Vermont Business Magazine Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) has announced the projects submitted for inclusion in the 2015 CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies) along with the list of 14 projects ranked at Vital Projects at a Press event held at the New England Center for Circus Arts at the Cotton Mill Hill studio. Vital Projects are the top ranked projects in terms of alignment and potential to advance the goals and objectives of the CEDS.
NECCA's expansion and building project is one of the 14 projects included in the Vital Projects. Other top Vital Projects include the Retreat Farm revitalization project and the Green Building and Services Cluster Analysis for the Greater Windham Region, which received Federal funding from the Economic Development Administration as well as the Windham County Economic Development Fund from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. All CEDS Projects have been reviewed annually for inclusion in the Windham Region CEDS. Every project submitted is included in the CEDS. CEDS projects not ranked as Vital Projects are listed alphabetically in SeVEDS publications.
CEDS Projects are submitted as significant activities which are happening around the region that can help implement the CEDS. Projects are given priority based on their regionality, impact on raising wage parity and/or creating or sustaining jobs in the region, growing and/or retaining new businesses or products, ability to leverage regional assets, contribute to and/or sustain the quality of place in our region. Examples of projects can include activities which promote economic development and opportunity, foster effective transportation access, enhance and protect the environment, maximize effective development and use of the workforce consistent with any applicable State or local workforce investment strategy or promote the use of technology in economic development, including access to high-speed telecommunications.
The Windham region S.M.A.R.T CEDS is the five year federally recognized regional economic development plan which the public and private sectors collaborated to create in 2013. A CEDS must be the result of an ongoing economic development planning process, developed with broad-based and diverse public and private sector participation, and must include a section listing all suggested projects. A CEDS also contains a section identifying and prioritizing vital projects, programs and activities that address the region's greatest needs or that will best enhance the region's competitiveness. Progress on all of the goals and projects is updated annually.
Windham Region 2015 CEDS Vital Projects
1. Green Building Cluster , SeVEDS/BDCC: Performing an analysis on the viability of a green building products and services cluster for the Greater Windham Region.
2. Retreat Farm, Buzz Schmidt/Retreat Farm Ltd.: Revitalize the Retreat Farm
3. SoVT Marketing Plan , SeVEDS/BDCC: Southern Vermont Sustainable Recruitment Project for employers and tourism entities
4. Exit 1 Development, BDCC: Extend electric water and sewer to new industrial regional sites off of Exit 1 in Brattleboro
5. NECCA, New England Center for Circus Arts: NECCA Circus School and Performing Arts Facility Design and Construction
6. WRC Real Estate , Windham Regional Commission: Windham Region Residential Real Estate Market Analysis
7. WRC Village Water , Windham Regional Commission: Windham Region Village Water and Wastewater Need Assessment
8. Leveraging Broadband, SeVEDS/BDCC: Leveraging broadband increase demand for last mile investments – increase utilization, market high capacity
9. Ironwood Brand/Precraft/STIX , Eli Gould: Rapid prototyping facility for prefab high-performance building
10. Healthcare 6CC , Six College Collaborative, Grace Cottage Hospital, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro Retreat: Health Care Collaborative Workforce Training Project (Six College Collaborative)
11. Scope & Sequence , SeVEDS/BDCC: Southern Vermont Scope and Sequence to Success Project, Career pathways creation linking area schools and employers
12. Wheelpad, Julie Lineberger: Construct two Wheel Pad Prototypes
13. Innovation Ecosystem, SeVEDS: Assess existing key elements of innovation ecosystem, (SoVermont Business Accelerator)
14. Stroll/Windham Grows, Strolling of the Heifers: Development of a Farm/Food Innovation Center (FFIC)
All other projects submitted for inclusion in the 2015 CEDS
(appearing in alphabetical order by Project Title as Submitted)
Base Lodge, Stratton Mountain: Base Lodge Renovation
Black Bear Lodge , Stratton Mountain: Continuing renovations to updating the building’s exterior and
landscaping
BMH Job Creation in Primary Care , Brattleboro Memorial Hospital: Enhancing Primary Care Through
Job Creation: BMH's New Practice Model
Carinthia Lodge, Mount Snow: The construction of a three-story 36,000-squarefoot
ski lodge at the
Carinthia Base Area of Mount Snow
Carinthia Residential, Mount Snow: Construction of a up to 150 residential units at the Carinthia Base
Area of Mount Snow
Landmark College Online Courses, Landmark College: Landmark College: Developing an Online
Learning Division
LGHS HEY! Career Program, Leland & Gray High School: Help Empower Youth (HEY) Career Initiative at
Leland and Gray
Mount Snow Snowmaking , Mount Snow: West Lake Snowmaking Project at Mount Snow
New England Youth Theater Arts Campus , New England Youth Theater: Develop a Downtown Arts
Campus
Northern Routes Film Collaborative, Jennifer Latham: A networking center for both established and new
film and mediamakers
in the county, as well as provide resources and project development assistance.
Readsboro Hometown Development , Readsboro Hometown Development, Inc.: Redevelopment of the
E. J. Bullock Building
Rich Earth Institute, Kim Nace: Further develop capacity to produce urine diversion systems for municipal
use
Route 30 Biz Network , Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation: Develop a network for businesses
along Route 30 and in the West River Valley
SE VT Machine Apprenticeship, SeVEDS Workforce Committee: Develop an apprenticeship program for
machine/manufacturing careers
SEON , Sustainable Energy Outreach Network: Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON)
Sustainability Planning
SEVCA Career Readiness , SEVCA: Career Readiness Certificate / Ready for Work program
SEVCO, Southeastern Vermont Collaborative Care Coalition: Creating links between acute, primary,
specialty, and longterm
healthcare, and community support services, in a continuity of care system that
improves the health of Southeastern Vermont residents and increases revenues for providers.
Snowbowl Lift , Stratton Mountain: Implement the Snowbowl lift upgrade
SoVT Arts, Southern Vermont Initiative for Art Enterprises : Southeastern Vermont Initiative for Art
Enterprises to enhance community capacity and coordination of business development trainings to address
the needs and interests of independent artists.
SoVT Job Board, SeVEDS Workforce Committee: Job Board for employers in Windham and Bennington
Counties, connected to the SoVT Marketing Plan
Storm Petrel , Storm Petrel LLC: Storm Petrel Development and Expansion of Services
Sunbowl Cell Tower , Stratton Mountain: Build a cellular tower on resort property near the Sunbowl Base
Lodge.
The Commons, Vermont Media/The Commons: The Commons Expansion project
Vernon Town Project , Paul Costello/VT Council on Rural Development: Vernon Community Visit and
Facilitated Meetings for future planning
Vermont Distillers , Vermont Distillers/Ed Metcalfe: Vermont Distillers Expansion, Increasing production
and job creation
VT Natural History, SoVT Natural History Museum: Vermont Museum of Natural HistoryExpansion
and
Relocation
WCSO Justice Center , Windham County Sheriff’s Office: Development of the Liberty Justice Center in
Bellows Falls
West Brattleboro Biz, West Brattleboro Association: Strengthen the West Brattleboro business
environment and network
Whitingham Sewer , Town of Whitingham: Town of Whitingham sewer upgrades
Wilmington Old School, Town of Wilmington: Twin Valley High School Building Feasibility Study
Wilmington Redevelopment , Town of Wilmington: Redevelopment of Downtown Wilmington
Wilmington Water and Sewer , Town of Wilmington: Wilmington Water District Acquisition and Expansion
of Wastewater District
Windham Childcare , Windham Childcare Association: Early Childhood Shared Services and Workforce
Development
Windham/Windsor Housing Workforce, Windham and Windsor Housing Trust: orkforce Preparation and
Access for Residents of Affordable Housing
Strolling of the Heifers photo by Jason Henske.