The Woodstock Community Trust, Twin Pines Housing Trust, and Housing Vermont joined funders and supporters of Safford Commons on Tuesday to celebrate the start of construction of the $9 million affordable housing development at the site of the former Grange Hall and church on Route 4 across from the Woodstock High School. Formerly referred to as Grange Hill, Safford Commons will provide attractive, affordable and energy‐efficient rental housing when construction is completed in September 2015. Four apartments will be created through the renovation of a former Grange Hall and church building and 24 units will be scattered among 10 new buildings. A portion of the site has been reserved for the future construction of eight for‐sale homes.
Patsy Highberg, Woodstock Community Trust, put the area’s need for affordable housing in perspective by recalling a phone conversation. “I recently received a telephone call from a woman who used to live in Woodstock. She worked at Windsor Central Supervisory Union but had to move to Maine because she couldn’t afford to live here. This woman loves Woodstock and subscribes to the Vermont Standard, so she knows about this development,” Highberg said. “She wants to move back to our town. In a nutshell this story is why Woodstock Community Trust has persevered since before 2005! We are breaking ground on a small community of houses, which will serve as homes for a wide variety for our working citizens,” she said.
The development reflects the name of one of Woodstock’s earliest settlers. Joseph Safford began the first settlement on the "flats," as the plateau above the river was called. He was one of the framers of Vermont's Constitution and was sent to the General Assembly by the town for several sessions.
Michael Wisniewski, Duncan‐Wisniewski Architecture, designed Safford Commons to reflect a village landscape clustered on the lower portion of the site to retain open space and forest on half of the site. Six different building designs, all with front porches facing the street, contribute to the neighborhood feel.
The majority of the $9.1 million total development cost is funded through tax credit equity from Housing Vermont’s Green Mountain Housing Equity Fund. Other funding sources include the Lake Sunapee Bank, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Community Development Program, and the proceeds from the sale of Vermont tax credits.
“We’re here today to celebrate the successful conclusion of a nine year development process and the start of construction,” said Housing Vermont President Nancy Owens. “This day would not have been possible without the firm support of our funders and many others,” she said.
DEW Construction Corporation is the general contractor and has begun site work. Construction is scheduled to be completed in September 2015.
“We at Twin Pines are thrilled that we have turned the page on one chapter of Safford Commons and are beginning another with shovels in the ground,” said Andrew Winter, Executive Director of Twin Pines Housing Trust. “This has been a long time coming. But through tenacity and determination on the part of so many, including community members, funders and lenders, we can look forward to the day soon when we will welcome home working families to a safe, attractive and affordable home in the Town of Woodstock.”
Those interested in renting an apartment at Safford Commons can contact Twin Pines Housing Trust, (802) 291‐7000.
Housing Vermont is a private, nonprofit development company founded in 1988 to produce permanently affordable
rental housing for Vermonters through partnerships with communities and the private sector. Since its inception,
Housing Vermont has raised more than $280 million in private equity to finance 161 affordable rental housing
developments throughout the State. This equity has leveraged an additional $377 million in private financing and
public investment. The 4,825 apartments created or renovated in these efforts serve low and moderate income
Vermonters including seniors and those with special needs. Many developments also include commercial space.
Housing Vermont is an active member of the National Association of State and Local Equity Funds.
www.housingvermont.org