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BRATTLEBORO -- Ever since the town found out that the Archery Building could not be knocked down, due to its historic designation, groups all over Brattleboro have been offer suggestions for its future use.
The building sits in the middle of the town's redevelopment of the new bus turnaround and green space across from Union Station and the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.
And with no money in the budget to renovate the historic structure, the town is looking for ideas, and capital, to bring the building back to life.
The town is going to develop and implement a request for proposal for redevelopment of the Archery Building.
The Selectboard members talked about the concept at their meeting Tuesday night.
Under terms of a draft proposal Town Manager Barbara Sondag released at the meeting, any group or individual could give the Selectboard ideas on what should be done with the approximately 5,000-square-foot building, which has been used for railyard storage, meatpacking, a beer and wine warehouse and an archery shop since it was first built in 1849.
The developers will pay for all renovation and maintenance, and will enter into a long term lease with the town.
After trying to redevelop the green space on the Connecticut River for more than 20 years, the town expects to have the project completed some time this summer.
The town was originally going to accept proposals until Aug. 8, but the board decided
The town was also going to schedule a single site visit on July 10, but will open the building up at least two times before closing the proposal process.
Sondag said updated information will appear on the town's website and anyone with an interest in the project should watch the website for more information.All proposals will be considered by an ad hoc committee that will make sure all of the necessary criteria are met and rank the concepts.
Sondag said updated information will appear on the town's website and anyone with an interest in the project should watch the website for more information.All proposals will be considered by an ad hoc committee that will make sure all of the necessary criteria are met and rank the concepts.
The committee will then pass the proposals on to the Selectboard members, who will decide on the winning proposal.
At the Selectboard meeting Tuesday, Selectboard member Dora Bouboulis argued for a more public process on coming up with ideas for the building.
Bouboulis wanted to invite the public in to list their suggestions for the site.
The other members, however, said it was the developers who would be coming up with the funding and sweat equity.
Selectboard Chairman Dick DeGray said it did not make sense to solicit ideas from the public, and then possibly not be able to entertain the suggestions if there were not investors willing to back the ideas up.
According to the draft proposal, the board will be looking at estimated project costs as well as a financial plan for funding and sustaining the proposed business.
The Archery Building has been reviewed by an engineer, and includes historic elements such as a stone foundation, exterior walls and windows, and a slate roof which have to be preserved.
The building has town sewer and water service.
For updated information on the Archery Building project go to www.brattleboro.org.
Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at hwtisman@reformer .com, or 802-254-2311 ext. 279.
