Vermont State Colleges seek $1 million for Johnson housing planning, update heating plant and maintenance work
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Summary
Vermont State Colleges told the Senate Institutions committee they will use institutional funds to cover major maintenance overruns, seek $1,000,000 in state planning funds for a proposed Johnson campus apartment project, and are moving forward with a $5 million central heating plant replacement (planning and implementation).
Vermont State Colleges leaders told the Senate Institutions committee on Feb. 4 that work funded in last year’s capital bill is underway and that the system is asking for $1,000,000 in the current capital cycle to fund preplanning and planning for a proposed on‑campus housing project at Johnson.
Sharon Scott, chief financial and operating officer for the Vermont State Colleges, said the capital bill provided $1,500,000 for major maintenance in FY26 and $1,500,000 for FY27. She reported year‑to‑date spending of $1,200,000 and said the colleges expect to spend an additional $500,000–$750,000, meaning institutional dollars will cover the overage.
Scott listed recent projects funded by capital appropriations, including a $250,000 building‑envelope project at Castleton to repair the library roof and windows; masonry and chimney‑liner work at Ellis Falls to address falling bricks and improve energy efficiency; pump and piping replacements at Randolph’s pool; and mechanical piping replacement at Veil Hall in Linden. She emphasized accessibility upgrades such as exterior stair replacements and upgraded handrails to meet ADA and fire‑code standards.
Scott also updated the committee on a major heating‑plant replacement at Johnson, for which the capital bill provided $1,500,000 for planning and $3,500,000 for implementation. Scott said proposals for the heating‑plant project are due this week and that the college expects the project to be complete by the following heating season.
Ben (identified only by first name), the chancellor, framed Johnson as part of a strategy to maintain five vibrant campuses and to adapt facilities to the needs of older and nontraditional students. He said the McClellan Building is under negotiation for purchase by Downstreet to be converted to senior housing, funded in part by a community development block grant and congressional directed funds.
Art Klugo, managing partner at Campbell’s Health Development Group, presented a concept for on‑campus housing at Johnson sited on an existing parking lot to minimize site work and leverage existing infrastructure. Klugo described the concept first as a "potentially 16‑unit apartment building" of studios, one‑ and two‑bedrooms with phased construction, but later discussed a project example of about 30 units when describing construction timelines and phasing. The transcript records both figures; presenters described the 16‑unit box as a test fit and the 30‑unit figure as a planning example.
Klugo said the project team’s formal ask of the committee is $1,000,000 to produce shovel‑ready plans, permitting and pricing so developers can assemble a capital stack. He said the target construction cost is about $300 per square foot excluding land, infrastructure and fees, and noted typical escalation of roughly 5% per year. Klugo said the project would seek to preselect contractors experienced in alpine conditions to avoid winter construction delays and estimated partial occupancy could begin in late summer 2027 if appropriations occur in June and design work begins in fall.
On permitting, Klugo told the committee the campus already has an Act 250 permit and he expects permitting to be simpler than greenfield permitting, though some environmental work will be required because the site is currently a parking lot.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about consolidation (the chancellor said Vermont State University launched in 2023), campus master planning, and whether the $1,000,000 ask covers utilities or water funding (presenters said the request is for planning design work and not for utility construction). The committee said presenters would return with details after staff relay information to the House.
No formal motions or votes were recorded during this presentation. Presenters said additional funding sources will be pursued once drawings and cost estimates are complete.
Next steps: presenters will provide additional detail to the committee after House review; the project team anticipates pursuing capital funding and other sources (state and federal) to complete the development once planning is funded and design is finished.
