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Barre infill project seeks municipal infrastructure dollars to unlock up to 128 housing units
Summary
Department of Housing and Community Development staff told senators that Prospect Heights in Barre needs municipal infrastructure—access road plus water and sewer extensions—to move an initial 79‑unit phase and a possible expansion to 128 units; a prior large Northern Border Regional Commission award and local partners are in place.
Alex Farrell, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, briefed the Senate Institutions Committee on Feb. 13 about the Prospect Heights redevelopment in Barre and the capital‑bill request to fund municipal infrastructure for the site.
Farrell said the capital‑bill funds would pay to build an access road into the site and to extend water and sewer lines. "The objective of this million dollars is for the city to build an access road into the site and extend the water and sewer," he said. He noted that the parcel sits mostly outside the flood plain, which the department sees as an asset.
Nut graf: Prospect Heights is an infill parcel just outside Barre’s designated downtown. Farrell said an initial phase is roughly 79 units; depending on zoning and permitting the site could support as many as 128 units. The department characterized the capital funds as municipal infrastructure grants that the city would use to prepare the parcel for development.
Farrell told senators the project has a long development history: a global permit dates back to 1991 and the parcel has been ready to develop in the past but stalled largely because of the need to extend municipal infrastructure. He described an already awarded Northern Border Regional Commission grant — "I wanna say 2,800,000.0" — and said the capital bill infrastructure dollars would help match that federal funding.
The department identified the Barre Area Development Corporation (BADC) and the City of Barre as project partners; Downstreet (a local nonprofit housing developer) and the local hospital are listed as additional collaborators. Farrell said the money in the capital bill would go to the municipality, not directly to the developer, and the municipality would administer subgrants or development agreements as appropriate.
Ending: Senators asked about time limits and permitting; Farrell offered to confirm deadlines tied to federal grants and to provide more detailed materials to the committee before further action.
