Woolson Block's fate may rest with SHA

The future of the much maligned Woolson Block in downtown Springfield may be in the hands of the Springfield Housing Authority.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150225/NEWS02/702259953

Springfield Housing Authority Executive Director Bill Morlock stands outside the Woolson Block on Main Street in Springfield. Photo: Photo by Len EmeryPublished February 25, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Woolson Block’s fate may rest with SHA By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — The future of the much maligned Woolson Block in downtown Springfield may be in the hands of the Springfield Housing Authority. Bill Morlock, executive director of the housing authority, told the Select Board on Monday night that he and Housing Vermont had started negotiations with the current owner of the downtown block. Morlock said the two sides had agreed to take the first step toward negotiations by hiring an appraiser to come up with a 2015 value of the building. The Woolson Block, which is located at the corner of Main and Park streets and next to the Springfield Town Library, has recently been the source of numerous complaints of drug dealing and loitering on the sidewalk in front of the block. It was built in 1868. Morlock said he had recently toured the building, which had only four occupied apartments in addition to the businesses on the street level. The only current tenant on the ground floor is the JennyWren Café. Morlock said the building is owned by 31-41 Main Street LLC, and the principals of the corporation are Edmund J. Cully and Kelly Martelle of Bridgewater. Cully couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday. Morlock, in another interview Tuesday, said the building’s current value is listed as $304,200. He said one current component of the renovation plan is to establish a special program for homeless teenagers on the second floor of the building. The program would be patterned after a similar program run by Youth Services of Windham County in Brattleboro, Danielle Southwell said. She said the program had been in existence for several years in Brattleboro, and was a great success. She said the need existed in Springfield for an identical program. Under the plan, a cluster of rooms, with a room for a supervising adult, would provide a home for the homeless teenagers. The program has strict rules, Southwell said. The Select Board listened and expressed support but took no action on the plans. Morlock said he will be back once plans are more definite. He said the Springfield Housing Authority and Housing Vermont, which both worked on the successful rehabilitation of the Ellis Block, across Main Street from the Woolson Block, would likely need to be very creative to come up with the financing for the project. He estimated the total cost of the purchase and rehabilitation of the building might be $5 million to $6 million, but he stressed that was a very preliminary estimate. Morlock said Cully had owned the building for several years, and originally planned to divide the three-story building into condominiums. But he said Cully’s financing fell apart, and he himself started converting the upper floors of the building into apartments. He said some parts of the building are already gutted down to the wall studs. The building is about 20,000 square feet. Morlock said there might be some deterioration on the rear of the building, which backs onto the Black River, and he said the roof may also have problems. Morlock said the timing of the project will largely depend on the sale negotiations, as well as lining up financing, but he said he hopes to have the building renovated by the end of 2016.