Burlington Free Press – 9.13.2016
The Burlington Town Center redevelopment and associated projects represent an extremely rare opportunity for the city of Burlington. Not since Bill Truex put forth the concept of the Church Street Marketplace has there been such a forward-looking proposal to revitalize the Queen City while supporting the values that make it special: community engagement, sustainability, economic growth and mindful development. Don Sinex and his team have done a tremendous job engaging with the community and working to make this project one that will help Burlington evolve.
It’s true that the skyline will rise, but with it will come new opportunities for urban living, mixed-use space and community resources. Furthermore, an investment of more than $200 million into Burlington, or any part of Vermont, is practically unheard of. Letting this opportunity pass us by would be a mistake.
If we make it clear that Vermont is not interested in investment, even when it comes in the form of someone who lives in Vermont and wants to honor the wishes of the community, we will set ourselves on a destructive economic course.
We are all aware of the challenges we are facing as a state. This development will provide a boost to the economy, the tax base, and our efforts to recruit young professionals. It will support our academic institutions and our flourishing tech sector. Most importantly, it will signal to the rest of the country that Burlington is a city that is evolving.
In a My Turn piece that I wrote last year, I referenced the need for “sensible, sustainable development that will provide Vermont with the diversity it needs to succeed” (“Opinion: For Millenials, growth not bad word,” June 15, 2015). This project is a perfect example of that sort of development.
Many will argue that a 14-story building in a city the size of Burlington is not sensible, but I believe that it is because it meets a need that has been demonstrated by the market. The vacancy rate in Burlington hovers around 0 percent, existing buildings prevent redevelopment due to a variety of factors, and the costs for real estate are so high that those that wish to live in downtown Burlington are often unable to afford it. This project allows us to think in three dimensions, which will help to ease this tension while keeping our green fields green and our city thriving.
There are some who worry about an outside developer coming in to “change” the character of the city. This is actually history repeating itself. According to the history of the Church Street Marketplace, the original developer for the Urban Renewal Project that led to its birth was Donohoe Associates of Philadelphia. Without the efforts of this developer and the visionary leaders of Burlington at that time, we would not have one of “America’s Great Public Spaces” as the jewel of our Queen City.
The time has come for us to recognize opportunity when it knocks and to be the stewards of Burlington’s next chapter. I applaud the City Council for their ability to recognize this as a wonderful opportunity for Burlington. For the good of our economy, people, city and future, I urge everyone who wants to see a more prosperous Burlington to support this project.
Owen Brady, of Burlington, is the chairman of the Burlington Young Professionals Steering Commitee.