(Photo: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS)
Burlington Free Press – 12.30.2015
Plans for the redevelopment of Burlington Town Center mall have been in the making for nearly two years and will be presented next week for Burlington residents to consider
Mayor Miro Weinberger is encouraging residents to attend next week’s presentation on Burlington Town Center mall’s progress on an ambitious redevelopment plan that will include housing, office space, new retailers and an IMAX movie theater.
The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday on the lower level of the mall near L.L. Bean.
“The public meeting on January 5 represents an important milestone in the redevelopment of two central blocks of our vibrant and welcoming downtown,” Weinberger said in a statement. “The BTC redevelopment project has evolved substantially since last May as the owner has refined his vision for the property, and in response to the public’s input and the City’s advocacy for greater connectivity through the mall, improved streetscapes, a range of housing opportunities, and vibrant mix of uses that create an attractive destination for all Burlingtonians.”
The mall is owned by Don Sinex of Devonwood Investors, LLC, in New York City. Sinex said in a recent interview with the Burlington Free Press that the public input process has resulted in a better plan for Burlington Town Center, but he also admitted frustration with the amount of time the process is taking. Sinex bought the mall two years ago, and had hoped to begin construction on his redevelopment plans this winter.
Weinberger said next week’s event will highlight the ways in which public input, technical team review and financial feasibility have impacted the major elements of the project, and will provide the “conceptual framework” for a development agreement between the City of Burlington and Devonwood Investors.
Following the presentation, there will be a Q-and-A session with members of the Development Agreement Public Advisory Committee, city staff and mall representatives.
The major elements of the project will be discussed, including parking, circulation, program of uses, and urban design, as well as the prospective development agreement.
For more information, go to https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/BTVMall, or call the Community and Economic Development Office at 865-7144.
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