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Population
The City of Burlington: 39,127. Surrounding Chittenden
County: 146,571.
Climate
Burlington enjoys the variety of four distinct seasons. Lake Champlain
moderates temperatures so that extended periods of unusually high or low
temperatures are uncommon. Average high temperatures: Winter 28°F,
Spring 52°F, Summer 80°F, Fall 56°F.
Retail
The downtown area is home to more than 100 retail stores located on or near
the Church Street Marketplace
as well as inside the newly renovated Burlington Town Center. In addition
to local specialty shops, national retailers such as Filene's, Old
Navy, Laura Ashley, Ann Taylor, The Gap and Gap Kids,
Borders Bookstore, The Discovery Channel Store, Banana Republic,
Waldenbooks, The Limited, Bath & Body Works, Pier 1,
Abercrombie & Fitch, William Sonoma and Victoria's Secret
have chosen to locate in Burlington.
Industry
The greater Burlington area is Vermont's major economic center.
Employers include IBM, Fletcher Allen Health Care, University
of Vermont, Vermont Teddy Bear, General Dynamics Armament Systems,
IDX Systems, Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Burton Snowboards,
Blodgett Corporation and Brueggers Bagels. The area also
supports many small manufacturing and service companies.
Waterfront
Burlington's unique waterfront, with its
spectacular views of Lake Champlain and the 72 peaks of the Adirondack
Mountains, is experiencing an exciting revitalization. The Waterfront
offers the Community Boathouse and Waterfront Park, Perkins Pier Marina, Lake
Champlain Basin Science Center, Promenade, Bike Path, Coast Guard Station,
Fishing Pier, restaurants and cafes. A new $14 million mixed use
redevelopment project will incorporate an inn, black box theater, movie theater,
retail and office space.
Banking
Burlington is a financial center for the State of Vermont. Four banks
are headquartered in the Queen City, including two of the state's largest -
Chittenden Bank and Banknorth Group. In addition, the main offices of
KeyBank of Vermont and Charter One are located in Burlington. Branch
facilities for the Citizens Bank and Merchants Bank are located within 350 feet
of the Church Street Marketplace. Together, these banks employ over 1,000
people with most in mid- or upper-management positions.
Education
The University of Vermont (UVM) and three
colleges (Burlington, Champlain
and Community College of Vermont) bring
14,245 students to town. St. Michael's
College, in neighboring Colchester, educates another 2,628 students.
Together, these institutions employ 4,273 full and part-time lecturers and
professors. Two, UVM and Champlain, offer degrees in the retail
field. UVM's prestigious School of Business regularly places students in
area businesses for class projects and internships, and the higher education
community is active in economic development issues.
The prestigious New England Culinary
Institute (NECI) operates a student-run restaurant on Church Street and
offers bachelor's degrees in a variety of culinary arts.
Government
The City, County, State and Federal Governments provide the downtown area
with than 1,600 well-paying jobs.
Medicine
Fletcher Allen Health Care and the Medical
School of the University of Vermont are located within easy walking distance
to downtown. The medical complex employs 4,600 people, most of whom are
professionals or para-professionals. A $177 million expansion is currently
underway.
Legal
County, State and Federal courts are all located in downtown
Burlington. To service the courts, more than fifty law firms and dozens of
small practitioners fill downtown offices, employing approximately 550
attorneys, in addition to paralegals and legal assistants.
Transportation
Downtown Burlington is easily accessible by a variety of modes. Drivers
will find over 4,000 parking spaces, including 1,100 metered spaces and clean,
well-lit, handicapped-accessible spaces. In City garages and lots and the
Burlington Town Center garage, the first two hours are free. The City
provides a park and ride lot and, in partnership with the Chittenden
County Transportation Authority (CCTA), shuttle service which offers
affordable parking for downtown workers. Recent improvements provide
upgraded facilities to accommodate pedestrians in our downtown. Downtown
Burlington is the hub of the CCTA, with fixed route bus service providing access
to Burlington from around the region. City bicycle programming provides
miles of dedicated paths on on-street routes, often making bicycling a viable
transportation alternative.
Passenger rail is available with
daily service between Charlotte, Vermont and downtown, where the College Street
Shuttle offers free connections to the Church Street Marketplace, the University
of Vermont, Fletcher Allen Health Care and additional medical and academic
institutions.
The Lake Champlain Transportation
Company, the oldest ferry company in the U.S., operates three ferries which
transport passengers and commuters across the lake between New York State and
Burlington. One leaves directly from Perkins Pier in Burlington, while the
other two, including one which runs through the winter months, depart from docks
within a 30-minute drive of the City.
Access to Markets
Burlington International
Airport, with 130 flights per day, is within ten minutes of downtown.
A recent expansion, adding six new gates, has increased the airport's level of
service. Direct flights are available to and from Boston, New York City's
LaGuardia, and Newark Airports, Albany, Poughkeepsie, White Plains, Pittsburgh,
Chicago, Washington D.C., Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Jet Blue
Airways' hub at JFK Airport offers low-cost service to New York City. The
airport handles over 860,000 passengers per year. In addition, Montreal's
Mirabel and Dorval Airports are less than a 2-hour drive from Burlington.
An interstate highway system links Burlington with major markets in Boston,
Montreal and Albany. In all, 80 million consumers are located within 500
miles of the city.
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