By Dana Gray - Republished with permission from the Caledonian Record

An oversized pair of scissors in the hands of Discover St. Johnsbury Director Gillian Sewake cut a celebratory ribbon in front of 560 Railroad St. on June 5.

Among about 60 people gathered on the porch and the ground in front of the new Northern Forest Center apartment building for the celebration. Sewake and Catamount Arts Director Jody Fried were given a prominent position for the ribbon-cutting moment as community members who served on the project’s advisory committee.

Holding each end of the ribbon were Northern Forest Center President Rob Riley and Tabitha Bowling, a Northern Forest Center board member who lives in Burke.

Project supporters who cheered as the ribbon was cut were many and included funders, construction leaders, town officials and State Treasurer Mike Pieciak.

two men standing in front of a banner
Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak (left) and Northern Forest Center President Rob Riley.

“It’s always a great day to be celebrating more housing in Vermont,” Pieciak said in a ceremony held prior to the ribbon-cutting. “Housing is our number one economic issue.”

The nine-unit apartment building with two commercial spaces opened to tenants in April. It’s a building in a prominent location downtown that the Northern Forest Center acquired and transformed into new tenant spaces at a cost of nearly $6 million.

Interior demolition began in November 2023, and construction began in early 2024. HP Cummings served as the project’s lead contractor.

St. Johnsbury Town Manager Chad Whitehead recalled for the gathering of celebrants how he first learned of the Northern Forest Center’s interest in St. Johnsbury for a housing project. He said Assistant Town Manager Joe Kasprzak returned to the office after meeting with officials from the center, and he was excited about the prospects of their interest in St. Johnsbury.

“When he came back, he was like ‘they have to be in our community; these folks are smart; they’re doing great things, and we need them here,’” said Whitehead.

St. Johnsbury, VT, residents and officials gather to celebrate the opening of 9 new apartments the Center created by redeveloping the historic building at 560 Railroad Street.

The center’s complete interior transformation of the building, built in 1909, in a relatively short period, was celebrated as a triumph of good partnerships and dedicated effort by the center’s staff, including Evan Oleson, project manager. Riley called him “Johnny on the spot,” for his quick response to every part of the effort.

Pieciak said the 560 Railroad St. project addresses a need for middle market housing, and he credited officials and the community of St. Johnsbury as a whole for rallying around the project as well as efforts throughout town.

“You all have really taken control of your future here in St. Johnsbury. You have a lot going for you. You have a beautiful downtown that is getting more vibrant and beautiful by the day. You’ve made important investments in your community that are attracting people to come here and encouraging people to remain here,” he said.

In addressing the crowd of well-wishers, Bowling emphasized that local voices were key to the project’s success.

“Local guidance and input are critical to creating authentic places that fit the local vibe, create connection and instill a sense of ownership,” she said.

Bowling said the building’s transformation from a long-time vacant structure to its vital usefulness now communicates something important for rural communities.

“A true triumph here is the property’s enduring message that it will shout or whisper, depending on how it needs to be heard to its passers-by, countless times a day, for generations to come, ‘Don’t get caught in the cynicism; dare to believe. Believe in community. Believe in each other. Believe in what’s possible,’” said Bowling.

Riley said the building is nothing without its inhabitants, and the celebration on Thursday was not so much about the restoration of a building as it was about creating homes for people.

“It’s actually not the building itself, it’s the people that are attracted into the apartment building that make them homes not units,” he said.

Two of the people who have made 560 Railroad St. their home, Pat and David Webster, attended the celebration on Thursday. They lost their home on Brook Road, Lyndon, a 48-year residence, to the July 30, 2024, flood.

Pat Webster said she and her husband were blessed to have friends provide a home to them through the fall and winter, but they knew it wasn’t a long-term solution.

“What now?” Pat Webster recalls that she and David asked themselves. “What do we do? Why are we any different than anyone else looking for a place to live?”

A friend told her about the Northern Forest Center building, and as soon as leases were available, the Websters applied. They were accepted and were the very first tenants in the building on April 12.

She said she was pleased when she first set eyes on the new space.

“I wasn’t prepared for the height of the ceilings, and the light and the space and the beautifully refurbished floors,” she said. “This was put together with so much thought for the people who would be living here. I can’t say enough about it. We feel so fortunate to be here.”

— Written by Dana Gray, editor of the Caledonian Record. Republished with permission.