Rutland has reached the final and most critical step in transforming a long-vacant corner of our downtown into a vibrant and welcoming space for residents and visitors alike. With state-level approvals in place and private investment ready to move forward, all that is left is for voters to approve the $3.9M bond on October 7th.
But what happens if, as a City, we decide to forego the bond? The short answer: long-planned redevelopment of the “pit” will be put on hold, and with it, many improvements designed to benefit all who live, work, and visit Rutland. The City is at a turning point in its history, and big plans are taking shape. Here are a few examples of what Rutland stands to gain by passing the bond on October 7th.
We’ll have our hotel back.
In a return to what once occupied the “pit”, the City of Rutland is poised to have a beautiful new hotel, as well as several units of permanent housing on a lot that, nearly a half century ago, was home to the Berwick Hotel. While a private developer will take care of the site remediation, the City will address the infrastructure improvements in the rights-of-way that will be necessary for the hotel to be built.
You’ll see street-level improvements.
The bond will support improvements that will make downtown safer, more welcoming, and more accessible. In addition to curb bump-outs that aid in traffic calming and provide more usable pedestrian and customer space, improved sidewalks will make our downtown core more handicap accessible. Lighting enhancements and new landscaping will complement the architectural beauty of the city, drawing in visitors.
Our city will be more resilient.
Most of what the bond will fund will be buried beneath our feet. As heavy rainstorms and flash flooding become more frequent, it’s essential that we modernize the systems that can no longer keep up. These upgrades will help improve the handling of stormwater, as well as minimize the impact to our wastewater systems, which occasionally overflow into Otter Creek. These water system upgrades will also enhance our capacity to support fire safety.
We’ll have a thriving economy.
Residents will benefit from a downtown that is humming with new development and more activity. When downtown businesses thrive, that means there are more tax dollars available to offset the burden on property taxes. The bond vote on October 7th is the first step in approving economic growth in Rutland.
Small investment. Big impact.
We mentioned these numbers last week, but it’s worth repeating. The TIF district, over the course of its 20-year lifespan, aims to achieve:
- 385 units of housing over 7 years
- $16.9M in infrastructure investment over 6 years
- $63.4M in increased property value over 7 years
- $3M additional tax revenue to the General Fund over 20 years
- $5.6M additional tax revenue to the state Education Fund over 20 years
So what happens next?
In a previous article in this series, we positioned this time as Rutland’s moment. On October 7th, the City has the opportunity to choose to address crumbling infrastructure, to bring back the hotel, and invest in a future that is vibrant, rooted in community, and ready to thrive.
