White + Burke Real Estate Advisors
Tenth Annual Event Draws Real Estate Pros From All Walks
Vermont Business Magazine Real estate professionals from myriad sectors will come together once again at the 10th annual Vermont Development Conference from White + Burke Real Estate Advisors.
As issues of housing, Act 250, and the cost of development intensify, a slate of thoughtful and experienced speakers will inspire the land use and development industries represented at the Nov. 20 event, held at Hotel Champlain.
Kicking off the event will be MIT researcher and thought-leader, Steve Weikal, speaking on the impact of artificial intelligence and other innovations on the future of real estate.
Topics for this year's conference include:
- Leveraging brownfields to meet Vermont's housing crisis
- Small-scale development and the Vermont Home Act
- Act 181
- Lessons learned from the mall-turned-Burlington High School project.
Bringing a story from out of state, representatives from Lewiston, Maine, will discuss resident-led downtown development utilizing federal Housing and Urban Development money.
When: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Where: Hotel Champlain – 60 Battery Street Burlington, Vermont
Parking: Parking is available in the Downtown Garage, below the Hotel Champlain. There is a third floor walking bridge that connects the parking garage to the mezzanine level of the Hotel Champlain. Once parked, you may either use the Kiosk on Level 2 using the Parking Code “MTB3032” OR use the Parkmobile app and search for zone 58104.
DETAILED SESSION SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. Registration Opens
Be sure to use the promo code emailed to you to access free parking for the day.
Sponsored by 
9:00 a.m. Keynote session
Next Frontiers in Real Estate: Technology, Innovation and the Built Environment
Steve Weikal, Real Estate Transformation Lab | MET Fund II
Environmental changes, breakthroughs in technology, and socio-geographic trends are
driving a profound re-ordering of the physical world around us. The unprecedented
combination of these structural changes is having a significant impact on all real estate
asset classes, especially housing. Steve Weikal from the Real Estate Transformation
Lab at the MIT Center for Real Estate explores the meta-trends shaping this Built
Environment Transition, and highlights some of the latest technologies and innovations
that are changing what, where, and how we build.
Sponsored by: 
10:15 a.m. Networking and Exhibits
Top off your coffee and fuel up for the day ahead.
Sponsored by: 
10:45 a.m. Choose from four concurrent sessions:
Leveraging Brownfields to Meet Vermont’s Housing Crisis
Sarah Bartlett, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation; Kathy Beyer, Evernorth; Megan Grove, SRH Law; Kurt Muller, VHB
Learn how developers can leverage brownfields redevelopment to build new housing in Vermont as the panelists reveal lessons learned from current and prior projects. Collect expert advice on navigating the legal and economic opportunities and challenges associated with this redevelopment. Panelists will provide insight on how to tap into existing state resources and how to address liabilities to help developers navigate brownfields redevelopment.
Balancing Growth and Community: Insights on the Vermont Home Act from a Small-Scale Developer and Planning Commissioner’s Perspective
John Dunbar, Whitaker Properties
Join this session to explore the Vermont Home Act through the lens of small-scale developers and planning commissioners, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities it presents. Attendees will gain insights into navigating regulatory changes, fostering community support, and leveraging new opportunities for sustainable, small-scale development to create more vibrant and equitable neighborhoods. Additionally, the session will examine the role of planning commissioners in balancing community needs with the goals of the Act, fostering collaborative solutions that benefit both developers and municipalities. Whether you’re involved in local planning or development, (or both!) this session will provide practical knowledge to help you adapt to the evolving landscape under the Vermont Home Act
The Future of State Land Use and Regulation
Ted Brady, Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Catherine Dimitruk, Northwest Regional Planning Commission; Alex Farrell, Vermont Dept. of Housing and Community Development; Pete Gill, Esq., State of Vermont Natural Resources Board; Geoff Hand, SRH Law
Discover how future land use regulation will change based on the passage of Act 181. This Act affects state, municipal and regional land use processes. How did we get to this legislation and where will that legislation take us in the future? Understand the role and work of the newly created Land Use Review Board and explore the “nuts and bolts” of the interim housing exemptions that provide an on ramp to the “tiered” system of land use review. Learn about a revamped state designation system and what incentives exist under the updated statute. The RPCs and municipalities will play an ever-more important role in local and regional planning; discover their part in plan and map development.
Planning for Success: Lessons in Preconstruction from Burlington High School
Alex Halpern, Freeman French Freeman; Brian Leet, Freeman French Freeman; Dylan Lozier, The Whiting-Turner Company; Josh Robinson, Fuss & O’Neill
Spanning over 250,000 square feet, the new Burlington High School (BHS) is one of the largest construction projects in the State of Vermont. With ongoing labor shortages, unpredictable weather, supply chain bottlenecks, and a hard deadline for opening, keeping the project on schedule is paramount. This presentation looks at three key strategies used at BHS to help ensure a fast, predictable project: high-level coordination between environmental remediation and the construction team; early modeling and coordination of building systems; and the selective use of pre-fab building components in construction.
12:00 p.m. Lunch
Join the group in the general session room and use this time to catch up with your colleagues and clients and make new connections.
1:15 p.m. Choose from three concurrent sessions:
Transforming a Neighborhood, Strengthening a City
Beth Boutin, Evernorth; Chris Kilmurry, Lewiston Housing; Christina Mortensen, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The City of Lewiston, ME and its partner Lewiston Housing Authority have gained regional and national attention as the smallest city in the country to ever receive the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant (awarded in 2021). A resident-led transformational project in downtown Lewiston aims to elevate the Tree Streets neighborhood above its challenges – high childhood lead poisoning rates, poverty, crime perceptions and racial tension — into a vibrant, lead-free, diverse and inclusive community. This presentation will go beyond the several new housing projects currently underway to explore Lewiston’s Choice Neighborhoods program and the strategic redevelopment of its Tree Streets neighborhood, bolstering the local economy and reinstating a sense of pride and opportunity among residents. Gain insight into lessons learned, problems encountered, and the state of implementation in 2024.
Where Act 250 Stands And What To Expect Next
Gary Winslett, Middlebury College
In June 2024, the Vermont Legislature overrode Governor Scott’s veto to pass H. 687, a bill that changes how Act 250 works. The bill divides Vermont into 4 Tiers: 1A, 1B, 2, and 3, each with different rules. The all-important details of exactly which and how much land is in each tier, as well as exactly which rules apply in each tier, are still to be determined and will be politically contested in the next legislative sessions. This discussion explains the politics around these details and how this upcoming legislative session could affect housing development in Vermont.
Speed Networking: Connecting with Fellow Professionals
Back by popular demand! Participants will have a designated session just for networking. This session will offer short, one-on-one meetings with other attendees for an opportunity to share a quick introduction. Join us for this unique chance to test your communication skills and grow your network.
2:00 p.m. Networking and Exhibits
Take a break to grab a snack and some coffee.
2:15 p.m. Choose from four concurrent sessions:
Leases, Licenses and Loans: How Employers can Facilitate Market-Rate Workforce Housing
Shannon Lenzini, DRM; Craig Miskovich, DRM
Vermont has more than two open jobs for every unemployed Vermonter. Why can’t Vermont employers attract workers to Vermont to fill these jobs? Primarily, the lack of market-rate workforce housing. This isn’t a new problem in America. As far back as the 1880s, employers built housing for their workers. Back then we called them company towns, now we refer to these efforts as employer-assisted housing.
Discover the current ways that employers can provide housing assistance to employees, and introduce a novel approach, based on the NFL’s seat license concept, that can benefit both employers and employees while increasing the number of market-rate workforce housing units in our communities.
Why Does Building in the State of Vermont Come at a Cost Premium?
Kurt Naser, PC Construction
Developers and owners continue to plan future projects based on past knowledge. However, Vermont’s updated energy requirements, local building regulations, and labor resources have a significant impact on a project’s cost, schedule, and constructability in the state. Attendees will hear from Vermont’s largest construction firm on how to best navigate the codes, requirements, and industry best practices that are suitable for a particular project, as well as how to best align these with project timeline and budget.
This session will educate developers, owners, and design teams on how widely construction costs vary in northern New England and why. With existing and newly emerging codes and sustainability goals, construction in the present day and future will be in constant change. Attendees will learn what impacts their projects today and what to plan for in the future.
The Year in Review: Permitting Court Decisions of Note
Kelsey Schweitzer, DRM; Chris Roy, DRM
A concise summary of key Vermont court decisions from the last year relating to permitting matters. The substance of the decisions will be conveyed clearly and succinctly. Following the summary, there will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and discuss the practical and policy implications of each decision.
Pecha Kucha Returns! A Variety of Five Quick Dives
Craig Steigerwalt, Exponent; Ricky McLain, Mass Timber Advisors; Stephanie Clarke, White + Burke; Jesse Robbins, Freeman French Freeman + Kevin Worden, Engineering Ventures; Jason Van Nest, Logic Building Systems
Five speakers deliver visually-centered, rapid fire presentations in the classic Pecha Kucha style. Designed to deliver a wealth of information quickly and engagingly, this structured and efficient format emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and high-impact storytelling. This session is for those who want to absorb a few valuable takeaways from a variety of voices in a condensed way.
- Construction Risk Management on your next development project
- The Honest But Difficult Truth of Building Sustainably with Mass Timber
- What do TIF, Kevin Costner, and Coxswains have in common?
- Logic Building Systems: Unlocking Affordable Housing
- From Mall to Tall: Lessons from CityPlace Burlington
3:00 p.m. Networking and Exhibits
3:15 p.m. Economic Session
Slow and Steady: Recent Economic and Demographic Trends in Vermont
Kevin Stapleton, Vermont Department of Labor
Vermont’s population has grown in recent years after a long period of stagnation. Despite this growth, the labor market remains very tight, and job openings remain high. The number of employed residents has reached record levels this year, while the state’s unemployment rate remains at historic lows. In this brief overview, recent state economic data will be used to discuss the impact of the constrained labor market on Vermont’s future.
4:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception sponsored by: 
Finish up the day with time to connect and reflect. Enjoy a complimentary drink from the bar and some light snacks. Stay to win a prize in the raffle!
As a long-time attendee, a past panelist, and a repeat sponsor, I am once again pleased to support and participate in the Vermont Development Conference. It’s really the only opportunity in our state for industry professionals including developers, builders, architects, engineers, lawyers, etc. to meet in one place to discuss both the challenges and opportunities in our areas of expertise. We often lament the many hurdles that we encounter on projects; here is an opportunity to learn, contribute and effect change in our industry.”– Evan Langfeldt, CEO, O’Brien Brothers
About White + Burke Real Estate Advisors: Founded by David G. White in 1990, White + Burke has focused for over 30 years on providing Vermont cities, towns, institutions, and businesses specialized real estate advisory and brokerage services. White + Burke functions as a client’s outsourced real estate department with a suite of services that includes project management, development feasibility analysis, financial analysis, financial packaging, permitting, asset management, economic development, and public-private partnerships.
Source: BURLINGTON, Vermont (Nov. 12, 2024) — White + Burke Real Estate Advisors.
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Hotel Champlain – 60 Battery Street
Burlington, VT 05401
United States