$5-Million Housing Project
Gets Kickoff in Village

A gala kickoff was held Monday for the $5-million Salisbury Square housing project in Randolph village.

The turnout of about 60 people suggested the importance of the project as well as the complexity of putting the deal together.

Held under a tent at the Salisbury Street site, the ceremony also acknowledged Ethan Allen, Inc. for its outright donation of the 4.4-acre piece of land that will be turned into a site for 25-30 owner-occupied family homes over the next five years.

Representing Ethan Allen, Dan Kurzmann presented an oversized deed to Patrick French, a board member of the Randolph Area Community Development Corp. (RACDC). RACDC, the new owner of the property, is the organization that will develop and finally sell the property to the new homeowners.

Kurzmann, now the general manager of the big Ethan Allen plant in Orleans, spent considerable time in Randolph and obviously has a soft spot in his heart for the community. He warmly welcomed former Randolph Plant Manager Rick Grant, who showed up briefly.

French, over several years, was the one who convinced Ethan Allen to give the land to Randolph, after it failed to sell on the open market for 10 years. He had high praise for Ethan Allen's gift and also for its role in Randolph during the years it made furniture here.

The site was an industrial, furniture-making site for 100 years, it was noted. First it was Salisbury Furniture, then Randolph Furniture Co., and then Ethan Allen. Its founder, Edgar Salisbury, built what is now the Day Funeral Home.

One of the owners of the funeral home, Randy Garner, brought the good wishes of the neighborhood and his appreciation that the site will be productively used.

Opening remarks came from RACDC President Marty Strange and then RACDC Director Jeremy Ingpen introduced representatives of the several agencies that have given substantial grants to the project.

Only with their help, Ingpen emphasized, could the derelict property be developed. Grants came from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), from Two Rivers Regional Commission, from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. The role of the EPA's "Brownfield" program was crucial because this had been an industrial site for so long. The program provided funds for the environmental reviews which eventually showed the area was pollution-free. That made development simpler.

Among those speaking Friday was Carol Goldsberry Tucker, chief of the Brownfields Sector of the EPA in New England. She said Salisbury Square will stand as an example of Brownfield success.

Also speaking Monday was Rick DeAngelis of the Vt. Housing and Conservation Board, and Dawn Butterfield of the Randolph selectboard.

RACDC board president Marty Strange took advantage of the meeting to announce that the organization is creating a "working capital fund" with a goal of $150,000 to help it develop Salisbury Square. The fund will allow up-front costs to be quickly taken care of, and the costs will be paid back, along with a development fee, after the homes are sold.

The fund has already secured promises of $90,000, including one $20,000 gift, Strange said. "We believe that we can reach this important goal."

A fine table of refreshments was provided after the speech-making.