she said. St. Albans is also seeing downtown development, she said. The state sold its state office building to a developer, and now is building a new downtown office building. Sometimes, the state is the catalyst, she said, noting the $125 million rehabilitation of the flood damaged state office complex in Waterbury, a victim of Tropical Storm Irene. Moulton said there is such a demand for downtown projects that her agency went back to the Legislature to receive an additional $500,000 in tax credits for downtown projects, bringing the total available to $2.2 million, and publicly thanking Rep. Alice Emmons, D-Springfield, chairwoman of the House Institutions Committee for her work on the issue. Usually, she said, the tax credits “sell out.” For Moulton, Monday evening was a homecoming of sorts. Several years ago, she was executive director of Springfield Regional Development Corp., a position she held for six years. Her father, Elbert “Al” Moulton, had also been head of the Springfield development group. Moulton said while downtown groups are very dependent on local volunteers, they also need full-time professionals to help organize and coordinate the efforts. “Downtowns are the lifeblood of any community,” she said. Springfield has a great history of industry and innovation, and there are still businesses and services in Springfield that “touch the globe.”