The 143 North Main Street Initiative
The heart of Barre is transforming, and we’re calling on the community to join us in an exciting new chapter. The 143 Main Street Initiative is a bold effort to breathe new life into a long-neglected property, turning it into a vibrant centerpiece of our downtown renaissance. Barre Area Development, Inc. (BADC) is leading this charge, fueled by the progress we’ve achieved together and the vision of what’s possible. With your support, we can reclaim this space, create opportunities, and secure a brighter future for Barre. Together, let’s make it happen.
The Project:
Revitalizing 143 Main Street
For over a decade, Barre has experienced a remarkable transformation, fueled by a collective commitment to revitalize our city’s core. Barre Area Development, Inc. (BADC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic growth, has supported these efforts—often working behind the scenes to help bring important public and private investments to life in the greater Barre area.
Yet, progress is incomplete.
The long-neglected property at 143 Main Street stands as a glaring reminder of the work still ahead. BADC’s effort to purchase the property for $1,000,000 represents a bold step forward to reclaim this neglected property as a centerpiece of Barre’s downtown renaissance. An additional $100,000 is required as an allowance to cover closing costs, property taxes, and other costs associated with the acquisition of this property. With your support, we can transform this site into a source of pride and economic vitality for our community.
Why Now?
The Time for Change is Urgent
For 15 years, 143 Main Street has been a visible reminder of what happens when progress stalls. Its neglect is a stark contrast to the vibrancy and revitalization around it, flanked by thriving businesses like AR Market and Pearl Street Pizza to its left, and the historic Wheelock House/Foxy’s Market to its right. Left in its current state, this property will continue to undermine Barre’s momentum and potential.
Unfortunately, the current owners have shown no intent to return the property to a functional status. Without intervention, nothing will change. BADC has stepped up as a catalyst to rescue this property—and its vast potential— so it is no longer squandered. But time is critical. BADC’s negotiated purchase option expires on June 1, 2025, making the next few months essential to securing the future of this property and downtown Barre.
A Community Solution:
Our Collective Effort
BADC is leading this effort with confidence and determination, buoyed by early successes – $475,000 has already been secured! The Barre City Council has pledged $400,000 and will use either federal Special Project funds or a portion of a generous bequest from life-long Barre resident Eugene Cozzi. No local property tax dollars will be used. An additional $75,000 has been contributed by BADC board members. This leaves a fundraising gap of $625,000, which we must achieve by June 1, 2025. Every donation, large or small, brings us closer to our goal, and gifts are tax-deductible. To ensure accountability, all contributions will be held in escrow, with full refunds issued if the project is unable to move forward.
Making It Possible: An Exciting Public-Private Partnership
Once the $1,100,000 goal is achieved and the property is purchased, BADC will formalize a public-private partnership with the City of Barre. While the property potentially could be sold directly to a private developer, it is far more likely that BADC will sell it to the City for $1, enabling the municipality to apply for state and federal grants not accessible by a nonprofit entity such as BADC. At the appropriate time, the City will issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to developers interested in acquiring and transforming the site.
This proven approach, previously used in the successful development of the City Place retail/office building in downtown Barre, maximizes funding opportunities and ensures a strategic, community-focused redevelopment. This approach also follows the example of two Vermont communities (St. Albans and Bennington) with experience tackling similar challenges.
The Vision: A Revitalized Downtown Property
Once the property is acquired, the site will undergo transformative redevelopment which we envision will achieve the following:
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Initial Improvements: The existing structure will be demolished, and necessary remediation will be conducted.
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Interim Community Use: While grant funds are secured and Requests for Developer Proposals are solicited, the cleared site may serve as a public park, as successfully demonstrated in similar projects such as the City Place development and also in the downtown corridor.
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Long-Term Vision: The goal is a mixed-use four or five-story structure with vibrant storefronts at street level, with 30+ housing units for moderate and market-rate tenants in the upper stories.
This redevelopment will generate a projected 10-fold increase, if not more, in tax revenue on the property, while breathing new life into our downtown core.
Join Us: It’s Our Downtown
Barre’s downtown reflects our community’s history steeped in the granite industry – a history of resilience, creativity, and vision for the future. Through the efforts of the BADC, the City, dedicated businesses, and committed residents, Barre will be continuing the revitalization initiated by the Main Street Reconstruction Project (“Big Dig”) in 2012 to redevelop the downtown corridor.
By supporting The 143 Main Street Initiative, your donation will not only reshape a neglected property but will also strengthen the economic, cultural, and aesthetic fabric of our community. Every dollar given makes a difference in achieving our $1,100,000 goal.
This is our downtown, and its future depends on all of us. Join the BADC in turning this vision into reality—because Barre deserves nothing less.