Carla Occaso and Phil Dodd
Affordable Housing Coming to Northfield Street
Trees were cut down April 7 at a two-acre site on Northfield Street where developer Jacob Walker plans to build up to 28 affordable apartments, funded primarily by a state disaster recovery flood grant of $4 million. Walker said he still needs to complete the design, get permits, and line up contractors, but his goal is to have the apartments built and occupied within 12 to 18 months. The apartments will be available to households with incomes of 80% or less of average median income for the area. Two other apartment projects are in the works in Montpelier: a conversion by Downstreet of an office building on Heaton Street to apartments (also funded by a state grant) and the creation of 15 apartments above the old Walgreen’s by Lucky Boardman (aided by city-granted tax stabilization).
New City Hall Elevator to be Installed
A new elevator to replace the flood-damaged one in Montpelier’s City Hall will soon be installed. During the city council meeting of April 8, City Manager Kelly McNicholas Kury said the work is scheduled to be done by the end of April.
KFC Closes Permanently
KFC, the restaurant formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has permanently closed. The reason is a dearth of customers, according to a news report by WCAX-TV. Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Col. Harland Sanders himself visited Barre in July 1970 to celebrate the restaurant’s grand opening on the Barre-Montpelier Road, according to a post by Gloria Ormsby on the Favorite Barre Vermont Memories Facebook account.
