Preservation Trust urges community trusts to preserve village stores and revitalize downtowns

Ben Doyle, president of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, told the House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development on Jan. 14 that his organization helps small towns preserve historic buildings and assemble funding for redevelopment. "I just like to think of us as a small town's first and longest friend," Doyle said, describing the Trust’s long‑term technical assistance and subgranting role.

Doyle used the East Calais general store project as an example: after decades of deferred maintenance the community organized a nonprofit community trust, secured an option agreement, raised philanthropic and federal funds, and renovated the property to include a commercial store and three permanently affordable rental units. Doyle said the project’s total capital stack reached about $2.7 million and that the work required multiple funding sources and two project managers to complete.

Why it matters: Preservation Trust officials argued that historic village centers and general stores are local economic infrastructure that support community vitality and attract residents, visitors and small businesses. Doyle said communities often lack municipal capacity to assemble federal and state funding; his organization focuses on providing technical assistance, fiscal sponsorship and subgrant administration to bridge that gap.

Doyle described a recent, multi‑partner initiative funded through a congressionally directed award to work with 20 villages (populations under 2,500) to form community trusts and complete transformational projects. The Preservation Trust said partners include the Vermont Council on Rural Development and the Vermont Community Foundation; the program will provide project management support, fundraising assistance and matched funding in some cases.

Doyle reviewed other recent projects and grant programs: Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants from the National Park Service, Vermont Community Development Program (HUD funding run through the state), Vermont Housing and Conservation Board partnerships (including easement monitoring and combining housing and historic preservation goals), and Northern Border Regional Commission grants. He emphasized that small towns often must blend many sources — sometimes more than 20 — to complete capital projects and that federal and state programs are often administratively complex for towns with limited staffing.

Committee members asked about viability thresholds for stores and whether ownership structures separate business operations from residential units. Doyle said project models typically keep real estate ownership in a community trust or nonprofit and lease the commercial space to a private operator; the nonprofit owns any affordable apartments and may contract with a housing manager to operate them. That structure reduces operator overhead because it avoids debt service on the property.

Doyle also described work on flood‑damaged buildings and convening engineering and funding partners to address bank stabilization and foundation repair on vulnerable riverfront properties. He said Preservation Trust provides initial small grants (conditions assessments) and then helps communities access larger federal and state programs for rehabilitation and mitigation.

No committee vote was taken. Committee members thanked the Preservation Trust for continued technical assistance to small towns and for the organization’s role in projects that combine housing, preservation and local economic development.