Hula-backed Burlington plan aims for up to 1,400 housing units; infrastructure costs stall progress

Hula founders and development partners briefed the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on April 2 about a large housing proposal in Burlington’s South End that they say could deliver between 1,100 and 1,400 units, including a 20% affordable set‑aside, but that high construction and borrowing costs and remaining infrastructure needs are blocking next steps.

The project is planned on three city parking lots across Lakeside Avenue from Hula’s innovation campus, adjacent to Pine Street. Adam McCrassen introduced the presenters; Lucia Campriello, Hula’s team lead, described Hula’s campus and its role incubating entrepreneurs. Russ Scully, founder of Hula, and a predevelopment lead identified as Will described the housing vision and funding obstacles. Andrew Foley of Jonathan Rose Company described his firm’s experience with sustainable, mixed‑income developments.

Why it matters: supporters told the committee the site could be a model for large‑scale infill housing in Vermont that also addresses local stormwater and wastewater problems that affect Lake Champlain. “We’re currently unable to move forward unless we get some sort of help with infrastructure costs to help move the project forward,” Russ Scully said. The presenters said the work also would unlock workforce housing for companies based at Hula.

What the plan would include: presenters said a PUD completed for the site shows roughly 1,100–1,400 units across multiple phases and building types, from studios to family apartments, with both rental and homeownership options under consideration. Will (identified in the hearing as the predevelopment project quarterback) told the committee that “20% will be affordable according to the rules of the priority housing projects and the inclusionary zoning.” Andrew Foley described Jonathan Rose Company’s track record building green, mixed‑income communities and said the firm would bring sustainable design experience to the project.

Regulatory and property context: the presenters said a new zoning district passed in August 2024 that allows residential development in the former industrial zone and enables higher density (roughly a scale from four to eight stories depending on siting and neighborhood transitions). The team said the city and Champlain College own parcels within the site: Champlain College owns one of the three parcels and the city is a landowner and partner in planning.

Funding and implementation hurdles: speakers repeatedly told the committee that the project’s timetable is constrained by high construction costs and rising borrowing rates and that additional public infrastructure financing is required to proceed. The presentation linked the project to recent municipal bond approvals in Burlington—presenters said some city bonds were recently voted and passed but did not provide bond amounts or detailed financing commitments. Presenters emphasized that stormwater and wastewater upgrades on the site are integral to both environmental mitigation for Lake Champlain and to making the site buildable.

Committee response and next steps: committee members praised the project’s potential as a statewide model and asked technical questions about height, zoning and the Champlain Parkway/Connector alignment near Lakeside and Pine Street. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the presentation; presenters said they are continuing design and financing work and seeking public infrastructure support to advance the PUD and project permitting.

Details missing or not specified at the hearing: final unit mix by bedroom size and income band, total project cost, specific infrastructure funding sources or dollar requests, construction timeline, and exact parcel ownership proportions were not provided at the hearing.

The presentation concluded with committee members encouraging a site tour and urging continued coordination among the city, Champlain College, private developers and state agencies as the team seeks infrastructure funding and financing commitments.