Vermont Downtown Projects Honored at State Conference
Bennington, Burlington, Montpelier, Morrisville, Newport, Poultney, St. Johnsbury, and Waterbury are Winners
MONTPELIER, Vt. - Several of Vermont's local downtown revitalization groups have been honored by the state for their work in making the state's downtowns vibrant places to live, work, and shop.
The Green Mountain Awards were part of the Vermont Downtown Program's annual Downtown Conference Tuesday which celebrated 10 years of revitalizing Vermont communities at the Capital Plaza Hotel in downtown Montpelier.
"This was the first time the Vermont Downtown Program paid tribute these unsung heroes of community revitalization for all of their hard work and dedication," said Joss Besse, Director of the Downtown Program. "The program received so many worthy nominations that it was difficult even narrow it down to finalists."
In addition to providing training, technical assistance, and administering grant and tax credit programs, the Downtown Program, part of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs, also oversees designation of downtowns and village centers.
To date, 23 downtowns and 82 village centers are designated and all older and historic buildings in these designated areas are eligible for these investment incentives.
To become a Designated Downtown, communities must have both a downtown revitalization organization and demonstrate their commitment and capacity to support such a program, as well as meet several other requirements. Village Centers go through a similar, but abbreviated process.
Designated communities become eligible to compete for funding for building rehabilitation and safety improvements, and transportation projects.
The award winners announced at the Green Mountain Awards Luncheon:
Best Public/Private Partnerships
Burlington - Church Street Outreach
In 1999, the downtown business district in Burlington was overrun with people whose behavior and unmet social service needs were impacting public safety (real and perceived), the business climate and the overall quality of life in the downtown area. The confidence of the business community and people who work, shop, dine and live in the downtown was at an all time low.
By fall, 1999, the Burlington Business Association, through its subcommittee called the Downtown Action Group, brought together a multi-sector partnership to intervene primarily with people with mental illness in the downtown business district whose behavior was inappropriate or unsafe, and refer those people to appropriate services. Most of these individuals have no or limited resources, and have come to Burlington from other parts of Vermont and from outside the state.
The Street Outreach workers estimate that 70% of the individuals they work with are unserved, underserved or untreated. Since May 2000, over 40,000 contacts have been documented by the team. Outreach is based on engagement: trust-building, listening and outlet venting skills that are essential for the health of the community. The team's work has led to cost-savings through a reduction of inappropriate ER visits, police interventions and patterns of unhealthy choices.
Merchants overwhelmingly prefer to call upon the Team when there are concerns. The Team is credited with knowledge and skills to diffuse situations compassionately and quickly. Police officers agree; without the Team, police believe there would be significant increases in incidents and calls from merchants
Best Building Renovations
Waterbury - Waterbury Railroad Restoration Project
The Central Vermont Railroad Station sits in the center of Waterbury Village, at the head of Rusty Parker Memorial Park (Waterbury's equivalent of a village green). Built in 1875, the station was the centerpiece of the downtown through the first half of the 20th century but had deteriorated over the ensuing years.
While structurally sound, the station building had lost all of its Italianate Victorian architectural detailing and ornamentation that is so common to the streetscape of Waterbury. The interior had been totally reconfigured and partitioned into two separate spaces. The run-down condition did not present Waterbury's best face to local citizens and visitors.
Revitalizing Waterbury, Inc. (RW) began planning the restoration of the station in 1997. In 1999 a $25,000 grant from the Great American Station Foundation was awarded and a $369,560 Vermont Agency of Transportation Enhancement Grant was received in 2000. Compared to these successes, negotiating a long-term lease with various railroad companies was much more difficult and took years.
These negotiations received a serious setback following the events of September 11, 2001 when railway liability insurance increased ten-fold. However, in November 2003, the Village of Waterbury, by public vote, agreed to become the lessee and the lease was finally signed on August 2, 2004. The Village immediately sublet the property to Revitalizing Waterbury, Inc.
In early 2005 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Foundation awarded RW a $450,000 grant that was to be matched by other funds. A capital fundraising campaign was established and successfully met the goal of $1,200,000 through donations from the private sector and people from all walks of life.
Best Public Space Improvements
Poultney - Poultney Streetscape Improvement Project
Construction for this project began in the summer of 2004 and was completed in the fall of 2006. Several partners were involved with this downtown project including the town, the Downtown Revitalization Committee, Green Mountain College and the Poultney village Board of Trustees.
These partners decided that downtown needed a face lift and began work on replacing sidewalks, curbing, adding ornamental sidewalk lighting and installing 41 classic sidewalk lights with poster arms, planter arms, GFI outlets land energy-efficient metal halide lighting and controls.
All of this resulted in the appearance of Downtown Poultney area substantially improved, promoting a more vibrant and desirable community for development and infill of under-utilized businesses along Main Street.
Best General Image Campaign
Newport - The Newport Shopping Bag
A great idea came together in November 2007, when leaders of the Newport City Renaissance Corporation's (NCRC) Promotion Committee and Merchants Sub-Committee designed a shopping bag that would promote buying local in downtown Newport and reduce waste from paper and plastic shopping bags.
For $100 merchants would receive 25 shopping bags with their name on the bag and they could sell the bag for $3.50 each or give them away for free.
The first promotion took place during the December holiday season and included various gift certificates from participating merchants. Every time a shopper used the bag the merchant would give them a nickel back. In following months there have been various special promotions rewarding shoppers for using the Newport City Renaissance shopping bag.
This project has been a great vehicle for more cooperative ad buys that are focused on buying from locally-owned and operated retail establishments downtown. In April 2008, WCAX-TV reporter Darren Perron came to Newport to discover more about the project and effectively promote the value-added experience of shopping downtown Newport while being environmentally responsible
Best Special Event
Bennington: Great Pumpkin, Midnight Madness, Car Show Cruise In
This is a relatively new annual event for the BBC (Better Bennington Corporation) and Bennington, with 2008 the 3rd year for the celebration.
The event started out as a direct challenge to Keane New Hampshire's claim on having the most number of lighted carved pumpkins in one place at one time. The Challenge has evolved into a community celebration challenging individuals, local organizations and companies to "Light Up Main Street" with carved lighted pumpkins while enjoying a Harvest Festival in Downtown.
The event takes place from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Main Street is closed to traffic so the pumpkins may be displayed. In addition to thousands of carved pumpkins on display there is a Children's Parade, Pumpkin Bake Off, a Haunted House, a Costume Ball and Harvest Dance, Hay Rides, Children's Activities, Free Pumpkin Carving Stations, Food Vendors and Awards given out for the best carved pumpkins and for the most carved pumpkins in a single display.
This year there is an international element which fits nicely into the Challenge Theme. It is the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's Thriller Dance Video. Guinness Book of World Records is sponsoring a Thriller Dance Challenge to gather the largest number of people worldwide to reenact the dance at the same time. Bennington is one of only 154 official international competition sites.
Volunteers from the BBC have organized the local participation to fit into the international challenge at the designated time of 2 p.m. October 25th, the exact day of the Great Pumpkin Challenge. Hundreds of local citizens and dozens of area schools are practicing the dance with instructions from BBC volunteers. The dance will be performed twice that day, the first time for the record books under Official Guinness Book scrutiny and again for fun on Main Street at 8 p.m. In year's past this event has drawn several thousand people, this year it is hoped for tens of thousands!
Best Economic Restructuring Story
Morrisville - The Bee's Knees
With a background in early childhood special education and social services and Sharon Dietz purchased a building in downtown Morrisville that is now The Bee's Knees. This was Sharon's first experience working and running a cafe. Sharon is the owner, general manager, and until recently, the "do-everything" person.
Sharon and her then-business partner and friend wanted to create the place that they were yearning for in downtown-- a place to meet friends, have a pot of tea or glass of wine, and listen to live music.
Along the way, Sharon survived many hardships: her business partner passed away, the transitioning of the business went from a coffee house to serving lunch and dinner, preparing meals on a 4 burner electric stove, and running herself into near exhaustion.
At this point Sharon knew she needed to expand the business, but wasn't sure where to find the capital to do it. The community heard the call and responded overwhelmingly. Through Community Supported Enterprise, Sharon sold shares of her business.
As part of preparing for the expansion, Sharon now has invested in personnel to help with managing the kitchen and the cafe. Sharon learned everything on the job - from cooking to cappuccino making to managing a food budget. And now, The Bee's Knees is a Morrisville institution.
Outstanding Achievement by a Program Manager
St. Johnsbury - Linda Fogg
Linda has been Director of St. Johnsbury Works for two years. Linda has done a tremendous job as Director in the two years she has held the position. The results achieved under her leadership have propelled downtown St. Johnsbury in a positive direction.
The downtown retail area is now at 100% occupancy, which hasn't been seen in over 20 years. Much of this success is due to Linda's leadership in revitalizing our downtown.
Linda developed the downtown brochure, was instrumental in the creation of a downtown website, and worked to build collaborations between various organizations and St. Johnsbury Works, thus creating wide spread community support for the downtown program
Volunteer of the Year
Montpelier - Robert Hitzig
What makes a great volunteer? Dedication, community-focus, and leadership. Robert Hitzig has demonstrated all of these characteristics in his work with the Montpelier Downtown Community Association (MDCA).
Rob and his wife Mary Jo Krolewski own the Lazy Pear Gallery in Montpelier. They share a passion for bringing art into the public eye in Central Vermont. Together, they resuscitated and maintain quarterly Art Walks which have grown to include over 20 venues that display art in downtown Montpelier.
As a member of the MDCA Economic Restructuring committee and MDCA Board Vice-President, Rob was instrumental in deciding to embark on a large scale public art project in Montpelier. He contacted other towns and brought information to the committee on how art can be used as an economic stimulus.
Once the committee decided that they wanted to commit to a 16-month long project, Rob recruited Mary Jo and got to work. Rob chaired the committee that organized the project from selection of art work, to art placement, events, fundraising, and promotion.
Together, Rob and Mary Jo created and maintained the SculptCycle website (www.sculptcycle.org), created marketing materials, approached sponsors, and took care of many details. Throughout the SculptCycle planning and implementation, Rob and MaryJo continued to organize Montpelier's quarterly art walks.
Together this dynamic team puts 15-25 hours per week into community art projects. Without their hard work and dedication, the visual arts scene in Montpelier would not be as thriving as it is today.
For more information please visit:
www.historicvermont.org/programs/downtown.html