Groundbreaking Ceremony for Armory Square Rehabilitation
Governor Jim Douglas to Speak at Ceremony 

On June 27^th, 2008 at 2:00 pm, the Rockingham Area Community Land Trust (RACLT), Town of Windsor and Housing Vermont are holding a groundbreaking for the Union Square Apartments (formally known as the Armory Square Apartments) rehabilitation. Located in Windsor, Vermont, the Union Square project is the largest project RACLT has ever undertaken. The $9 million dollar construction project began in April 2008 and will be completed in November, 2009. Fifty-eight affordable rental apartments will be created.  

Last September, RACLT and Housing Vermont acquired the Armory Square Apartments, taking over management of this landmark Windsor housing project. The purchase price was $3.1 million. Housing Vermont and RACLT are the general partners of the Limited Partnership that was created to own the property. 

The Union Square Apartments will provide one, two and three bedroom homes to families with various incomes. Housing Vermont and RACLT are working to incorporate the highest levels of energy conservation, and are seeking to reduce significantly the use of fossil fuels.  

Additional improvements will include an elevator to access all four floors, a new management office and community room to provide on-site resident support, a playground constructed by RACLT’s Community Leadership Initiative Team and expanded parking created from a now vacant lot on Union Street. 

Funders, developers, Town of Windsor officials and managing partners speaking at the event will highlight their involvement in the project. Governor Jim Douglas has accepted an invitation from the Town of Windsor to attend.

Funders include USDA Rural Development, US Department of Housing and Urban Development through the support of US Senator Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Vermont Community Development Program, NeighborWorks® America, the Town of Windsor, Housing Vermont, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, the Mascoma Savings Bank, Efficiency Vermont, the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Freeman Foundation. 

Project partners include the Vermont State Housing Authority, the Springfield Family Center, the Windsor Improvement Corporation, the State of Vermont Agency of Human Services, the Windsor Connection Resource Center, the Town of Windsor and many others, including churches and community groups in Windsor. The project architect is Gossens-Bachman Architects from Montpelier, Vermont. E.F Wall and Associates is the general contractor. 

The Town of Windsor and community members have provided strong support for the project. A local advisory committee, chaired by Barbara Rhoad and Dave Jones, has and will continue to provide guidance during the project development. The Windsor Advisory Committee has assembled presentation panels showcasing the history of Armory Square. These will be on display at Windsor’s historic Newberry’s building during the month of June. 

Property management, including leasing and facilities and grounds management, is being provided by Bedford, NH based Stewart Property Management.

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About Rockingham Area Community Land Trust
RACLT’s mission is to maximize affordable housing opportunities for the people of southeastern Vermont. RACLT owns 350 apartments and several mobile home lots which are affordable to low and moderate income families. This year, RACLT is developing affordable housing in Windsor, Cavendish, Springfield and Rockingham. RACLT’s NeighborWorks^® HomeOwnership Center of Southeastern Vermont assists over 60 Windsor and Windham county families to become first time homebuyers each year.

About Housing Vermont
Housing Vermont is a private, nonprofit development company founded in 1988 to produce permanently affordable rental housing for Vermonters through partnerships with communities and the private sector.  Since its inception, Housing Vermont has raised more than $163 million in private equity to finance 121 affordable rental housing developments throughout the State.  The nearly 4,000 apartments created or renovated in these efforts serve low and moderate income Vermonters including seniors and those with special needs.  Many developments also include commercial space.

For information contact:
Rockingham Area Community Land Trust
Jeff Staudinger
Executive Director
Office-802-885-3220 ext. 220