At first the decision looks simple — Middlebury’s town offices are outdated and something needs to be done. Renovation? Relocation? As it turns out, the problem is not so simple, nor is the solution.
The town offices are currently located across the street from Alexander Twilight Hall and are, essentially, the burned-out remains of the old high school, which raises many complications.
One problem is that the building is drafty and drains money in the winter as the heat seeps through the windows and walls and into the icy Vermont air. A second problem is that the building isn’t entirely wheelchair accessible. There is an elevator but it is faulty and unreliable.
In 2011, the town of Middlebury hired Vermont Integrated Architecture (VIA) to conduct a study estimating how much it would cost to replace the current Town Hall structures. VIA came back with estimates and proposals that ranged in cost from $6 million to $10 million — a high price to pay, especially because it would require the support of a bond and an increase in local property taxes.
Even though the proposed projects were expensive and the funds were not there, leaving the town offices as they are isn’t viewed as a feasible option because of their serious disrepair. Therefore, the town of Middlebury started talking to the College to find a mutually beneficial plan.
After discussing the situation, the current plan stands as such: the town and the College would do a land swap. The new municipal buildings, which would include offices and a recreation center, would be built on a piece of land currently owned by the College, near Mary Hogan Elementary School.
The College would then be given ownership of the strip of land on which the town offices are currently located, demolish the building and create a park — incidentally opening up a sweeping vista of the College that is otherwise obstructed by the current buildings.
Chairman of the Town Center Steering Committee Selectman Victor Nuovo along with Selectboard Chairman Dean George initially requested funding from the College. A press release issued this past June on behalf of the College announced the College’s intent to fund the request.
“We are committed to the view that what is good for the town is good for the college and vice versa,” President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz said.
While the College agreed to assist in this project should it be approved by the steering committee, not all involved share in this exclusively positive response. Some concerns were raised at a public hearing in Middlebury in July, during which more than a dozen local residents introduced worries about handing more land over to the College, as well as the lack of parking that would exist at the new town center.
The most specific-to-date plans, with a totaled budget of $6.5 million, were presented at an ID-4 school board meeting on Oct. 16, as well as at a public gathering on Oct. 17 at the municipal gym.
Attendees expressed many concerns, several of which related to parking space issues. Jason Duquette-Hoffman, an ID-4 board member, spoke out against some reassurance from organizers that there are around 30 spaces available when the recreation center is being used as it currently stands.
“Thirty spaces is your traffic management plan? I’m sorry, I don’t find that convincing, and I don’t think that’s a very thoughtful approach to this plan,” said Duquette-Hoffman.
Others expressed similar concerns, many of which shared the common thread that the plans were not fleshed out well enough. As a result of the many concerns raised with the proposed plan, the steering committee strongly recommended that the town postpone voting on the proposal from December to March.
Their justification was that further time is needed for the projects to be more clearly explained and delivered to community members. Such a delay, however, has the potential to raise expenditures by $350,000.
The Middlebury select board met on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and revisited the proposed project. Look for follow-up coverage in next week’s issue.
ILANA GRATCH contributed to this report.
