Town to evaluate demo of 2 mills

The town has hired a historic preservation consultant to evaluate the former Cobb & Derby mills to ensure the town won’t run into trouble with federal funding sources over plans to demolish the two buildings.

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Town to evaluate demo of 2 mills Rutland Herald | March 16, 2017 By SUSAN SMALLHEER STAFF WRITER SPRINGFIELD — The town has hired a historic preservation consultant to evaluate the former Cobb & Derby mills to ensure the town won’t run into trouble with federal funding sources over plans to demolish the two buildings. Brian Knight Research of Dorset will conduct the evaluation, Town Manager Tom Yennerell said Wednesday. Brian Knight originally planned to go through the two dilapidated buildings Wednesday, but his visit was postponed by the nor’easter that dropped about 18 inches of snow on Springfield. The town bought the two mill buildings, which are collectively called the old Visiting Nurse Association building, last year, using old federal revolving loan funds. The buildings were purchased from Christopher Mason, a developer who also owns the former Parks & Woolson building as well. Yennerell said he had preliminary approval from the town’s long-range plan to tear down the two buildings, which sit on the Black River, to open up the views of the falls in the downtown area. The manager said the state Division of Fire Safety had already condemned the building. Yennerell said Knight was on the list of historic preservation consultants who have worked on various projects in the state. According to the nominating petition for the Springfield Downtown Historic District, the Cobb & Derby mills were the third gristmill to be located at that site on the Black River. The first was built in 1795. Cobb & Derby, which took its name from William Cobb and Granville Derby, was built in 1882, and the two men sold flour, feed and grain from the site. The southernmost portion of the complex at one time served as a warehouse for the adjoining Brown Block, which is now known as the Springfield Bakery building. The town also purchased that building, but has no plans to tear it down, Yennerell said. Knight will submit a report to the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation, which includes the town’s request to demolish the building. He said the consultant’s report was needed to preserve the town’s ability to seek federal money for future projects in the historic downtown district. “We will certainly seek future funds from VTrans to do work that is part of the Main Streetscape,” Yennerell said in his report to the Select Board. The Agency of Transportation receives money from the Federal Highway Administration. “We do not want to jeopardize the ability to secure these funds,” Yennerell said. He said Knight’s contract is for $1,475, and added that he was confident the town would receive the necessary approval to demolish the buildings.