OFFICE OF MAYOR MIRO WEINBERGER
149 Church Street | Burlington, VT 05401 | 802.865.7272
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2014
Contact: Mike Kanarick
802.735.7962
Mayor, Burlington Town Center Owner Announce Partnership to
Comprehensively Redevelop Downtown Mall Consistent with
planBTV
Administration, Mall Owner to Negotiate Development Agreement via Transparent, Public
Process;
Over $200M Investment in New Retail, Office Space, Housing, Related Public Improvements to
Create New Jobs, Grow State and Local Revenues, Restore Public Pedestrian and
Bike Connections, Revitalize Bank and Cherry Streets
Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger and new Burlington Town Center (BTC) owner Don
Sinex, Managing Partner of Devonwood Investors, LLC, today, joined by Governor Peter Shumlin,
announced a partnership to comprehensively redevelop the downtown mall consistent with the
planBTV Downtown & Waterfront Master Plan. The Administration and Sinex will negotiate a
development agreement through a transparent, public process. An investment of more than $200
million in new retail, office space, housing, and public spaces would create new jobs, grow state and
local revenues, restore public north-south pedestrian and bike connections through the mall along
the St. Paul Street and Pine Street corridors, create a dramatic new roof-top park between Church
Street and Macy’s, revitalize Bank and Cherry streets and the surrounding downtown, and
complement the City’s new multi-modal transit center with one of Vermont’s first transit-oriented
developments.
At today’s announcement in the mall beside the new L.L. Bean store, Mayor Weinberger stated:
“Over the course of 2012 and 2013, the thousands of Burlingtonians who helped create planBTV
identified major redevelopment of the Burlington Town Center mall as one of the top goals for the
downtown for the coming decades. I am excited that, just one year later, Don Sinex has stepped
forward with a creative, public-private redevelopment concept that implements the planBTV vision
of additional downtown housing and jobs, restored pedestrian and bike connectivity, and greater
vibrancy on Bank and Cherry streets. I look forward to working with the public and Mr. Sinex in the
months and years ahead to review and refine the concept and together make it a reality.”
“With each step I take in the process of redeveloping the Burlington Town Center to create a
dynamic mixed use, transit-oriented project, I include a focus on the needs and desires of the
Burlington community,” said Sinex. “I am counting on the public to offer impactful input and ideas
that will help us achieve our goal of turning the mall inside out – of transforming one, often hidden
space into a multitude of outward-facing shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks, and
other open spaces. My vision is to create a mall that offers something for everyone – local
community members and out-of-town visitors looking to shop, dine, be entertained – and that
brings jobs, revenue, and economic benefit to Burlington and to Vermont. Like the Mayor, I believe
that we’ll arrive at the best plan for BTC only by engaging in a transparent, public process that
considers a wide range of community needs and ideas.”
“This project shows how we can utilize innovative public-private partnerships to continue to
strengthen Vermont's downtowns,” said Governor Shumlin. “Burlington is already a model for how
downtown development can spur job growth, economic opportunity, and positive community
engagement. Today's announcement is just one more example of how Mayor Weinberger and his
team are getting it right for Burlington and Vermont.”
“The partnership announced today exemplifies the best qualities of 21st century downtown
development,” said Speaker of the House Shap Smith, who was unable to attend the event. “I
commend Mayor Weinberger and the development team for creating a public-private partnership
that reflects the needs of Burlington to expand housing and commercial and retail space offerings. I
look forward to working together on this exciting economic development opportunity.”
Fulfillment of Major planBTV Downtown & Waterfront Master Plan Goals
The Burlington Town Center opened in 1976 under the name Burlington Square Mall in conjunction
with 1960s-era urban renewal development. While the existing mall has been credited with
expanding the retail base of our downtown, the mall has been a chronic underperformer and a
barrier to north-south connectivity, and has precluded the growth of a vibrant street life on Bank
and Cherry streets. PlanBTV Downtown & Waterfront Master Plan, a community-based planning
process that engaged thousands of Burlingtonians, outlines these deficiencies and identifies
restoring connectivity of the urban grid and redevelopment of the mall as major planning
priorities. At page 108, planBTV “…suggests the addition of larger residential, mixed-use buildings
by redeveloping underutilized parcels, essential for addressing citywide housing needs, reducing
traffic congestion and parking demand, and supporting the continued vitality of our downtown
economy.” Sinex and a friend purchased the mall as equal partners from General Growth Properties
in December 2013 and, shortly thereafter, Sinex purchased his partner’s interest in the mall to
become the sole owner.
Conceptual Project Plan for BTC
Sinex’s conceptual project plans include the complete transformation and rebuilding over time of
the BTC, including three new buildings and a 1.5-acre public rooftop park. The BTC plan responds
to planBTV by adding downtown housing, improving pedestrian streetscapes and downtown
connectivity, and utilizing strategic infill building opportunities. The new mall concept plan would
achieve the following:
 Housing consisting of more than 250 apartment units
 Retail space expansion of approximately 225,000 square feet (adding to the existing
125,000 square feet), including:
o Destination retailers, like L.L. Bean
o A department store
o Restaurants
o Entertainment venues
 Office space expansion of approximately 150,000 square feet (adding to the existing 35,000
square feet)
 A convention center-style hotel with 250 rooms and 40,000 square feet of convention,
showroom, and business meeting space that could accommodate 5,000-person events and
1,000-person seated banquets
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A new underground garage with approximately 950 parking spaces (an additional 375
spaces)
Sinex’s conceptual project plans will be evaluated by the City team and the community through a
transparent, public process aimed at creating a development agreement between the City and
Sinex.
Community Benefits
Sinex projects that the benefits a redeveloped BTC would bring to Burlington include:
 Growing more jobs in Burlington
o 300 temporary construction jobs
o Between 1,000 and 1,600 permanent jobs
 Increasing housing, retail, and office space
 Enhancing downtown connectivity by reestablishing north-south pedestrian connections
through the mall on St. Paul and Pine streets
 Complementing the City’s new multi-modal downtown transit center with a major transitoriented development project
 Bringing vibrancy and activities to Cherry and Bank streets
 Serving as the potential winter home for Burlington Farmers’ Market
 Building useable public spaces and amenities, including:
o Rooftop public parks
o Other open spaces
o Increased garage parking
o Gallerias
o Protected north-sound bike path under the mall
 Improving stormwater management
 Creating economic benefits for Burlington and Vermont, including:
o $6 million per year in new real estate tax revenue
o $9.25 million in sales tax revenue during construction
o $7.2 million per year in additional sales tax revenue
o $2.4 million per year in hotel occupancy tax revenue
o $450 million per year in estimated economic activity (multiplier effect)
Governor Shumlin, Mayor Weinberger, and Sinex were joined at the announcement by the following
community and state leaders, who offered the following statements:
 Sue Minter, incoming Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Transportation – “This is a
very exciting redevelopment project that would complement nicely the investments that
VTrans, the City of Burlington, and CCTA are making to construct a modern downtown
transit center and set the stage for transit-oriented development in Burlington. The mixed
use aspects of the project design would support VTrans’ goal of creating more vital
communities and sustainable transportation.”
 Greg Marchildon, State Director of AARP Vermont – “AARP is particularly excited to
partner with the City and the development team to engage the citizens of Burlington in an
important conversation about rebuilding the heart of the City to create a more walkable
and livable downtown – a place that supports residents aging in place instead of moving out
of the City. We look forward to an open and transparent public process to advance the
community-based vision of planBTV.” (Director Marchildon was unable to attend the event
and was represented by Kelly Stoddard Poor, Director of Outreach of AARP Vermont).
 Tom Torti, President of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce – “As the
home of the Vermont Convention Bureau and the organization charged with driving
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tourists, meetings, and conventions to Burlington, the Chamber supports the development
of a modern, downtown convention center space as essential to the continued prominence
of Burlington as a destination of choice for meeting planners and visitors.”
Charlie Baker, Executive Director of Chittenden County Regional Planning
Commission – “The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission is pleased to see a
major property owner in Burlington put forth a proposed redevelopment plan that
epitomizes smart growth and transit-oriented development right next to the CCTA’s transit
center. The project would help implement our regional ECOS Plan by addressing the
significant housing needs our region faces, while expanding the pedestrian environment,
increasing employment, and improving stormwater management.”
Emily Boedecker, Executive Director of Local Motion – “This is game-changing
placemaking at its best. We all have been given a rare opportunity today to bring our best
ideas to the table. This re-development would increase the vibrancy of our downtown by
creating a place where people want to get out of their cars to socialize and to shop, and
where the experience invites them to return – soon and often! More than just providing
facilities for pedestrians and bikers to move through these downtown blocks, this project
presents us with an opportunity to expand on the Church Street experience and transform
the heart of our small City into a walking and biking destination.”
Spencer Welton, Steering Committee President of Burlington Farmers’ Market – “We
are excited to be included in the planning and design process for the redevelopment of the
downtown mall. It will be great to explore how the Burlington Farmers' Market can
participate in the transformation of our downtown as a more engaged and vibrant yearround, public marketplace.”
William H. Truex, Jr., FAIA, former Chair of Burlington Planning Commission/Urban
Renewal Agency and Co-Founder of Church Street Marketplace – “The closure of St.
Paul and Pine streets 40 years ago was guided by Burlington’s urban renewal planning and
had the goal of expanding and connecting the existing Downtown Business District with the
lake and waterfront. The success of the Church Street Marketplace has demonstrated the
critical importance of active street edges and public spaces in creating dynamic,
interconnected pedestrian districts. The genius of the new Town Center concept lies in its
potential fulfillment of the original goals of increasing the density and diversity of the
downtown core land uses and expanding the downtown core west, towards the lake, by
reasserting the essential role of an activated and connected public street framework.”
Kelly Devine, Executive Director of Burlington Business Association – “The Burlington
Town Center development will have a lasting, positive effect on the heart of Burlington and
the entire community. The project would create expanded parking, new jobs, and
additional retail opportunities that would bring significant direct and indirect economic
benefits to Burlington. This project represents just one part of a bright new future for
Burlington’s downtown business district. It is exciting when community members can
shape and influence the future of our City. The Burlington Business Association looks
forward to being part of the dialogue that will help shape this significant project and move it
forward.”
City Council President Joan Shannon, Ward 5 – “While I am not generally known as the
first person to stand up and cheer for new development, I offer my strong support for this
project, which I believe would not only enhance our downtown, but also solve the biggest
problems we have in our existing urban design. The mall currently is a grand obstruction to
our existing grid, preventing pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic from efficiently
navigating our City. Cherry and Bank streets are locked and impervious. This proposed
redevelopment would tear down the walls, reintegrate the north and south end, welcome
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pedestrians into new streetscapes and structures, and invite human, social, and economic
interactions, shunned by our current built environment.”
City Councilor Karen Paul, Ward 6 – “When I first learned of Don's vision for our mall and
the immense contributions this project would make to our downtown both in terms of
economic development potential and exciting visual and human design, ‘transformational’
was the only word that could describe my reaction. As a lifelong resident of Burlington, I
have watched our mall – from the time it was built until today – lack a presence and
languish in our otherwise vibrant downtown. The conceptual design, inspired by the
themes in our planBTV blueprint, incorporates an exciting streetscape, intelligent
integration of walking and biking venues, plans for a strong retail element, as well as much
needed housing – all of which would have significant impacts on Burlington today and well
into the future. The economic implications of this project are far-reaching and truly
remarkable for our downtown and our City.”
City Councilor Dave Hartnett, Ward 4 – “I am excited about the future of the mall. Once
the vision, complete with public input, becomes a reality, Burlington finally will have a
complete downtown. Members of our community and visitors to town would enjoy the
Church Street Marketplace and the mall beyond. A project like this would go a long way
toward making sure we become a big part of the retail picture, and Black Friday and Small
Business Saturday would be much brighter in years to come as people visit destination
retailers like L.L. Bean and many other nearby shops.”
City Councilor Max Tracy, Ward 2 – “As we get started with the public engagement
process, it’s exciting to see so many elements of planBTV already embraced in the initial
design concepts. I am particularly excited to see green design, demonstrated by a green
roof and improved stormwater treatment, as well as enhanced bike-ped connectivity,
through restoration of the street grid on St. Paul and Pine, playing prominent roles from the
beginning.”
Next Steps
The Administration expects the City Council to consider a resolution at one of its December
meetings authorizing the Administration and Sinex to engage in a transparent, public process to
reach a development agreement that will address public amenities, public infrastructure
investment, project scale, and other key elements of the public-private partnership. Upon passage
of such a resolution, the Administration and Sinex immediately will be soliciting, receiving, and
incorporating public input into their negotiations to create a development agreement as soon as
possible.
*Please visit this link to view renderings prepared by Sinex’s architectural team from PKSB Architects,
PC, Sherida E. Paulsen, FAIA, and William B. Fellows, AIA, including:
 Concept diagram showing new north-south pedestrian connections/arcades along St. Paul
and Pine streets and east-west arcade connecting Church and Pine streets
 Exterior view of St. Paul Arcade looking north from Bank Street through mall
 Interior view of St. Paul Arcade looking north showing possible future home of winter
Farmers’ Market
 View of Cherry Street Promenade looking west from L.L. Bean and Transit Center with
enhanced street scape, green infrastructure, and street-oriented retail
 View of rooftop public park, café, and surrounding downtown housing looking northwest
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Mike Kanarick
Chief of Staff
Office of Mayor Miro Weinberger
City Hall | 149 Church Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802.735.7962 (cell)
mike@burlingtonvt.gov