(Brattleboro, VT.) Company President Adam Winstanley and Larry Bloch, the spokesperson for ten local petitioners, announced today that the parties have reached an agreement in the appeal of the approval granted by the Brattleboro Development Review Board for Winstanley Enterprises’ proposed renovations to the former Northeast Cooperatives building at 90 Technology Drive in Brattleboro.
The 165,600 sq. ft. building, located on a 61.45 acre site, previously served as a warehouse and distribution center for Northeast Cooperatives. New Chapter, an organic producer of probiotic nutrients and herbal formulations, utilizes approximately 40 percent of the floor space in the building for its office and distribution operations. The remaining 108,00 square feet of the building is slated for conversion into retail use. In addition, Winstanley Enterprises plans to develop a housing project on approximately 10 acres of its site. Winstanley Enterprises has previously agreed to donate approximately 12 acres of its site to the YMCA for its planned recreational facility and fields.
Under the settlement, Winstanley has agreed to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) certification for the proposed housing development and the existing commercial space, offer at least 20 percent of the residential units for sale as affordable housing units with a mix of moderate and higher-priced homes within the project to provide a diversity of homeowners and income levels, and make a financial contribution in support of the efforts of the Friends of Fulflex Field, whose mission is to save the Fulflex field for public use.
“We are very pleased to put these disputes behind us,” Winstanley said. “We believe this project is important to Brattleboro and the local economy. Providing affordable housing and recreational facilities alongside retail and industrial space creates diversity and enhances the viability of this project. We are excited about this expanded opportunity and look forward to moving ahead.”
“We appreciate Winstanley Enterprises’ efforts to provide energy-efficient, affordable housing,” Bloch said on behalf of the ten petitioners. “The support of the Fulflex Field was an integral part of the agreement.”
“We’re satisfied with the agreement,” said Audrey Garfield, one of the appellants. “The appeal was an effort to mitigate the potential negative impact a 108,000 sq. ft. retail business will have on the community. It’s exciting that Brattleboro will have a LEED –certified housing development and that the new neighborhood will be income-integrated. The agreement is very positive for Brattleboro.”
Based in Massachusetts, Winstanley Enterprises, LLC is a family owned real estate investment and development company. Founded in 1990 by David Winstanley, and his two sons Adam and Carter, Winstanley Enterprises has been active throughout New England with a wide range of development and redevelopment projects.