What’s New
What’s New
Is it Brooklyn or Brattleboro? State-of-the-Art pads and retail in the heart of Downtown. The Historic Brooks House, that suffered a massive fire a year ago, is now being developed as a major hub for downtown with top urban amenities for both retail and apartment living. A new indoor mall area with a coffee bar, seating, and handicapped access will connect a mix of retail and restaurant spaces on the ground floor. The second floor will house offices, while the remainder of the building will be a mix of residential units, from artists’ studios to high-end penthouse apartments. An urban plaza behind the building will provide pedestrian access and social space; a rooftop garden in the rear of the building will be reserved for residential tenants only. Built in 1972 by George Brooks, a native son, who made his fortune in the mercantile business in California during the Gold Rush, The Brooks Hotel is an 1871 landmark hotel on the national register for historic places and the largest building downtown. The Brooks House remains one of the most photographed buildings in Southern Vermont. http://www.brookshouse.com
Kudos to Vermont Cheese – Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company their Governor’s Cheddar is a 2012 American Cheese Society winner. Also, F. H. Gillingham’s & Son’s General Store and Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company are partnering to produce and market F. H. Gillingham Vermont Heritage Cheddar, a distinctive new brand based on 126 years of tradition in Vermont. The first result of this joint effort is an all-natural artisan cheddar cheese, which is made using 100% Vermont milk and will be marketed regionally and nationally. Not to be outdone, Grafton Village Cheese has won several ribbons from the American Cheese Society: Bismark – First Place Ribbon; Eweden Apple Pie – Second Place Ribbon/ Bear Hill – Third Place Ribbon. And, from the National Association for Specialty Food Trade: Cave Aged Leyden was a sofi Silver Finalist for Outstanding Cheese.
Happy Trails Birthday — The Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association (WHPA) will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Saturday, September 29, at Wild Shepherd Farm in Athens, Vermont. The event honors two decades of partnership with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Vermont Land Trust, a collaboration that has created an extensive public access trail system radiating from Westminster to Grafton and preserved beautiful forest and farms in the area. The day will begin at 9:00 a.m. with optional guided walks through various sections of the Association’s conserved lands and proceed to a catered shish kebab lunch and a food tasting of locally-produced bounty at a farm conserved by the partners and other donors, and conclude with remarks by special guest conservation leaders in Vermont. The guided walks are free; lunch is $25 per person. Advanced registration is required: registration forms are available at http://www.windmillhillpinnacle.org.
‘Our Town’ grants help two Vermont communities focus on the arts as a central part of their local landscapes. The Town of Brattleboro and the Paramount Center in Rutland both received NEA grants totaling $50,000 each. The ‘Our Town’ grants are the NEA’s latest investment in helping cities and towns use the arts to shape their social, physical, and economic characters. The Town of Brattleboro will use the grant for the ‘Brattleboro Project,’ an art-based initiative aimed at revitalizing the town as well as demonstrating its resilience and determination in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. The City of Rutland, the Paramount Theatre and Castleton State College plan to use the grant to renovate the historic Richardson Building and make it a multi-use performance space.
