The Burlington, Vermont City Council’s deliberative agenda Monday evening focused on initial agreements for proposed development projects.
The so-called Memorial Block in the city of Burlington includes the condemned and closed Memorial Auditorium, the Central Fire Station, the Fletcher Free Library, and a parking lot. The city owns 77 percent of the 3.81-acre parcel, and a resolution on the agenda authorized the mayor to execute a pre-development agreement to explore a public-private partnership to redevelop the parcel.
Council President Karen Paul provided a brief background of previous actions.
“The Council had approved the Letter of Intent on the development in November,” Paul said. “We’ve met in executive session. We had a work session on the agreement in February and tonight we are here to be voting on the agreement.”
Community and Economic Development Office Director Brian Pine explained that the pre-development agreement before the council would provide nine months to assess the feasibility and desirability for redevelopment of the block.
“It does not predetermine the outcome,” reported Pine. “This agreement does not require the city to consummate a ground lease or any other contract to allow development to happen on this property. It does not obligate the city to repay the developers’ due diligence costs. It does not require, repeat does not require, the demolition of Memorial Auditorium or the Central Fire Station. It does not require us to sell any land or buildings. It does not actually require the relocation of the Central Fire Station if the city deemed it is not in the public’s interest. And lastly, it does not give anything to the developers.”
Central District Progressive Melo Grant said she would support the measure in part due to safety concerns.
“The firehouse, a beautiful old building, but quite frankly that firehouse is not safe,” Grant said. “I just can’t believe we have people working in there. Then Memorial. The deterioration in that building is horrendous and the money that was put in was just to keep it from falling apart and hurting people who were walking by it. I do like the idea of maybe somehow doing a replica of it so we don’t lose that classic architecture, which has historical significance here.”
The council unanimously approved the resolution.
Councilors also unanimously approved a predevelopment agreement for 13 acres in what is called the South End Innovation District. Ward 5 Democrat Ben Traverse noted that potential development is in its very early stage.
“This is an incredibly unique opportunity to develop what I think could be the most sustainable, walkable, bike friendly, mixed income neighborhood in the city,” Traverse said. “Just as with the Memorial predevelopment agreement that we did though, we can’t consider next steps until we’re better informed about the feasibility of developing this space including, but not limited to, considerations of utility, wastewater, stormwater capacity. And I’m looking forward to tonight allowing us to take the next step in that direction.”
A third resolution, also approved unanimously, authorized budget and consultant contract adjustments to the Champlain Parkway, a road construction project in the city’s south end.
