Town seeks 750K grant for Woolson Block project

The Woolson Block, which towers over Main and Park streets, may remind residents of a problem familiar to many Vermont towns that were once home to a proud industry gone defunct. Now, the Springfield Housing Authority and Housing Vermont are seeking to harness the historic building's potential.

   

2017-07-12 / Front Page Town seeks 750K grant for Woolson Block project By KELSEY CHRISTENSEN kchristensen@eagletimes.com The Woolson Block on Main Street in downtown Springfield, Vermont. The town selectboard voted Monday night to apply for a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist with funding for the project. — KELSEY CHRISTENSENThe Woolson Block on Main Street in downtown Springfield, Vermont. The town selectboard voted Monday night to apply for a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist with funding for the project. — KELSEY CHRISTENSENSPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Woolson Block, which towers over Main and Park streets, may remind residents of a problem familiar to many Vermont towns that were once home to a proud industry gone defunct. Now, the Springfield Housing Authority (SHA) and Housing Vermont (HVT) are seeking to harness the historic building's potential, with plans to rehabilitate the historic block while providing housing and commercial spaces to Springfield’s downtown, and town officials have swung their weight behind the project in the form of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the project. SHA and HVT — the same partnership that, with municipal participation, resurrected the Ellis Block after a 2008 fire decommissioned, among other things, the Springfield Movie Theater — are pursuing a $7.5 million project that will bring four commercial spaces, a center for youth in transition, and a 15 affordable apartment units to the downtown. Black River Designs architected the proposed design. At a public hearing on Monday night, Bill Morlock of SHA and Matt Moore of HVT presented the project and fielded questions. At the Selectboard meeting the same night, the board approved an application for $750,000 of CDBG funding, which will be passed from the town to SHA and HVT for the purposes of funding the Woolson development, if awarded. “This is an opportunity for the town of Springfield to have some say in how the building is used,” Moore said at the public hearing. As a lender of the $750,000 CDBG funds, Springfield will have interest in the building. Additionally, if and when the funds are paid back to the town, they will benefit the revolving loan fund. “I know we were concerned about the revolving loan fund shrinking,” said selectboard member Walter Martone. “Now it [might] be replenished.” Because they’ve committed to building affordable housing, SHA and HVT have already acquired $5,107,000 worth of tax equity credits for the project, as well as a grant worth $850,000 from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board’s HOME funding program and $200,000 raised from Springfield Housing Authority. The partners already own the building. The CDBG funding will be awarded by the state to the town of Springfield, and passed down to HVT and SHA for the Woolson redevelopment. “This is not coming from the taxpayers’ coffers,” said selectboard chair Kristi Morris. The selectboard, other town officials, and attendees of the hearing shared some reservations about the project. Selectboard members Michael Martin and Martone were concerned, for example, that the size of the commercial spaces wouldn’t be able to accommodate businesses like restaurants or bookstores. “You have to consider, not so much your [current] market analysis, but the future marketability of the downtown,” Martone said. “Most restaurants need indoor seating year-round to make it work.” Others, like George McNaughton, a former member of the selectboard who attended the hearing, raised some concerns about the types of businesses that would occupy the commercial spaces. “The movie theater project was the gold standard of public/private partnership,” McNaughton said. “However, there was a vicious rumor that they were considering offices for social services. If they did that, it would destroy my credibility and the credibility of the selectboard.” Ultimately, however, McNaughton says it’s a great project and he has confidence in Moore and Morlock. Martin, for his part, raised concerns about the lack of private bathrooms in each commercial space. “I don’t think it’s very practical,” he said. Moore explained that much of the layout is determined by an obligation to historic preservation. Because the project will take historic preservation credits, certain aspects of the design are constrained. For example, a hallway in the rear, which Martin worried would present security issues, makes the building handicap-accessible. “The question from day one has been how do we design a building that’s financeable,” Moore said. “The Woolson Block might not be everything for Main Street, but we want it to remain viable.” Additionally, potential commercial lessees, Moore and Morlock said, would have the opportunity to dictate some of the spatial features: they could add a private bathroom, or even take up two of the commercial units for a bigger space. “We would love — and almost need — a business committed [before] we move forward,” said Moore. Overall, however, most expressed excitement over the proposed developments. “In summary, you’re trying to make it work,” Morris said. “You need to have handicapped access, you need commercial presence, and you need housing financing. [The building] is a big problem, and many people in this room would love to see success here.” After the public hearing on the CBDG pre-application, the board voted unanimously to move forward with the grant application. If the state awards the CBDG funding, construction could begin in 2018.