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Thin Ice
Thin Ice
Burlington High School shuts doors for fall semester after detection of hazardous chemicals
Burlington School District Superintendent Tom Flanagan announced on Sept. 16 that Burlington High School would close for the duration of the semester due to the presence of hazardous chemicals on campus. Air quality tests conducted Sept. 2–3 revealed the presence of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in concentrations that exceed Vermont Department of Health guidelines. PCBs are synthetic chemicals that can be toxic in high concentrations and may lead to cancerous or neurological effects, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While the manufacturing of PCBs has been banned for many decades, older buildings still contain materials made with these toxic chemicals. “I know this news must come as a shock to many of you, and I know that many students are likely very disappointed to once again be missing out on so many in-person connections,” Flanagan wrote in a Sept. 16 email to the Burlington High School community. After receiving the preliminary tests, school district administrators had initially moved students to remote learning until late September, but this latest change means that Burlington High School will be closed for the remainder of the fall semester. Some Burlington Technical Center (BTC) facilities, which are housed in the same BHS buildings where PCBs were detected, are expected to be closed for much longer. The district is looking into alternate venues to host BTC’s programming in the meantime. In 2018, the Burlington School District received a $70 million grant to renovate the campus as part of the ReEnvision project. Preparatory air and soil quality testing this September revealed high levels of PCBs in Buildings A and F. While the concentrations were lower than the EPA’s posted limits, officials from both the EPA and the Department of Health agreed with the district’s decision to close campus until the contaminants can be removed. Officials had found evidence of contaminants at BHS as early as last November, and Russ Elek, communications specialist for the Burlington School District, shared an update on Sept. 1 of this year reminding the community that asbestos, lead, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PCBs had been found in the routine checks the previous year. While the majority of campus will be closed for the foreseeable future, the superintendent’s announcement did note that the kitchen facilities will not be impacted. The closure raises economic concerns in an already difficult time for many in the community. Flanagan promised to work with the human resources team to see what can be done about employee benefits and also to monitor financial obligations with the ReEnvision project. Meanwhile, students will be learning from their own homes for a while longer.
Spirit in Nature trail system offers connection to sublime
Tucked away in the foothills of the Green Mountains, the Spirit in Nature Interfaith Path (SPiN) Sanctuary provides a haven for contemplation, reflection and interfaith dialogue. The series of walking trails in Ripton, Vt. is intended to “connect the experience of nature with faith traditions,” according to the SPiN website. Each of the 14 paths is designated a specific faith and is bespeckled periodically with posted quotes, designed to provoke thoughtful interaction with the natural world. All paths lead to the Sacred Circle, a clearing in the trees that centers the entire sanctuary. The faith traditions range from Druid to Buddhist, including Interfaith and Pagan trails. The inspiration for the sanctuary came in 1997 with the Dalai Lama’s historic visit to Middlebury College. During his time on campus, the Dalai Lama gave a talk entitled “Spirit and Nature,” which connected interaction with the natural world and practicing faith. Carol and Reg Spooner, current board members of Spirit in Nature and environmental activists, took the talk to heart and created the Spirit in Nature Interfaith Path Sanctuary. After a series of negotiations, the Spooners convinced then-President of Middlebury College John McCardell to lease them college-owned forest land, eventually settling on SPiN’s current location just off Highway 125, near Ripton. In fact, the sanctuary’s history is indelibly intertwined with that of the college, from its original inspiration at a college lecture to its location on college land, Middlebury College students have historically engaged with SPiN, walking on the trails and volunteering their time to the sanctuary. Several students have even served on the SPiN board, including Ella Houlihan ’21. She learned about the sanctuary from the Spooners, who she got to know while working in town and was inspired to take time and explore the area, eventually leading to her role on their board. “Few students know about (SPiN),” Houlihan said. “It’s an incredible study break and opportunity to admire the fall foliage and soak in the world around you.” Houlihan also noted that the board intends to actively market to Middlebury students in the future, hopefully exposing more of the student body to the remarkable experiences that SPiN has to offer. The sanctuary’s most recent newsletter highlights the first-year seminar that used the sanctuary as the backdrop for its writing workshop last year. Craig Zondag, SPiN board member, led the students on a short orientation through the paths before the seminar did a writing exercise. However, the vast majority of students seem to have never heard of SPiN, let alone visited the sanctuary themselves. And they are missing out. SPiN is more than just a series of paths. The intention of the space is not only to facilitate interfaith dialogue, but also to foster a sense of caring for the environment. “Spirit in Nature is an antidote to seeing nature as a resource to be exploited,” SPiN board member Ron Slabough said. Slabough also explained that “forest bathing” is key to the sanctuary’s mission. Forest bathing, which is a literal translation of the Japanese word “Shinrin-yoku,” involves the meditative practice of bathing in the forest atmosphere, using all five senses to experience and explore the natural world. SPiN is the perfect place to forest bathe, with its multitude of trails and meditative atmosphere. The idea of Spirit in Nature has proved popular and has spread to six other locations in the Northeast, including one in Norwich and others in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. SPiN is located just off Highway 125 on Goshen Road. To access the sanctuary, students can either drive directly there or take the ACTR bus towards the Snow Bowl, to be either dropped off at Goshen Road for a 0.4 mile walk to SPiN or sometimes riding the bus directly to the SPiN parking lot. Anyone interested in further information can visit the SPiN website at spiritinnature.org.
Middlebury Dishes Up for Restaurant Week
From April 26 through May 5, restaurants throughout the state took part in Vermont’s 10th annual Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants developed prix-fixe menus that showcased their chef’s specialties while also benefiting a worthy cause — 10 percent of the annual proceeds go to the Vermont Foodbank. Over the years, the program has gained popularity with foodies and Vermonters looking to find new restaurants, patron old favorites and support an important cause. Beyond charitable donations, Restaurant Week also benefits local restaurants. “The week brings additional recognition to their establishments and drives more customers through their doors,” said Kylie Perry of Vermont Federal Credit Union, the presenting sponsor of the event. The full list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week was posted on the Seven Days website and was accompanied by an interactive map that displays the wide variety of participating establishments, allowing customers to easily find a place to eat. Three Middlebury restaurants participated this year: Morgan Tavern at the Middlebury Inn, Fire and Ice and Noonie’s Deli. John Zahn, the general manager of the Middlebury Inn, and Head Chef John Hessler have worked over recent months to update the traditional elements of Morgan Tavern, incorporating appetizers and shareable, modern food with rural accents, epitomized by the incredible fish tacos and variety of dishes highlighted in the Restaurant Week menu. Hessler, who previously worked in several culinary establishments throughout the New England area, brings an interest in Asian fusion and dedication to keeping the traditions of the Inn intact while breathing fresh life into the menu. “Being a part of [Restaurant Week] is really fun for us,” Zahn said. Morgan Tavern’s Restaurant Week menu had special items such as vegetarian rangoons alongside old favorites like their classic New York cheesecake. Noonie’s Deli, located in the Historic Marbleworks District, offers a variety of sandwich options for a cheaper, more mobile meal. Originally a mobile-cart sandwich business in Burlington, Noonie’s is a staple in town for delicious, gigantic sandwiches on homemade bread. Their Restaurant Week menu featured fan favorites, including The Vermonter, a tasty combination of ham, cheddar and sliced apple. Fire and Ice, a restaurant popular for its huge salad bar and cozy atmosphere, offered a full three-course menu. If the weekend dinner crowds were any indication, the offerings were well-received by the community: the restaurant was packed on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully, Restaurant Week will have introduced this favorite haunt of Middlebury residents and students to new customers. Many of the participating restaurants chose to highlight locally-sourced ingredients this year, particularly maple flavors. Morgan’s Tavern has made this local affiliation a staple of their service year-round, offering a monthly specials menu entitled “Farm to Table” that is created around local ingredients from a variety of food producers in the area. The restaurant is also focusing on innovative vegetarian options as part of Hessler and Zahn’s mission to appeal to a younger crowd. Part of that mission is making the Tavern a fun place to work.
Back on Shelves: Greg’s Meat Market to Re-Open
Tony Neri, local businessman and owner of several retail locations throughout Middlebury, is tackling a new project: reopening the much-beloved Greg’s Meat Market on Elm Street. Greg Wry, the long-time owner of the Market, sold it to Bart Livin in 2010, who ran it for six years before filing for bankruptcy in 2016. The building has since been empty until Neri sensed an opportunity to rebuild. “Originally, he [Neri] bought it with the intention to lease it to another store or a small grocery chain,” explained the future manager of the soon-to-open Greg’s, Gail Daha. However, given the lack of interest in the space, Neri decided to tackle the project himself, even buying the neighboring Pool World and extensively renovating the space. Daha and Neri have plans to build on the “corner grocery store” model that worked wonders for Wry. “Greg’s service was personal, and that’s what we’re emphasizing,” Daha said, but there will be some new additions when Greg’s reopens in mid-May. Daha has plans for a hot bar, salad bar and homemade prepared foods for customers on the go. The new and improved Greg’s Meat Market, which will open at its old location on May 15, will remain remarkably similar to the way it was under Wry’s direction, with the inclusion of a large deli, an emphasis on customer service and the butcher shop that fans of Greg’s will remember well. Daha also plans to invite former employees of the original Greg’s to return, hoping to retain the similar community spirit the store had in its first iteration. These employees include, as it turns out, Greg Wry himself, who is helping out at the store especially in the preliminary stages of redevelopment. “Greg Wry will be in the store, showing me how to do my job,” said Daha. The community response to Neri’s project has been overwhelmingly positive. Several threads on Front Porch Forum are dedicated to lamenting the closing of the store back in 2016, and more recent posts impatiently seek information about the opening date. Greg’s had a loyal customer base, and it seems many of these customers will be returning to give Neri’s version of a neighborhood market a chance. “We’re being thorough with this,” Daha explained of the lengthy wait for the store’s opening. “We’re trying to do this right rather than rush it.” For most, that project alone would be enough. Before beginning his reopening, Neri had to go through an extensive process of applying to the town’s Development Review Board (DRB), convincing them of the potential of his business plan and undergoing revisions of his traffic flow plan for the Pool World building area. David Wetmore, clerk of the DRB, explained that on May 13, just two days before the opening of Greg’s, the group will meet to look over Neri’s proposal for his property at 55 Middle Road. Neri’s plans for the building center around dividing it into retail spaces for stores or restaurants. Ideally, the DRB will allow Neri to build the space to its former 10,000 square feet. Neri is taking on a lot, but Daha feels confident about the Greg’s project. “We’ve stuck to the roots,” she said. “We want to stay consistent with what people expect.” When Greg’s opens in May, Daha and Neri will likely be rewarded for their hard work.
Focus Groups To Shape Future of Ilsley Public Library
MIDDLEBURY – Over the past five months Dana Hart, the new director of the Ilsley Public Library, met with 14 focus groups on a “Tell Me!” tour to explore various ways Ilsley can better meet the needs of the Middlebury community. She introduced some of her findings at an event at the library on Wednesday. Hart outlined five separate goals that align with the aspirations of the focus group participants’ communities. These goals include building a vibrant downtown, creating intergenerational gatherings, filling in the gaps for underserved populations, making Middlebury more affordable and increasing connections. In pursuit of these goals, Ilsley plans to expand on the programs it already offers. The library will focus on adding new performances and cultural experiences as well as increasing accessibility for non-residents. Participants at the meeting expressed concern that the library neglected to properly inform people from surrounding towns of important events and should focus on reaching out to other Front Porch Forums and increasing the promotional aspect of library events. “I didn’t even know these focus groups were happening,” said one resident, “but if I had, I would have come.” Hart noted that other participants of the focus group shared similar concerns. He committed to broadening the library’s marketing in the hopes of making Middlebury a hub for people in the surrounding areas who might come for events at the library and then spend time in town. The library is already a prominent feature of downtown Middlebury. Last year, it served over 168,000 patrons from a variety of demographics. Residents explained that they “always bring grandkids to the library,” but also complained that they “sometimes forget we live in a college town — I never see any college kids!” However, the library will now be consciously targeting college students, 20- and 30-year-olds, in an effort to reach all members of the community effectively. One of the strategies for doing so is to create space for spontaneous gathering. With the closing of Carol’s and a lack of other study spots for students off-campus, the library could prove a useful alternative for those who want to get off campus but don’t necessarily want to go too far. Hart spoke of wanting “the library to become a hearth, a gathering place for people to come and work and connect with the community.” Hart is also hoping to provide a place at the library for teens. A visit to the Addison County Teen Center revealed that many teens who do not participate in sports hoped the library could offer programs and opportunities for them to connect with others their age. The civic-minded purpose of the library plays well into its pursuit of making Middlebury more affordable. The library will be starting its homelessness services, early job training opportunities and childhood literacy programs in the hopes of helping people who might not otherwise be reached by such services. They are also diversifying their items in circulation beyond books and videos to include a projector, membership cards to the Maker Space at Hannaford Career Center, snowshoes, a telescope and ukuleles. They are also looking to include tools and cooking equipment. “If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner, it would be helpful to be able to check out a huge pot rather than pay for one,” Hart said, noting that the library can provide free resources for people that might otherwise be unavailable. With this expanded collection of items, the library hopes to remove some costs that families may encounter and help alleviate the financial burdens some residents may feel. Another goal of the Tell Me! Tour was to clearly identify the community’s needs and demands for the library’s physical space, including discussion of possible renovations and updates to the library’s building. The Library Building Committee, formed by the Middlebury Selectboard in 2014, hired Gossens-Bachman, an international architecture firm to pitch a design for the new library. They received pushback, however, because residents felt they had not been included enough in the process and balked at the nearly $10 million price tag. But the library still hopes to renovate the building at some point, and many of the participants at the presentation last Wednesday expressed interest in playing active roles in the renovation. The design and building process would likely take longer to implement than many of the other planned programs, but could provide enormous benefits. Although the Tell Me! Tour is over, the iterative process of collaboration between library and community continues. The library will be changing, updating and expanding, but one thing will remain the same: it will always be a place for everyone.
Plastic Bag Ban Advances With Community Support
Middlebury residents will vote on whether to enact legislation that would ban plastic bags within the community on March 5. A Town Hall meeting will take place the night before the vote, giving residents, business owners and members of the Selectboard a chance to discuss the proposed ban and its possible implications before making their decision. Middlebury resident Amy McAninch and Middlebury College student Amelia Miller ’20 are spearheading the movement to ban plastic bags. Prompted by the news of other towns that have approved plastic bag bans, McAninch said she “felt really strongly that we could do this.” Since then, they have held several meetings throughout town to hear concerns, questions and suggestions about the bag ban. On Feb. 12, two of these meetings were held at the Residence at Otter Creek, an Independent and Assisted Living Facility in Middlebury and the Ilsley Public Library. The meetings have been happening in town for months now, and McAninch and Miller’s hard work has paid off: the signatures on their petition were verified by the Town Clerk in January, which means the proposal can be voted upon in the Town Meeting. Should the motion go through, the Selectboard will then manage the exact wording and logistics of the program. The benefits of a ban are clear from a sustainability viewpoint. The Mass Green Plastic Bag Cost Calculator shows that the town of Middlebury, with a population of 8,500, uses about 4,513,500 bags every year. These bags cost retailers $180,540 each year — a figure that doesn’t include the environmental impacts of the plastic production. As it is now, consumers can choose to use reusable bags or recycled plastic or paper bags. However, those involved in the movement to ban plastic bags are not confident that shoppers will consistently opt for alternatives, continuing generally to use the bags supplied by retailers. The thin composition of these bags poses a problem. They can break, blow into the water, or turn into microplastic particles, thereby contaminating water sources or threatening wildlife. The Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Change group, a project of 350Vermont, met in late January to discuss potentially banning plastic bags in Middlebury. The group, run by Ashley Laux of the college’s Center for Community Engagement, meets once a month to take action against climate change. The structure of the group mirrors similar groups throughout other Vermont communities, designed to provide a forum for families to be proactive in climate change action while also balancing their familial responsibilities. Past issues included eco-Sabbath days, where consumers change their patterns of behavior to “try to live lighter on the earth”, explained Laux. She feels that the group has helped her learn more about causes she might not have otherwise engaged with as well as making her a more conscientious consumer and environmental activist. The group meets once a month in the Town Recreation Center, where dinner and childcare are provided by 350Vermont. According to their Facebook page, Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Action represents “a network of parents across Vermont who are coming together to take organized, empowered action to protect the health and safety of our collective future.” The participants in the Middlebury chapter of the project engage in local action, as highlighted in January’s meeting where community members brainstormed the best ways to campaign on behalf of the ban. From letters to the Front Porch Forum and the Addison County Independent to speaking at the Town Hall Meeting next month, parents are prepared to play an active role in the environmental movement in town. They also discussed the possibility of donating reusable bags in order to reduce the worry that getting rid of plastic bags would force people to buy new bags that might be unaffordable for some. The engagement displayed by the Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Change is reflected in the community as a whole. McAninch noted that there has been very little pushback from community members at any of the meetings so far. In fact, she noted that the next step would be to tackle plastic straw usage in town. Laura Asermily, a member of the Middlebury Selectboard, attended the meeting as well, appearing optimistic about the success of the proposed ban. She explained that last year, 70 percent of surveyed Middlebury residents supported a ban of this nature. However, it could take about a year from the time the town votes on the possible ban to its actual implementation. The Selectboard would need to finalize logistics of getting rid of plastic bags, from grandfathering them out to providing a cheap and sustainable alternative. Those details could take a while, explained Asermily, but they would also create great change for the community. In the meantime, Mother Up!: Families Rise Up for Climate Action has turned their efforts towards the capital. In February, the group is planning to have their children make Valentines for the Earth to deliver to the state legislature in Montpelier on their Annual Lobby Day in an effort to encourage more eco-friendly laws. Hopefully, their civic-minded dedication will provide dividends as residents cast their ballots on Feb. 5. Middlebury students can support the ban by not using plastic bags and, whenever possible, patronizing stores who support the bag ban and are committed to building an environmentally sustainable town. Registered Middlebury voters can add their names to the petition by emailing KeepMiddleburyBeautiful@gmail.com.
‘Stay-to-Stay’ Brings Young Demographic to VT
Vermont’s population is among the oldest in the nation, coming in third in terms of median age, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This means fewer available laborers, more demands on social services and an uncertainty about the future of the state. The good news? The Vermont government is well aware of the problem and intends to focus on revitalizing the state. “Expanding our workforce is one of the top priorities of my administration,” Gov. Phil Scott said in March, “We must think outside the box … to attract more working families and young professionals to Vermont.” Part of the solution to this problem is the legislature’s Remote Worker Grant program, a highly publicized initiative that offers $10,000 to any young professional willing to relocate to Vermont and work remotely. The announcement of the grant program generated interest nationwide, and applications started rolling in on Jan. 1 of this year. The Remote Worker Grant program is not the first program designed to lower the median age and build a bright future for the Green Mountain State. The Department of Tourism and Marketing is contributing to the efforts with their Stay-to-Stay program, which began in April 2018. [pullquote speaker="NATE FORMARLIE" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]The hope is that people say, ‘I don’t just want to visit here, I want to live here.'[/pullquote] Thirteen million people visit Vermont each year — an astonishing number of tourists for such a small state. From quick ski getaways to hiking honeymoons, these visitors overwhelmingly love the state. Their appreciation of the gorgeous Green Mountains, local food and community-minded culture means that many of these tourists return year after year. The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM) is working to persuade those people to turn their vacations into residency. “We asked ourselves: how do we use the tools we have to help with this problem facing the state?” said Nate Formalarie, communications director for the Department of Tourism and Marketing. “The Stay-to-Stay pilot is a great way to pool the resources of the state and local folks.” Stay-to-Stay began just last year as a pilot program. The initiative entices new residents by providing three days of whirlwind programming designed to showcase the best of Vermont and, ideally, to convince people that Vermont is the place for them. “The hope is that people say, ‘I don’t just want to visit here, I want to live here,’” Formarlie explained. While interested vacationers have to pay for their own travel and hotels, Vermonters organize everything else. On Friday night, participants in the program have a meet-and-greet opportunity to ask residents questions and introduce themselves to local employers, as well as to meet community organizers, members of the Chamber of Commerce and real estate agents. The cocktail-party-style gathering allows potential residents to get a feel for the area and to network. Saturday and Sunday are set aside for the participants to explore the attractions of the region on their own, similar to a regular vacation. In Burlington, this can include a stroll down Church Street or a visit to Ben & Jerry’s. Vermont Vacation identifies items of interest for the potential residents in each of the communities in the program. Participants can sightsee, meet with realtors to find houses, set up interviews with employers, and enjoy all that Vermont has to offer over the course of their weekend. The three-day adventure ends on Monday morning with a meeting about relocation that focuses on the logistics of moving to Vermont and the opportunities such a move provides. By the end of these three days, future Vermonters have the opportunity to pick out a house, interview for a job and find friends in a new neighborhood. The inventive use of Vermont’s tourism draws has proved successful. Over the course of the four weekends organized by the VDTM last year, 140 people came to preview what life as a Vermonter looks like, and many of them fell in love with the incredible state. “Seven of them have already moved, and 37 more are actively job searching and real-estate hunting to move within the next year,” Formalarie said. The qualitative response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. Sandra Hegedus traveled from Cleveland for a weekend in Brattleboro and told VTDigger that she loved Vermont. “There’s a progressive thought process and an acceptance of different kinds of people,” Hegedus said. Comments like these were echoed by many of the participants in the pilot program, who complimented everything from the beautiful fall weather to the political climate. High on the list of Vermont’s assets were maple creemees and the statewide community engagement with and commitment to environmentalism. Positive reviews and the program’s 32% success rate bode well for the future. 1,200 people expressed interest in the program last year, although the number of available weekends limited how many people actually attended. Next year, Stay-to-Stay will have 15 different weekends in Burlington, Brattleboro, Manchester, Rutland and Bennington. The increased number of available weekends means that Vermonters can expect new neighbors in the coming years. The success of Stay-to-Stay only confirms what many Vermonters already knew: all it takes is one weekend to fall in love with the Green Mountain State.
Storm Café Closes Doors For Good
A sunny day signaled the end of the Storm Café. The restaurant, located in the Old Stone Mill building on the banks of Otter Creek, had been a staple in the Middlebury food scene for years. Last year, their American cuisine made from local ingredients won the café a spot in Visiting New England’s “12 Favorite Places for Breakfast” list. On Nov. 11, Beth and John Hughes, who ran the restaurant for the past 13 years, said goodbye to regular customers, many of whom had been coming there since it opened in the lowest floor of the Old Stone Mill 25 years ago. “It’s bittersweet,” John told Seven Days. “This was our dream—to own our own business together,” Beth said in an interview with the Addison Independent. In a statement on the Storm Café’s website, they both thanked the Middlebury community for their patronage and promised they would miss all those who dined with them over the years. The Storm Café will be missed by many in the Middlebury community. John estimated that roughly 80 percent of the café’s customers came from the college. “The Storm’s cozy atmosphere, the sounds of the waterfall and [the] delicious food never failed to provide happy meals for me and my family,” Sophie Hiland ’22 said. The café joins a long list of recently-closed local businesses, but the decision to close was not made solely by the business owners. Middlebury College, which owns the Old Stone Mill building the Storm Café called home, informed the Hughes this past summer that their lease would not be renewed. However, there is a rainbow after the storm for the Hughes family. Both Beth and John are now working as a paraprofessional and a cafeteria chef, respectively, at Salisbury Community School. And, to sweeten the deal, their twin daughters Molly and Lilly are both students at the school. “For the first time in 20 years, I’ll have my weekends off,” John added. As the Hughes move on to other things, Middlebury College announced an end to its search for a new partner to move into 3 Mill Street. The lucky tenants? Community Barn Ventures, a group based in town that, in the words of co-founder Stacey Rainey, helps businesses “solve whatever problems they have, getting them from where they are to where they want to be.” The group started work just over a year ago and already has about 15 clients. It has been looking to expand beyond just its current advisory role, and found the perfect opportunity on the banks of Otter Creek. Middlebury College bought the Old Stone Mill building in 2008 for $2.1 million. Since then, the college has used the space above the Storm Café as an incubator for student creativity and innovation. The building has been home to students and locals alike, fostering specifically non-academic, self-designed projects ranging from art exhibitions to band practices. However, Bill Burger, vice president for communications and chief marketing officers, explains, “the building needs such investment that it didn’t make sense to go ahead with the same use of the building.” Community Barn Ventures will close the deal on purchasing the building for $500,000 in early January. The group has already contracted local firm McLeod Kredell Architects to help bring its vision for the historic building to life, opening up to the public in summer 2019. The Middlebury-based modern architecture firm emphasizes a “search for appropriate local expressions of universal qualities and ideals,” according to its website. John McLeod is a visiting professor of architecture at the college, while Steve Kredell teaches at Norwich University’s School of Architecture and Art. Stacey Rainey and Mary Cullinane, co-founders and partners at Community Barn Ventures, are Middlebury residents who stepped away from corporate jobs and now focus on making their work “have a positive impact on our community,” Cullinane explained. Their plans for the four-and-a-half story, 9,000-square-foot space reflect this desire for community engagement and support for local business. The top floor and a half will become five Airbnb units, each with its own bathroom and secure access but with a shared living room and kitchenette, intended for parents, visiting professors, or tourists. Just below the mini-hotel will be the Community Barn Network, a shared workspace divided into seating for people working on personal laptops or without a need for private space, dedicated offices and a shared conference room, and telephone booths for those who need to make private calls. The second floor will house a public market with eight to 10 permanent vendor stalls, half of them food-based and half for hard goods, as well as a stall for coffee and a general watering hole. The objective is to create a “daily destination,” a place where students and town residents can go for a variety of functions. This deliberate attempt to engage with the community was instrumental in the college’s decision to sell to Community Barn Ventures. “There were a number of different groups interested in the building,” Burger said. “But we wanted to find the right partner who would do something that we felt was best for Middlebury and that would create opportunity for Middlebury College students.” The iconic space at 3 Mill Street is being brought into a new age by Community Barn Ventures, but the new plans include a nod to the building’s past: the first floor will remain a restaurant, though Community Barn Ventures is still looking for the perfect partner to take over the space. No matter who ends up taking over the first floor at 3 Mill Street, they will have big shoes to fill with the Storm Café’s departure.
Old Stone Mill Bought by Community Firm; Storm Café to Close, Student Projects Relocated
Bittersweet Transitions for the Old Stone Mill Property.
Neighbors, Together Announces ‘Midd Money Match’ Program
In the list of things that Vermonters are passionate about, shopping locally might make the top ten, just behind Bernie Sanders and maple syrup. A new program launched three weeks ago by the Neighbors, Together community action group aims to harness this sentiment and help out businesses in Middlebury through an incentives program called Midd Money Match. Neighbors, Together seeks to alleviate strains on local business throughout the downtown rail bridge construction process and beyond through a variety of initiatives. Midd Money Match is a participatory program that issues money to people who shop in town and is expected to run through the winter holidays. The vast majority of local stores are participating in the program, both out of loyalty to the Better Middlebury Partnership and in an effort to increase business. With the disruption created by the train project, many of the stores have noted a decline in business. Any time shoppers spend more than ten dollars at a participating business, they will receive a stamp on their card. Shoppers can join the program by printing out their own card or picking one up from the National Bank of Middlebury, the Treasurer in the town office at 77 Main Street or one of the participating businesses. Once they have collected ten stamps, they can turn their card in to the Bank or the Treasury in exchange for ten dollars in Middlebury Money, which can then be used anywhere in town. Despite the good intentions of its creators, businesses have yet to see an increase in customers as a result of the program in the initial three weeks. David Disque at Forth ‘n’ Goal noted that although the store tries to encourage all downtown activities, the Midd Money Match program “is not as big as it should be.” Hallett at Danforth Pewter echoed this sentiment, saying that the store “has a lot of customers who are locals who don’t know about it.” Here on campus, that pattern continues. Although college students are usually the first to jump at an opportunity for free money, few of them were aware of the program and none of those interviewed had taken part so far. A quick trip into town will reveal the plight of the local business in an age of one-click shopping and next-day delivery. The effects of which are easy to see: among others, Carol’s Café, Clay’s Clothing, Ben Franklin and - most recently - O’Brien’s Hair Salon have already shut down in the past year. Many business owners expressed concern about the effects of the downtown construction on potential customers. Pam Martin and Natasha Luizzi of Kiss the Cook explained that customers are struggling to find parking and thus are less likely to continue shopping downtown. Representatives from businesses and organizations came together in St. Stephen’s Church last year and developed an action plan to help support the town and strengthen community partnerships. Their initiatives are meant to help Middlebury remain a vibrant and accessible downtown area. The chain link fence art on Main Street, an effort spearheaded by Town Hall Theater and carried out by local artists, provides a tangible representation of the group’s spirit: they are trying to take what could be a nuisance or an eyesore and turn it into something that brings the entire town together. On top of the Midd Money Match program, the self-described grassroots group has launched a digital campaign on Instagram (@experiencemiddlebury) to highlight the town’s hidden gems in order to promote local shopping and, hopefully, increase tourism. They have also overhauled the Experience Middlebury website with a digital marketing grant from the USDA, shifting its focus to local businesses and providing a detailed calendar of events in town. Neighbors, Together is responsible for the signage that helps navigate construction and parking, a new brochure advertising Middlebury’s tourism draws and a series of events that took place over the summer, including free concerts and outdoor movies. Local businesses hold the Neighbors, Together group and their collaboration with the Better Middlebury Partnership in high esteem. “They do great work. I think they’re doing everything they can do,” said Nancie Dunn of Sweet Cecily’s. Several others underlined the plethora of events the group puts on, including this past Sunday’s Spooktacular Halloween celebration and the upcoming Midd Night Strolls during the holiday season. Neighbors, Together also hopes to “brighten up” the construction zone with flowers and repainted walkways, initiate a tax-free holiday and install free Wifi downtown in the hopes of attracting more college students. Notably, the group’s website also declares an intention to assure free delivery of items purchased locally. This service could alleviate some of the pressures local businesses are feeling from online retailers. Participation in Midd Money Match is aimed to help local businesses and the town as a whole to stay a vibrant community - incentive enough to shop downtown without considering the money you earn from investing locally.