Burlington, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has awarded City Market Co-op a $125,000 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sub-grant to support redevelopment of a brownfields site in Burlington. City Market plans to open its second retail food cooperative in Burlington’s South End by mid-November.
Construction at the site includes a mixed-use building with a cooperative grocery store, teaching kitchen, community space, café and leased office space. The Co-op anticipates hiring more than 100 employees at the new South End location.
“This is a pivotal moment for City Market and the South End of Burlington, and we are pleased to have played a role in its redevelopment,” said Department of Economic Development’s Commissioner Joan Goldstein.
“Supporting redevelopment of these spaces is important to our economic development strategy, helping revitalize communities while converting previously unusable properties to safe, clean and productive assets,” said Gov. Scott.
The redevelopment project follows the demolition of seven of 10 buildings on the site, including the removal of structures containing asbestos. City Market is also removing and containing contaminated soil at the site, and installing systems to ensure that storm water flows into the municipal system, rather than the waterways that lead to Lake Champlain.
“We are looking forward to opening a successful and vibrant community cooperative in November,” said Allison Weinhagen, director of community engagement at City Market. “City Market's South End store will create more opportunities for us to offer community support and engagement as well as employment of additional staff at above-market wages and benefits.”
According to historical documentation (Stone, 2015), the site has been in industrial use since at least 1880 when rail service came to Burlington. Past uses include steel and iron foundering, metal machining, truck and heavy equipment maintenance, petroleum storage, bulk oil storage and distribution, a taxi service and vehicle maintenance business, electrical contracting, brass foundering, and “japanning” (applying lacquer or enamel to metals).
ACCD’s brownfields program is funded, in part, through a grant from the EPA Brownfields Program. For more information on redevelopment of a brownfields site, please visit http://accd.vermont.gov/economic-development/funding-incentives/brownfi….
About ACCD
The mission of ACCD is to help Vermonters improve their quality of life and build strong communities. ACCD is comprised of four Departments: the Department of Economic Development (DED); the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD); the Department of Administration, which includes the Office of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and the Division of the Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI); and the Department of Tourism and Marketing (VDTM), which also includes Vermont Life Magazine. The Agency reports annually to the Legislature on activities and outcomes.