A summary of what we are doing follows:
Bottom line is that we hope to break ground on a small development for the “over 55” crowd this Spring or Summer. We plan to move into one of the houses.
We have spent a few years cleaning/removing up different environmental hazards we have found on the property. This includes asbestos in the basement; a leaking tank from a hydraulic lift; a “dry well” in the back that received run-off from a floor drain in the shop area; a buried underground oil tank at the front of the property; and petroleum contamination in the ground around the former pump area.
Last Spring we placed a large announcement in the VT Standard that asked community input into how people thought the site should be redeveloped. A copy of our announcement was also sent home with all of the students at Woodstock Elementary School. The following week the VT Standard ran an article about the project which gave more information. The response received supported the idea of a small development designed for older Woodstockians and where they might be able to age in place. We decided to seriously pursue such an idea. Having a conceptual plan, we needed to make sure the cleanup was complete and that we and any future purchasers of such properties would be relieved from any contingent liability associated with its prior use.
We applied for and were accepted into the state’s Brownfields program. If you do not know already, that program is designed to apply private, state and federal resources to cleaning up environmentally damaged sites and restoring them to productive use. We are currently working with the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation, and USEPA to determine exactly what further clean-up is needed for us to redevelop the property.
Our redevelopment plans include building two sets of attached housing structures. One would be located in the vicinity of the existing building. The other would be on the B&B side of the parking area. Each structure would have two houses connected with a garage structure. The exterior appearance would be vernacular Woodstock. In other words, a house facing South Street with an attached garage building behind it (like it was an addition); and then another residential structure attached to the rear of the garage structure. This would be mirrored on the B&B side; however, the buildings would all appear reasonably unique. The garages would be served by a central driveway and small circle.
The bottom line is that we are actively engaged in working to make this project become a reality. Demolition of the building will be the first step towards seeing some physical changes. The reality is that although we plan to take the building down, we do not plan to remove the cement floors in the shop area. They will remain in place; as the new structures will be constructed on slab and will have first floor grades which are more than a foot higher than the current floor.
Having said all of this, you should know that we have placed our house in Norwich on the market for sale in anticipation of moving into one of the residences we will build on South Street. Our rationale is simple. In our minds, there can be no place better for aging than next door to the joyful noises of elementary school students at play; and a very short walk from the 1st green of the Woodstock Country Club, the restaurants and other facilities in the Woodstock Inn, Town Hall, the Library and all that downtown Woodstock has to offer. Add a new house with first floor master BR, attached garage, and small yard and we think we’ll have a perfect package to serve our needs for the next phase of our lives.
We trust others will agree and will want to join us.
Thank you for sharing the news!
William and Jenny Lamb of Norwich, Vermont recently obtained a permit that allows them to move forward with demolition of the old A&B building at 25 South Street.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 