Moran Redevelopment Updates

January 26, 2010

Moran Plant Public Forums

As part of the process to identify a potential new tenant(s) for the vacancy at the Moran Redevelopment Project, the City solicited Letters of Interest and reconvened the Moran Advisory Group (MAG) to make recommendations to the Mayor on the possible new tenant(s). After several weeks of public forums (at all five NPAs and the MAG) there are now two remaining applicants: The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Burlington College.

The MAG has recommended that the City try to accommodate both the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and Burlington College into the Moran redevelopment. If the spatial requirements for all tenants including current tenants (Ice Factor and the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center) and potential tenants cannot be met, then the matter will return to the MAG for further recommendations.

The Parks, Arts and Culture Committee of the City Council will host a full public forum to continue the discussion on Tuesday, January, 26 at 6:30 pm at the Miller Center (130 Gosse Court).

January 7, 2010

The City of Burlington received four Letters of Interest from organizations interested in occupying up to 7,000 sq.ft. of ground floor space in the Moran Center at Waterfront Park redevelopment project.

Here are descriptions of what each organization proposes:

Burlington City Arts: Proposes to use 7,000 sq.ft. to create an extension of the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts with a focus on arts education. BCA would: run classes, camps and workshops in drawing, painting, photography and digital media, as well as professional development, design and merchandising; allow people to drop in and make art in short format classes; create exhibition space for education and tourism and rent space for large-scale events; and possibly manage a small store that would sell work of Vermont artists. BCA would grow their relationships with area colleges that currently use their facilities to offer classes for credit. To view Burlington City Art's Letter of Interest, click here.

Burlington College: Proposes to use between 4,000 and 7,000 sq.ft. to create a multi-use facility to serve as a community gallery and public art space for exhibits, dance workshops, etc.; an event space for lectures, conferences, and events; and classrooms (including green build and environmental retrofitting classes). BC would also move (and expand) two functions to the Moran building: the Institute for Civic Engagement, which engages citizens in discourse regarding important issues; and the Pro Se Legal Clinic, which teaches low-income and disadvantaged Vermonters to manage their own legal issues. To view Burlington College's Letter of Interest, click here.

Flynn Center for the Performing Arts: Proposes to use approximately 3,000 sq. ft. of indoor space for classes, camps, and informal performance, plus some outdoor performance area, perhaps in the fountain/plaza area. Since FCPA is considering using less than the full space previously allotted to Green Mountain Children’s Museum, they have raised the possibility of collaborating with another organization whose mission and programming would be compatible (specifically mentioning BCA and LCMM). To view the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts Letter of Interest, click here.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum: Proposes to use 7,000 sq ft. to create a new LCMM branch called the "Shipwreck Center," which will include interactive museum exhibits and theater space inside the building, focusing on the shipwrecks of Lake Champlain. The exhibits would include recovered artifacts, full-sized replica vessels and other objects that tell the story of the Lake's military, commercial and cultural history. LCMM also proposes to relocate to Moran the activities currently housed at Perkins Pier, including porting the schooner Lois McClure and the Burlington Community and Youth Rowing project. To view the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum's Letter of Interest, click here. 

January 8, 2010

Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a 100-Year Floodplain

To: All Interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals

This is to give notice that the City of Burlington Vermont (“the City”) has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order 11988 and 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management, to determine the potential affect that its activity in the floodplain and wetland will have on the human environment for the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Program under grant #B-09-BD-50-8013.

The City is planning to use a Brownfields Economic Development Initiative Grant and an associated Section 108 loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) for the Moran Center redevelopment project, located at 475 Lake Street in Burlington, Vermont. A portion of the total 4-acre Moran parcel proposed for redevelopment includes a 1.008-acre area within the 100-year floodplain, and impacts a .5-acre portion of a wetland. The impacted part of the site is to be renovated into a boat storage area for the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center. This will involve the mitigation of brownfields issues, creation of a storm water filtration system, and the installation of permanent erosion control. The entire site is comprised of fill material, dating back to the 1800’s. The wetland was created as a result of the construction of an earthen containment berm that surrounded a bulk petroleum tank. Soils within the wetland have been impacted by coal storage, petroleum, contamination, and compaction, preventing the effective filtration of storm water.

This notice with a request for comment was mailed to the regional office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

Additional information, including full copies of all reports and studies completed to date, may be obtained by contacting: Nick Warner, CEDO Special Projects Manager (802) 865-7173 or nwarner@ci.burlington.vt.us.

Written comments must be received by the City at the following address on or before Monday, January 25, 2010: Burlington CEDO, 149 Church St., Room 32 City Hall, Burlington VT 05401, Attn: Nick Warner, during the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Comments may also be submitted via email at nwarner@ci.burlington.vt.us.

December 21, 2009

Moran Plant Financing Plan

On December 14, the Moran development team presented to the City Council a financing plan for the Moran project, during a special two-hour Council work session. While the plan will continue to evolve over time, the major components are now established. Importantly, the City’s share of the Moran project is financed with no increases in property tax rates. 

The presentation of a financing plan is a major step towards realizing the goals of the Moran project: revitalizing the north end of the downtown waterfront, renovating a derelict public building that has sat vacant for 23 years, creating significant numbers of new jobs and new revenues for the City, and establishing a year-round recreational and educational attraction that will enhance quality of life as well as the economic vitality of the area.  To view the financing plan, click here.

November 23, 2009

Request for Letters of Interest

The City of Burlington is seeking Letters of Interest from for-profit and non-profit businesses interested in occupying up to 7,000 sq.ft. of ground floor space in the Moran Center at Waterfront Park redevelopment project. The project will create commercial spaces in a completely renovated building that will be leased to non-profit and for-profit businesses. The fee-based uses will be balanced with year-round public access to an observation deck overlooking the lake, public restrooms, a community room, and public park space that includes a splash area and new skate park. The deadline for submitting Letters of Interest is 2:00 PM (EST) on December 18, 2009. To view the Request for Letters of Interest, click here.

November 5, 2009

Mayor Kiss: City Confident About Success of Moran Project, but Disappointed by GMCM Decision to Leave the Partnership

The Green Mountain Children’s Museum (GMCM) informed the City of Burlington that it is withdrawing as a partner from the process of redeveloping the Moran Plant. Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss issued the following statement about GMCM’s decision:

“While we are disappointed that the Children’s Museum has decided it can no longer participate in the redevelopment of Moran, we appreciate all their hard work and the cooperative relationship that we enjoyed with them throughout our mutual efforts on this Project. I firmly support the GMCM mission of establishing Vermont’s first children’s museum, whether at Moran or elsewhere. We are on good terms and I wish them success in ultimately making their vision a reality somewhere in Burlington.

Moran continues to be an exciting project that will revitalize the Waterfront, foster local economic development, and bring significant community benefits to the residents of Burlington. The Moran Project has progressed to a stage which will very soon require formal commitments from the City and the tenants through the execution of final development agreements. It is clear that the economy is causing all of the partners to sharpen their pencils as this Project moves forward. This is the responsible thing for each party to do. I respect GMCM’s decision that the project no longer meets their long term goals.

From the City’s perspective, major steps accomplished in the past few months provide more confidence than ever before that the Moran Project is financially viable. Over the last several months the City has secured or identified funding from a variety of sources that do not impact local taxpayers which will allow the City to meet its commitments to redeveloping Moran. GMCM leaving the project will not impact these funding solutions. The City is enthusiastic about its partnerships with the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center and Ice Factor. As soon as possible the City will issue a Request For Proposals for a third tenant to replace GMCM.

CEDO is already scheduled to meet with the Board of Finance on November 16 to discuss the City’s financing plans. As always, the administration will work closely with the Burlington City Council , the Board of Finance and the Parks, Arts and Culture Committee in order to move the Moran Project forward.”

David G. White of White + Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors, who is working with the City’s Community and Economic Development Office to assist in developing the project, is also optimistic about the project’s future. 

“I have worked closely with all the tenants and the City on the details of this project. While it is disappointing that GMCM has decided it can no longer participate, this in no way affects the viability of the project. Real estate development is intrinsically complex and there are always bumps in the road. This project is no different. The space GMCM would have used is wonderfully attractive and will be appealing to other potential users. I’m confident we will find a suitable replacement tenant. The importance of the City’s ability to fulfill its share of project financing represents a level of progress that cannot be overstated. This is a viable project that has a substantial basis for moving forward.”

You can read the press release issued by the Green Mountain Children's Museum here (pdf).

October 1, 2009

To view this update in a printable PDF format, click here.  For the printable version, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you do not have a current copy of this free software, you can download it now.

New Building & Site Designs Released - Revised Cost Estimates Come in Just Below Original Figures

In October 2008, the acclaimed architecture firm Freeman French Freeman (FFF) was hired in a competitive process to provide architectural and engineering services for the Moran project. Earlier this summer FFF finished the first phase of that work—schematic design.

Working closely with the City and project tenants, FFF has unveiled innovative revised designs for the building and the site. The new design makes maximum use of the available space, retains the character of the building, and adds attractive details to the structure. Similarly, the new site design balances the programming needs of the City and tenants, engineering constraints associated with the filled lands, environmental conditions, stormwater requirements, etc.
		Aerial View Looking Northwest

		The site design features a relocated and expanded skate park, a winter ice skating rink that will double as a summertime splash/spray area, an outdoor terrace for the Children’s Museum, a boat storage yard for the Sailing Center, and many pedestrian friendly amenities including a promenade along the waterfront.
Aerial View Detail Looking Northwest

One of the goals of the schematic phase was to incorporate “green” elements in the design of both the building and site. Earlier in the year, Moran was selected as one of just sixteen projects in the country for an EPA Sustainability Pilot Award, which funded a national consulting firm to come to Burlington and work with the City and FFF to assess the feasibility of incorporating energy and resource efficient design and operation. Innovative stormwater treatments, a green roof, on-site renewable energy production, using deep lake water for cooling, and pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification are among the many sustainable design elements being considered.

With the schematic phase complete, the City Council approved extending FFF’s contract in July to include the next phase of architectural services: “design development.” This phase will further refine the designs, provide information necessary for permitting, and bring the project to the point of preparing construction documents.

		FFF’s design and development work will include preparing a full set of drawings and specifications that will flush out all technical, code, and systems challenges for the building and site. It will also include three dimensional renderings, energy modeling, geotechnical testing, and further development of the LEED certification process.
Aerial View Looking Southeast

City Secures $3 Million Federal Financing Package - $1 Million Grant Will be Paired with $2 Million Loan

In August the City learned that the Moran project will receive a $1 million grant through the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI), one of just seven projects chosen nationally under this highly competitive US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program.

BEDI grants promote the redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites with environmental contamination (see update on page 3 regarding the clean-up). However, BEDI funds are not limited to paying for environmental clean-up; they can be used for the general costs of redeveloping “brownfields” such as Moran.

BEDI grant funds must be used in conjunction with a “Section 108” loan, which is a financing tool for cities to invest in economic development projects. In August, HUD also gave preliminary approval for a $2 million federally guaranteed Section 108 loan. Together, the BEDI grant and the Section 108 loan are a significant portion of the City’s share of the Moran project.

The City Council approved submitting the Section 108 loan application with the expectation that revenues from the City’s tax increment financing (TIF) district would cover the debt payments. Burlington has had a waterfront TIF district since 1996, but its authority to finance new public projects expired in 2006. This past May, Burlington successfully lobbied the General Assembly to include a provision in the Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act allowing the City to finance new projects for five years beginning January 2010. In September, the legislative Joint Fiscal Committee gave final approval to the City’s plan, reestablishing an important economic development tool and putting in place a vital piece of the $3 million HUD package.

Tax Increment Financing

TIF is not new to Burlington. It simply directs new tax revenues from new development within the TIF district to pay for public projects. When the debt is paid off, the taxes go to the City’s general fund and to the state education fund.

Burlington has utilized TIF to help finance six public projects, including rebuilding Lake Street, acquiring the Urban Reserve, and building the Lakeview parking garage and the public fishing pier. These public projects have leveraged tens of millions of dollars of private investment (which creates the new tax revenues to pay off the debt), including affordable and market rate housing, the Lake & College development, Filene’s (Macy’s), the rehabilitation of the Burlington Town Center mall, and construction of the Marriott Hotel.

Meanwhile, developer David G. White (see article, page 4) and CEDO staff are exploring additional funding sources for the Moran project, including state and federal grants and New Markets Tax Credits, which is a federal tax incentive to attract private investment in economic development projects in eligible areas.

Waterfront North Project Update

Closely associated with the Moran project, “Waterfront North” is part of the ongoing effort to put in place public infrastructure to reclaim Burlington’s formerly industrial waterfront in a manner that both enhances public access to the Lake Champlain shoreline and drives the regional economy.

Phase I of the Waterfront North project will realign and extend the end of Lake Street, which degrades into a dirt road before the Moran property. Parking will be consolidated and expanded in an existing surface lot, with additional on-street parking created along Lake Street (previous plans for a parking garage have been dropped). A portion of the bike path will also be realigned and widened, to minimize bike-vehicular-pedestrian conflicts. Innovative on-site stormwater treatments will be used to protect Lake Champlain water quality.

Future phases of Waterfront North will include improvements to Depot Street and construction of pedestrian stairs on the slope between Battery and Lake Streets.

The planning and design of Waterfront North have been funded through an appropriation earmark secured by Senator Patrick Leahy. Additional funding applications are pending with the US Department of Transportation, Vermont Agency of Transportation, and US Economic Development Administration.

More information is available at: www.cedoburlington.org/.

First Phase of Environmental Remediation Complete - City Secures State and Federal Grants to Stabilize and Clean Up Interior of Building

Although Burlington Electric Department did an excellent job decommissioning the coal-fired Moran electric generating plant in 1986, some environmental contamination remains in and around the building. One of the benefits of the Moran redevelopment is that it will result in the comprehensive clean-up of the site, and the property will be put back into productive use for the citizens of Burlington.

Dating back several years—and utilizing almost $65,000 of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant money—the City has extensively documented the nature of the contamination (full reports are available at www.cedoburlington.org/waterfront/moran_plant/site_data). Thankfully, all assessments to date have ruled out PCB contamination.

Last year, CEDO secured $105,000 from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission for additional assessment and stabilization activities, including the construction this past winter of underwater dams in the intake and outflow sluiceways, to permanently separate the building from Lake Champlain. The CCRPC funds also paid for creating a “corrective action plan” and cost estimate for cleaning up the site.

Based on that plan, this past April the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) awarded the Moran project a $100,000 grant to begin cleaning up the inside of the building. That work—which was completed just last week—included removing the remaining asbestos from the building, stabilizing lead-based paint, removing more than seven tons of pigeon guano, and pumping residual water from the basement. This brings the building interior to the point where construction can begin.

Exterior clean-up, which will mostly involve removing or capping shallow soil contaminants, will be dealt with during redevelopment of the site. In the meantime, the City continues to work cooperatively with the EPA and Vermont DEC to monitor the property to protect public heath and safety.

Development Consultant Hired

This past March CEDO issued a Request for Qualifications to provide development services for the Moran project. From the proposals received, CEDO selected White+ Burke Real Estate Investment Advisors (www.whiteandburke.com).

White+Burke principal David White brings 30 years’ experience with complex projects and public-private partnerships. Of note, David was Vice-President of Pomerleau Real Estate, Director of the Montpelier Community Development Agency, and coordinated the permit process for the redevelopment of Fletcher Allen’s main campus.

White+Burke will help CEDO evaluate financing strategies, particularly regarding the City’s share of the project. W+B will also prepare development and operating budgets and help negotiate cost allocation and other issues with the tenants.

David White and his staff have already become indispensable members of the development team and are helping move the Moran project from concept to reality.

Negotiations Continue with Tenants

Since the March 2008 advisory referendum, CEDO has continued to meet regularly with the three tenants who will occupy the renovated Moran building—Green Mountain Children’s Museum, Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, and Ice Factor.

Last October, the City signed pre-development Memoranda of Understanding with each of the tenants – agreements which begin to outline the respective roles and responsibilities of each organization in the development process. Now that there are revised designs and refined cost estimates, the City has begun to negotiate details such as allocation of costs, lease terms, etc. This work will lead to development agreements with each of the tenants.

The structure of the project has not changed: the Children’s Museum will be a community resource for children and their caregivers – geared to children under eight years of age, it will be a safe and welcoming environment where children can learn through hands-on exploration, creativity and play. The Community Sailing Center—which provides educational and recreational access to Lake Champlain regardless of age, ability or income— will expand into a year-round operation, with capacity to serve twice the number of users. Ice Factor will build a family adventure center featuring ice and rock climbing, a café, restaurant, and outdoor seasonal ice skating. The Parks and Recreation Department will operate a summer splash area, a newly expanded skateboard park, and a public observation deck on the fourth floor of the building.

A Message From the Mayor

In October 2007, the City released a proposal to redevelop the former J.E. Moran electric generating station on Burlington’s waterfront. Developed with extensive public participation, the proposal calls for the site’s redevelopment as a four-season, multi-use community facility which will be leased to two nonprofits—Green Mountain Children’s Museum and Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center—and the family adventure center, Ice Factor. In March 2008 the proposal was put before the voters in an advisory referendum; with more than 65% voting in favor. This update describes some of the significant progress made since the referendum. The project continues to be a unique opportunity to revitalize and anchor the north end of the waterfront, create new educational and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, generate new revenues and create new jobs, and enhance year-round activity on the waterfront. I invite you to learn more about the project by visiting the Community and Economic Development Office at City Hall (third floor), calling 865-7144, or visiting www.cedoburlington.org.

Bob Kiss, Mayor

August 21, 2009

Burlington Awarded Major Economic Development Grant for Moran Project

Redevelopment Project Receives $3 Million in Financing Through Highly Competitive Federal Program

Burlington, VT - August 20, 2009. The City of Burlington announced today that it has been awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the redevelopment of the decommissioned Moran Plant on Burlington’s Waterfront. The highly competitive grant is one of a handful of awards through HUD’s Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) program - which, for the 2009 application process, offered a total of $20 million in grant funding for applicants competing from all over the country. The BEDI grant was awarded in conjunction with HUD approval of the City’s application for a HUD Section 108 guaranteed loan for $2 million, resulting in a total of $3 million in financial support for the Moran Project.

BEDI grants promote economic and community development through the redevelopment of abandoned industrial and commercial facilities where potential environmental contamination poses a challenge to redevelopment. In particular, the BEDI program emphasizes the redevelopment of brownfields sites and the creation of economic opportunities for low-and moderate-income people, the creation or retention of businesses and jobs, and enhancement of the local tax base.

BEDI grants must be accompanied by a HUD Section 108 guaranteed loan application as a match for the grant funding. Section 108 is a Federally-backed financing tool for public investments in local economic development, housing rehabilitation, and public facilities. The Burlington City Council, which authorized the Section 108 loan and BEDI grant applications, must also authorize acceptance of the grant funding and execution of the Section 108 financing.

Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss stressed the significance of the Moran project and the grant award. “The Moran project has great economic and community development potential for the City and residents, and is important to our efforts to enhance and revitalize the Waterfront and downtown,” said Mayor Kiss. “The redevelopment of Moran received wide public support on Town Meeting Day in 2008, and we’re very pleased that HUD also recognizes its merits. The BEDI grant award is a major step forward for the project.”

The Moran Plant was decommissioned and transferred from the Burlington Electric Department to the City of Burlington in 1986. The building and site lie on the north end of Burlington’s Waterfront, yards away from the shores of Lake Champlain. The site has long been viewed as having tremendous economic and community development potential.

The Moran Redevelopment Project is a public-private partnership to redevelop the blighted industrial property, create new public park space, provide educational and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The City has signed predevelopment agreements for the project with three tenants: the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, the Green Mountain Children’s Museum, and Ice Factor, a family adventure center with rock and ice climbing, outdoor seasonal ice skating rink, café and restaurant.

On Town Meeting Day, March 4, 2008, Burlington voters were asked in an advisory question whether the City should move forward with the Moran Redevelopment Project. Sixty-five percent of Burlington voters were in favor of moving forward with the plan. Since then, the project has moved forward on several fronts, including a base structural assessment of the building, environmental review and clean-up, construction of sluiceway dams to permanently separate the building from the lake and pump residual water out of the basement, the initial phase of architectural and engineering work, planning work for the closely related Waterfront Access North Project, along with the predevelopment agreements signed with the three tenants. In April, the project received a $100,000 grant from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for environmental remediation.

April 16, 2009

Moran Project Receives $100,000 Grant from the State of Vermont for Environmental Remediation

Burlington, VT - April 9, 2009. Governor Jim Douglas announced today that the Moran project on Burlington’s waterfront will receive a $100,000 grant to begin the process of cleaning-up environmental contamination at the site. Mayor Bob Kiss said that the grant, which was awarded by the Brownfield Reuse Program at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is an important step towards the redevelopment of the former coal-fired electric generating plant.

“The environmental clean-up of Moran is one of the benefits of the Moran redevelopment project,” Kiss said. “Over the past few years the City has done considerable work to understand the environmental conditions at the Moran site, and we are excited to have the resources to begin cleaning it up. This is an important step towards putting this valuable public asset on the shores of Lake Champlain back into productive use.”

In the official announcement of the grant award, Governor Douglas also stressed the significance of brownfields redevelopment: “Redevelopment of brownfields properties stimulates local economy by getting unproductive properties back on the tax rolls, strengthening downtowns and creating jobs."

The DEC grant will pay for the removal of debris and sediments inside the former electric generating station that was constructed by the Burlington Electric Department in 1953, and decommissioned in 1986. Earlier this year, a separate brownfields grant secured through the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission paid to permanently close the “sluiceways” that used to bring lake water into and out of the Moran building as part of the electric generating process.

Concurrent with this work, the internationally recognized architecture firm of Freeman French Freeman is well into the process of refining the design of the “Moran Center at Waterfront Park” project. This public-private partnership will redevelop the blighted industrial property, create new public park space, provide educational and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and have a significant impact on the regional economy. The City has signed predevelopment agreements with three tenants: the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, the Green Mountain Children’s Museum, and Ice Factor, a family adventure center with rock and ice climbing, outdoor seasonal ice skating rink, café and restaurant.

City Council Approves Additional Funds for Site Design

At their March 30th meeting, the Burlington City Council approved $46,000 in additional funds to design, engineer and estimate the costs of improvements to the site around the Moran Center. The previous contract with the architecture firm of Freeman, French and Freeman only covered the building itself. The additional scope of work will now cover the entire site, which is necessary to complete the process of refining the project design.

February 12, 2009

Recent progress on the Moran project includes:

Design team begins work: The acclaimed architecture firm of Freeman, French, Freeman was selected in an open competitive process for the first phase of architectural and engineering work at Moran. FFF is working closely with the City and the project partners to produce schematic drawings and more detailed and reliable construction cost estimates for the building, which should be complete by the end of March.   Moran Users Group continues to meet: CEDO, Green Mountain Children’s Museum, Lake Champlain Sailing Center, Ice Factor, and the Department of Parks and Recreation, have continued to meet to refine respective programming needs. The partners have also each met individually with the design team led by Freeman, French, Freeman, and there have been several group meetings with the team as well.	Contractors and City Staff review underwater images of the sluiceways
Assistance received from Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission: A successful application to CCRPC’s Brownfield’s Initiative has resulted in over $100,000 worth of services for the Moran project. The work (described below) has been performed or overseen by the consulting firms of KAS Consulting and Waite Environmental Management (WEM).   Sluiceways dams constructed: The Moran building was built with intake and outflow sluiceways to utilize lake water to cool the former power plant. When the plant was decommissioned, the sluiceway gates were left open and the sump pumps removed, allowing water from Lake Champlain to flow freely into and out of the basement. The general contracting firm of Engineers Construction Inc. has completed construction of underwater dams to close-off the sluiceways and permanently separate the building from the lake. This will allow us to pump out the residual water in the spring and remove debris from the building. Paid for under the CCRPC grant.	Mini sub or ROV documents underwater images of sluiceways prior to closure.
Additional environmental assessment, monitoring and stabilization:  Utilizing resources from Burlington’s EPA brownfields grant, and more recently, CCRPC, work has continued in coordination with VT DEC to better understand the environmental conditions in and around the Moran building. This has included testing the lake water outside the building, ongoing groundwater monitoring, testing of water and sediments in the basement, etc.   Waterfront Access North moves forward: CEDO has coordinated closely with the Waterfront Access North project, which will result in nearly a million dollars of transportation infrastructure improvements in the general area of the Moran project for improvements to lower Lake Street. A draft scoping study (pdf) is complete and under review by staff; recommendations for a preferred design have been prepared for the Waterfront Marketplace Downtown advisory group.	Engineers Construction Inc. pumping concrete into Moran to create the new sluiceway dams that separate the building from the lake.
Resources sought for environmental clean-up:   A revised scope of work and clean-up budget estimate have been developed for environmental remediation of the site, and a corrective action plan is being prepared for DEC review and approval (paid for the CCRPC grant). CEDO has submitted an application to DEC to pay for the clean-up the interior of the building, and is exploring other funding possibilities, including HUD’s Brownfields Economic Development Initiative, EPA Clean-up grants, and others.   Survey completed:   A property boundary survey and detailed topographic survey (including right-of-ways, contours, utilities, etc.) of the Moran plant parcel and the surrounding area has just been completed by Lamoureux & Dickinson Consulting Engineers. Paid for under the CCRPC grant.   Full Structural Base Report:  The structural engineering assessment of the existing base level is available in pdf format.

October 28, 2008

Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss and representatives of Ice Factor, the Community Sailing Center and the Green Mountain Children’s Museum publicly sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for the Moran Redevelopment Project.

October 22, 2008

• MOU's and First Phase Funding Approved:  At its October 20 meeting, the City Council unanimously approved two significant aspects of the project. Finalized Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were approved for each of the project partners - the Lake Champlain Sailing Center, Green Mountain Children’s Museum, and Ice Factor, Inc. And, $164,533 in funding was appropriated for a first phase of architectural and engineering work which will give the City and project partners more detailed and reliable cost estimates for the plan. These cost estimates are anticipated within 3 to 4 months, during which time the City and its partners will work on detailed development agreements to implement the project. Like the MOUs, the development agreements are subject to City Council approval.

September 5, 2008

• Moran Receives EPA Grant:  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the Moran Center as one of just 16 projects nationally for a Brownfields Sustainability Pilot program award. This new EPA effort provides communities with technical assistance to help achieve greener assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of so-called “brownfields” sites, where redevelopment is complicated by the presence of environmental contamination due to the sites’ industrial past. The technical assistance will be used to assess the feasibility of implementing the "green building" aspects of the Moran project, including the potential for on-site renewable energy production, energy and water conservation, innovative stormwater treatment techniques, and ecological enhancements at the site. The complete EPA press release is available here. 
   
• Structural Analysis of Moran Building:  Engineering Ventures, a structural engineering firm hired by the City to assess the structural integrity of the Moran building, has found "the condition of the reinforced concrete material of the building’s base structure is essentially at or near its so-called original, as-built design capacity and use." These findings clear up any questions regarding the building’s structural capacity for redevelopment. A copy of the preliminary findings is available here.  A full report will be available soon from CEDO.
   
• Pre-Development Agreement with Children’s Museum:  Following on the Burlington City Council’s approval last month of a predevelopment “Memorandum of Understanding” (MOU) between the City and the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, a similar MOU between the Green Mountain Children’s Museum and the City will be presented to the Board of Finance on Monday, September 8, in Conference Room 12, City Hall.

• Electric Sub-station and Transmission Lines to be Moved:  The September 9th primary day ballot item regarding the East Avenue Loop transmission upgrade project includes components that will indirectly benefit the Moran project as well as the waterfront in general. Specifically, the Burlington Electric Department substation currently located on Lake Street in front of the old Moran Plant will be relocated to the McNeil Plant, and above ground BED electric distribution lines will be removed or under-grounded. The new underlying transmission system will allow Green Mountain Power (GMP) to remove its waterfront lines in the next phase of this project. The cost of the BED project will be covered by the bond that the voters overwhelmingly passed in March 2008.

August 11, 2008

Community Sailing Center (CSC)

As we move forward to renovate the Moran Building itself, the Community Sailing Center (CSC) moved out of the building and into an adjacent location. This move required an amendment of the CSC’s lease with the City. On June 9 the City Council approved the lease amendment.

The only change to the lease is the particular area leased to the CSC. The storage yard has been reconfigured to provide a secure staging area and access to the building for City contractors. The office and classroom space has been moved into an unused shed and garage bay at the water department. The CSC will supplement the classroom space with a trailer or tent to be located next to the shed.

The CSC has seen a threefold increase in their programs since the March 4 vote. The CSC held a successful fundraiser on July 3rd in conjunction with the fireworks to raise additional funds for their scholarship programs. Additionally, at the end of June the CSC successfully re-floated their expanded and improved atlas dock system.

• Development Agreements:  CEDO has been meeting with the prospective tenants to develop Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that will guide us through the preliminary development process. The MOUs generally lay out the concepts as presented in the “Guide to the Redevelopment of the Moran Plant.” The MOU’s provide the initial framework for the final development agreements. The MOU’s with the Green Mountain Children’s Museum (GMCM) and CSC will come to the City Council as soon as possible to facilitate the progression of their capital campaigns. The City is currently negotiating with Ice Factor. The Parks, Arts and Culture Committee (PACC) and Community Development Committee (CDC) provided feedback, and the Finance Board and City Council will authorize the execution of both the MOUs and the future Development Agreements.
   

• Consulting Services: 

• Environmental Remediation:  The City is conducting additional environmental testing to aid in the development of interim interior clean-up plan and dewatering plan for basement. This is funded through the City’s existing EPA Brownfield program.

• Site Survey:  The City will soon contract with surveyor to clarify boundaries and right-of-way along with providing base information needed for redevelopment.

• Foundation Investigation and Report:  CEDO solicited Engineering Ventures to develop a proposal for testing the foundation at Moran and certifying the structure. They have provided the City with a proposal to  conduct an investigation of the foundation using inspection, concrete cores and testing to provide a report. The City executed a contract with Engineering Ventures to conduct the structural analysis. The core sampling took place on July 8, and we hope to have the results of laboratory tests on those samples in mid- August.

				Taking the core samples on July 8 (left)
				First concrete core sample (above)

Equinox Sculpture Repurposing Process:  The granite blocks currently located north of the Moran Plant cannot be accommodated in their current location as part of the Moran Center proposal. CEDO has begun discussions with Burlington City Arts and Parks Department to outline a process for this issue.

• Technical Corrections:  Zoning:  In the Zoning rewrite process, the boundary lines for the Urban Reserve and Downtown Waterfront – Public Trust districts were incorrectly shown on the zoning maps. The new zoning map incorrectly drew the boundary along an existing parcel line and not as intended on the boundary of the Interim Development Area. This is a technical correction that the Planning Commission has already taken action to correct along with some other minor technical corrections by holding a public hearing on June 10, 2008. The City Council will hold a public hearing on this item.

• Transportation & Infrastructure: Waterfront Access North Transportation Improvement Project:  The project is a "scoping" project, which means it is setting out to develop alternatives for addressing transportation issues, problems, and opportunities within the project area. See map at: http://www.cedoburlington.org/waterfront/Waterfront_North-Issues_Map%20070308.pdf. The City held two local concerns meetings on July 10, 2008 at Burlington College.  CEDO and DPW are working with Resource Systems Group on the Waterfront Access North Transportation Improvement Project. This is the second phase of a larger waterfront design project, the first phase of which is located proximate to lower College Street.

March 11, 2008:  City and Moran Redevelopment Partners Move Forward on Plans After Strong Public Support Demonstrated for Project

The City of Burlington and its partners have started work on the Moran Plant redevelopment project approved by voters by a wide margin on Town Meeting Day. Earlier this week, City staff from the Community and Economic Development Office and Parks and Recreation Department and Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss met with the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, Green Mountain Children’s Museum, and Ice Factor, the three tenants for the project

On March 4, 2008, as outlined in an advisory question, Burlington voters were asked whether they wanted to move forward with the proposal - and, 65 percent voted in favor. The plan was developed after an extensive public process to solicit feedback and comment from residents, including a Town Meeting Day poll in 2006, numerous open houses and public informational meetings, presentations to all five of the Ward NPAs, and the establishment of a citizen-driven Moran Advisory Group.

Mayor Kiss expressed his appreciation for the public’s support and the importance of moving forward from this point: “I’m pleased that there is such clear support for redeveloping Moran in a way that will bring substantial community and economic benefits to Burlington and the region. I especially appreciate the hard work that went into the proposal by, among others, the proposed tenants, City staff, the City Council, and Burlington residents. Our task now is to begin the work on the details that will make this project a reality.”

With a public vote now in favor of the plan, the City and its partners have started taking the next steps towards achieving the development project. This includes legal agreements between the City and partners, additional architectural and engineering services, addressing City financing and fundraising campaigns by the Community Sailing Center and Green Mountain Children’s Museum.

Elements of the finalized project, such as the development and lease agreements, will require approval by the City’s Board of Finance and the City Council. The project will also need to go through an extensive permitting process administered by the City’s Planning and Zoning department.