When Champlain Housing Trust purchased the Econo Lodge on Shelburne Road in 2013 and began operating it as Harbor Place, there was always the idea that the property had a different future. That future is now.
The acquisition of the former Days Inn across Shelburne Road allowed CHT to move Harbor Place’s emergency housing operations to a safer and more sound building, setting in motion a redevelopment plan that will result in nearly 100 new permanent apartments and condominiums for sale in the Town of Shelburne, a community and a region sorely in need of more affordable options.
The work to secure financing and permits is close to complete for this new mixed-income neighborhood named Bay Ridge. While two buildings will be renovated and upgraded to provide 20 one-bedroom apartments, the other five structures on the property will be torn down to make way for two new buildings of 24 apartments each along Shelburne Road, and 26 new condominiums.
These 94 new permanently affordable homes will add significantly to the quantity and affordability of Shelburne’s housing stock. In the mix of apartments are 21 three and four bedroom rentals to provide more options for larger families. As with other new properties, some of the apartments will be set aside for people exiting homelessness, some will be affordable to households earning 60% of area median income, and some will be affordable to households earning 80% of area median income.
The condominiums will be sold through CHT’s Shared Equity program, ensuring that they will remain affordable for generations of homeowners and that Shelburne will always have some affordable homeownership available in the community.
Providing access to the new neighborhood will be a brand new street off of Champlain Drive: Margaret’s Way. The street is named after Margaret Bozik, who led CHT’s response to homelessness for years and who passed away in 2021. Bay Ridge will contribute to the Town’s vision for creating a more compact, walkable, connected community in this area of Shelburne.
Financing for this project has been secured from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, the Argosy Foundation, and NeighborWorks® America.
Published Fall 2022 and updated 10.17.23