BRATTLEBORO, VT – Windham & Windsor Housing Trust and Evernorth celebrated the start of construction at 72 Swan Pond Lane which will bring 31 newly constructed affordable apartments to West Brattleboro and is one part of a multi-phase transformation of the former Dalem’s Chalet Motel property. The multi-phase build-out of the new neighborhood will bring much needed infrastructure, affordable rental homes, the preservation of the Chalet banquet hall, and the creation of eight new shared-equity homes.
The Chalet property was acquired by WWHT in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and converted into permanent supportive housing to address urgent community needs. Since that time, the property has provided 27 homes with supportive services coordinated by Groundworks Collaborative.
The full redevelopment has been shaped by feedback from current residents, neighbors, municipal officials, and community partners. Planning efforts have focused on improving housing quality, accessibility, safety, and transportation access while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the supportive housing community already located on the site. By bringing together supportive housing, affordable rental apartments, and homeownership opportunities, the redevelopment will create a more diverse and integrated neighborhood while continuing to serve people experiencing or at risk of homelessness through extensive on-site services provided in partnership with Groundworks Collaborative.
“This redevelopment plan reflects our original long-term vision for the property,” said Elizabeth Bridgewater, WWHT’s Executive Director. “When the Chalet was acquired during the pandemic, rehabilitation work was completed on an accelerated timeline to make emergency housing available as quickly as possible. Even then, we envisioned a plan to redevelop the parcel to create higher-quality homes that better met the needs of residents and the broader community. We are excited to break ground today on the initial phase of this redevelopment plan and see our vision turn into reality for the current and future residents.”
The new building will provide residents with a more secure, efficient, and intentionally designed space, complete with an office for on-site support, a community room, on-site storage, and laundry. GroundWorks Collaborative will continue to provide wrap-around services for the permanent supportive housing program which will comprise approximately half of the homes in Phase One. The new building will feature rooftop solar and electric heating and cooling to reduce emissions and provide affordable comfort to residents.
“This project is about more than creating new affordable homes. It’s about building a neighborhood where people with different housing needs can live, connect, and be part of a thriving community,” said Nancy Owens, President of Evernorth. “Through our partnership with Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, we’re bringing together supportive housing, affordable rental apartments, and homeownership opportunities in a way that makes thoughtful use of an important community landmark while helping address the urgent need for affordable housing in our rural communities.”
The Chalet property’s unique setting and history remain important elements of the project. The redevelopment process balances preservation of the site’s character with the need to create additional housing opportunities in service- and job-rich parts of our state during a time of ongoing housing shortages throughout the region.
Designed by Vermont Integrated Architecture and being constructed by HP Cummings Construction Company, the new apartment building will provide updated housing accommodations and help address the significant need for affordable rental housing in the Brattleboro area.
Funding and financing for the 31 new apartments totaling approximately $16.7 million from a mix of public and private sources was raised to cover the total development costs. Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Equity administered by Vermont Housing Finance Agency, provided by Evernorth Housing New England, Fund VII, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board provided HOME-ARP funds and state general funds, Citizens Bank sponsored the Affordable Housing Program award from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and provided the construction financing, Evernorth Loan Fund is providing the permanent debt, and Efficiency Vermont and Green Mountain Power also provided funding.
The separate infrastructure phase which enables the co-developers to move forward with the full neighborhood redevelopment was made possible by Congressionally Directed Funding provided by Senator Bernie Sanders. This critical phase includes new water, sewer, and electric service to all sites; the construction of the new neighborhood road, Swan Pond Lane; and the installation of stormwater infrastructure for the full development.
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Windham & Windsor Housing is a mission-driven non-profit organization, established 35 years ago in response to increasing threats to the region’s supply of affordable housing. Their mission is to strengthen the communities of Southeast Vermont through development and stewardship of permanently affordable housing through ongoing support and advocacy for its residents. WWHT builds concrete solutions to the region’s housing challenges and provides better housing opportunities to more than 1,500 Southeastern Vermonters each year. To learn more about our upcoming development work visit our webpage www.homemattershere.org and scroll to the FAQ section.
Evernorth is a nonprofit organization serving the low- and moderate-income people of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont with affordable housing and community investments. Evernorth has raised and deployed over $1.6B in equity capital for affordable housing and built more than 17,000 affordable homes and apartments for low- and moderate-income people across northern New England. Learn more at www.evernorthUS.org.
