This commentary is written by John R. Killacky, Executive Director of the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington. It first aired on Vermont Public Radio.
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Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, VT
2014 Award Winner |
Earlier this month I traveled to the Northeast Kingdom to attend the annual conference of the Vermont Downtown Program and The Preservation Trust of Vermont. The Flynn Center in Burlington was one of 10 awardees recognized by the Preservation Trust for recent renovations. The winners were a disparate, determined group, most taking decades to rehab, renovate and rebuild historically significant buildings.
It's such a balancing act to honor the archeology of century-old structures, while adapting for energy efficiency and accessibility needs. Attention to architectural details and craftsmanship is very important, but community participation and buy-in is just as essential for these facilities to be relevant.
Here are a few stories from the awards ceremony:
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Dot's Restaurant, Wilmington, VT
2104 Award Winner |
Dot's Restaurant was built in 1832 alongside the Deerfield River in Wilmington. Sadly, Hurricane Irene destroyed the building's foundation. Neighbors raised funds to repair the foundation, as well as flood-proof and reconstruct the restaurant's interior in a historically sensitive manner.
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Guilford Store and Algiers Village, VT
2014 Award Winner |
In Guilford, citizens have been restoring derelict properties and remediating a toxic brown-field site. Five years ago, they took ownership of The Guilford Country Store, originally opened in 1817. Donations, grants, loans and sweat equity allowed them to refurbish it, guaranteeing this community a vital gathering place.
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C.W. Humphrey House, Poultney, VT
2104 Award Winner |
Green Mountain College and the town of Poultney did the same by transforming Charles Humphrey's 1900 mansion, taking what had become a deteriorated storage facility and creating a central meeting and event center for both town and college.
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Bloomfield Town Hall, Bloomfield, VT
2014 Award Winner |
Another award celebrated the efforts of volunteers over a 15-year period to resurrect the 1891 Bloomfield Town Hall.
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| Brighton Town Hall, Island Pond, VT 2014 Award Winner |
Residents of Island Pond had a similar journey as they restored their Brighton Town Hall's original architectural elements from 1889.
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Stanislaus School, West Rutland, VT
2104 Award Winner
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The Housing Trust of Rutland County was recognized for its rehabilitation of a former Catholic school and convent into 17 units of affordable housing. Installation of solar panels made this one of the lowest cost housing projects in the state to operate.
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| Bellows Falls Middle School, Bellows Falls, VT: 2014 PTV Award |
Bellows Falls Middle School also rejuvenated its building, modeling adaptive historic reuse with sustainable energy features in creating their 21st century classrooms.
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| Two Rivers Ottauquechee Planning Commission, VT 2014 Award Winner |
On a regional level, Two Rivers Ottauquechee Planning Commission was acknowledged for its work prioritizing redevelopment in downtown districts, thereby keeping villages robust and farms and forestlands secure.
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| Glenn Andres & Curtis Johnson, Buildings of Vermont 2014 Award Winner |
Finally, historians Glen Andres' and Curtis Johnson's comprehensive study, "Buildings of Vermont," received accolades for its quality and for their persistence. It took them 20 years to complete this important compendium.
At the conference, I heard a new term, not a word really, but still apt as it combines preserve and perseverance. It's called "pre-serverance." I know it's made-up, but it reflects the grit and dogged determination needed to save iconic landmarks, not as relics of by-gone eras, but as vital components in the heart of each of our communities today.
