The Burlington City Council has unanimously approved pre-development agreements for two projects, one downtown and one in the South End, that could collectively bring about 1,300 new housing units to the city.
The first agreement could lay the groundwork for redeveloping Memorial Block, the downtown block between Main and College streets above South Winooski Avenue that contains the defunct Memorial Auditorium as well as the Central Fire Station.
The other agreement is for the South End Innovation District, a 13-acre patch of land in the South End where developers hope to eventually build around 1,100 new housing units.
The two agreements, which the council approved at a Monday night meeting, are not binding development plans but instead generally set the course for the potential projects. In both cases, the council would need to approve final development agreements.
The pre-development agreement for the Memorial Block establishes a pathway for the city and developers Eric Farrell and Joe Larkin to create a mixed-use area that would include at least 200 housing units and 100 hotel rooms.
The agreement stipulates that the block should include “a Central Public Assembly & Activity Space” to replace Memorial Auditorium. The city-owned building, erected in 1927 as a memorial to World War I veterans, could either be partially or fully torn down for the project.
The redevelopment of the block would also require the relocation of the Central Fire Station, though it would not displace the College Street Congregational Church nor the Fletcher Free Library.
The agreement establishes that both the city and the developers will conduct a series of feasibility studies over the next nine months, making a determination about whether the project is viable by Dec. 31.
“This is actually a nine-month joint process to assess the feasibility and desirability for redevelopment of the block,” Brian Pine, director of the Community and Economic Development Office, told councilors on Monday. “When I say desirability, I think what I’m referring to is, is it in the city’s best interest? Is it in the public’s interest?”
Speaking during the public comment section of Monday’s meetings, a handful of residents expressed their frustration about the bidding process and implored councilors to preserve the historic auditorium.
In 2022, the city issued a request for proposals for the redevelopment of the shuttered auditorium, garnering three proposals from private companies, none of which panned out. Later, in November 2023, Mayor Miro Weinberger signed a letter of intent with Farrell and Larkin, outlining goals for developing the full Memorial Block.
Responding to criticism from residents about the agreement, several councilors pushed back on the idea that they were giving Farrell and Larkin special treatment.
Councilor Melo Grant P-Central rejected the idea that the project was “a giveaway to the developers” and emphasized the need to renovate the block.
“What’s there right now is not nice to look at,” said Grant. “It’s just something that needs to be dealt with so that we can move on in the community.”
The agreement for the South End, unveiled last week by the mayor and the project partners, establishes a broad framework for the development of the South End Innovation District.
The roughly 13 acres between Lakeside Avenue and Sears Lane is currently occupied by parking lots and industrial facilities. It comprises three parcels of land owned by the city, Champlain College and Ride Your Bike LLC — the private developer behind Hula, a coworking space and business incubator.
Under the agreement, the three parties would aim to create around 1,100 housing units, approximately 20% of which would be affordable. The agreement would also commit the parties to a series of mutual design goals, including walkability, accessibility and sustainability, with the aim of making the project a net zero emissions development.
The city signed a memorandum of understanding with the other landowners in January 2023, and last summer, the City Council rezoned the three parcels of land to create the innovation district and allow for more housing in the area.
“It’s very exciting to now take this next step,” said Councilor Ben Traverse, D-Ward 5, ahead of Monday’s vote. “This is an incredibly unique opportunity to develop what I think could be the most sustainable, walkable, bike-friendly, mixed-income neighborhood in the city.”
According to a memo presented to the City Council from the Community and Economic Development Office, the city and the developers expect to have a development agreement prepared by the end of 2024.
