Groundbreaking today for $15 million Champlain College welcome center

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held today for Champlain College's renovation of historic Perry Hall. The $15 million student “Welcome Center” is one of Vermont's largest, non-transportation construction projects. President David F Finney said the project is important to both the college and Burlington, especially during the current economic conditions. When completed, Perry Hall will house the admissions, financial aid, student accounts and advising and registration departments.
“This will greatly enhance the ability to serve our students better and show off one of Burlington’s historic architectural gems restored to its former glory,” Finney said. “A project of this scope, expected to take 14 to 16 months, will employ a large number of local workers, it will help to stimulate the local economy and perhaps most importantly, when finished will provide a great first impression of Champlain College and Burlington to visiting prospective students and their families.”
Perry Hall, built in 1859 by lawyer and diplomat Edward Phelps, is one of only 11 houses in the South Willard Street Historic District that predates the Civil War.
Work on restoring the 150-year-old Italianate-style brick home with elements of Greek Revival is expected to be completed in August 2010. “Now is also a good time for this project because construction costs are significantly lower than even a year ago at this time. We want it to be finished in time to welcome the incoming class of 2014,” Finney added.
“Champlain College enrollment numbers for 2010 look strong, so we are comfortable that our budget will be balanced in 2010. The Board of Trustees unanimously expressed confidence in the college’s ability to take on this project at this time,” said David Provost, Champlain’s senior vice president for finance.
An addition to the west side of the historic building will include: an elevator, stairs, offices, restrooms and a presentation and conference room. The original structure’s open staircase, ornate historic details and ground floor rooms will be preserved and used for reception and conference spaces. Perry Hall’s former library space will house a collection of documents, photos and historic artifacts related to the Burlington Hill Section District.
Original owner Edward Phelps, who served in the administrations of Presidents Cleveland and Fillmore, sold the home to local financier John J. Flynn in 1913. Flynn, the founder of Chittenden Bank and many other ventures throughout Vermont, was one of the largest landowners in Burlington at the time. His wife, Nellie, had a lifelong interest in native flora of Vermont, published the “Flora of Burlington” in 1911. Her extensive collection of 22,700 specimens is now part of a permanent collection of state flora at Goddard College. The Flynn name adorns Burlington’s famous theater, as well as Flynn Avenue. Upon his death in 1940, Flynn bequeathed the house to the City of Burlington to serve as a home for older men.
However, faced with high operating costs for the home, the city sold it to Gilbert Brewer, who in turn sold the home to Dr. and Mrs. Martin Cannon in 1955. The Cannon family lived in the home until 2004 when Champlain College purchased it and renamed it Perry Hall in honor of the newly retired Champlain President Roger H. Perry. It has since remained vacant, but was maintained by the College during the planning and permit process leading toward final approval of the Perry Hall Restoration Project.
The project includes plans to restore the front and rear lawns and create a new promenade walkway. Champlain College has granted an easement to the City of Burlington to maintain the west lawn of Perry Hall as open space available for public use. Formal gardens around the building will be planted in the spirit of Nellie Flynn’s native species studies. An innovative wetland garden will be created at the lower edge of the west lawn to absorb stormwater runoff.
The plan also calls for energy-efficient climate control systems, including a geothermal pump from Perry Hall’s deep wells. The ultimate goal, Finney said, is to earn certification from The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED recognizes performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Engleberth Construction of Colchester will be the construction manager of the project.
This past year, Champlain College completed the renovation of Aiken Hall, a circa 1885 brick manor house on campus using state-of-the-art preservation and restoration techniques emphasizing sustainability and reducing the impact on the environment.
“We are thrilled to be moving ahead on this project to create a new administration and welcome center at the heart of the campus. It is a treasure from the past that we expect will be a landmark destination for many generations to come. I think our neighbors and visitors to Champlain will be pleased with the results when it opens next year,” Champlain College Trustee James Crook said.
Champlain College, founded in 1878, offers “Education in Three Dimensions” - a distinctive educational approach to professionally focused majors, developing life skills and leadership based on critical and creative thinking. It has nearly 2,000 campus-based undergraduate students on campus and is ranked in the top tier of Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North by 2009 America’s Best Colleges, published by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more about Champlain College, visit www.champlain.edu.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held Thursday, May 28 from 4 to 5 pm at Perry Hall, 251 South Willard Street, Burlington.