Go See and Hear Brookfield's New Plan

If you missed Brookfield's presentation at Noon, try to make the 7pm show. You will be pleasantly surprised to see that many of the concerns of the Downtown Neighborhood Association are addressed in the new site plan.



Alex did a nice job of summarizing where DNA stands today -- support with caution. He struck the right note of respect and willingness to give credit where it is due.

This project must not be seen as the mayor's project. If anything, it is a clear acceptance of the vision CLC member Downtown Neighborhood Association tried to impart to the former developer. This is a new project. The warmth and mutual respect in Contois Auditorium today was thoroughly enjoyable -- and the mayor was not there.

  


Caryn Long and Steven Marshall voiced the hopes and concerns felt by many residents. Individuals who were on different sides of the project in the past were blended on this occasion. Caryn asked why August start date (A. Permits), and whether financing is secured (A. No). Steven advocated for maximum community integration in the space. Carolyn asked for more greenery on the rooftop. Carefully paying attention to the details, Councilor Sharon Bushor came with a detailed list of comments. She always does her homework and comes prepared.


One sour note: a shrill misinformed person claimed the city loved Don Sinex and CLC lawsuits defeated him. It would have been a dismissive eye roll in another setting. This attempt to create division in the room was welcomed by a mere smattering of applause.

Fact check: The city did not love Don Sinex any more than the Abenaki loved Champlain. There was a mutually beneficial relationship bound by trust, until it was broken.  And, CLC was not party to any lawsuits. That blame has been used to create a scapegoat and avoid facing the real reasons the project failed -- lack of financing, too big, too tall, and too far out of character of the community, character that is Burlington's brand and attraction as a destination.

Brookfield demonstrated that they have wisely heeded all the concerns voiced by the DNA, because it makes good business sense for them. Hopefully all can work together for the good of our community and the success of this project.

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2019/11/25/cityplace-burlington-to-be-fully-built-in-2023-new-docs-show

CityPlace Public Meeting Jan 30

Thurs. Jan 30, 2020.
Noon and 7pm.
Contois Auditorium, City Hall.  

60-90 minute presentation to the public about the most recent plans for City Place.  



https://www.brookfieldpropertiesretail.com/properties/property-details/cityplace-burlington.html

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2019/10/29/cityplace-burlington-developers-unveil-scaled-down-proposal

NEXT CLC MEETING; Wed. Jan 29, 5:30-7:30. Fletcher Free Library.

COALITION FOR A LIVABLE CITY

​The Coalition for a Livable City is an alliance of Burlington, Vermont community groups working together to restore threatened public processes in defense of the environment, quality of life, transparency in governance, and democratic participation in our city.

NEXT MEETING; Wed. Jan 29, 5:30-7:30. Fletcher Free Library.

Agenda - Moderator: Lea, Notetaker: Caryn, Timekeeper: Andy

	5:30 - 6:15	Mission Statement,  Agenda, Sign in sheet  James Lockridge, Save Memorial Auditorium  Welcome: Perri Freeman, Max Tracy, BTV CopWatch, Proposition Zero
	6:15 - 6:45	Old Business - Discuss & vote on Off the Wall membership, others? Round 1 - Introduce yourself and describe what  you/your group are doing, why?
	6:45 - 6:55	Round 2 - What can allies do to support you?
	6:55 -  7:10	Financial & Legal Report - Steve Goodkind Report Organizational Meeting, Jan 11, Library - Lea
	7:10 - 7:25	Survey of Candidates - Charles Simpson, Charlie Messing (Endorsements on Feb.19 agenda)
	7:25 - 7:30	Next meeting - Agenda/Facilitator Caryn Long, Date, Time, Place                            Confirmed: Feb 19, P&J, 5:30-7:30
		Coalition Save Memorial Auditorium Downtown Neighborhood Alliance (DNA) Keep the Park Green Pine Street Coalition (PSC) F35 Ballot Item Group Save Open Space-Burlington (SOS-B) South End Alliance (SEA)  Save Our City (SOC)

The bait -- and construction update: the pit.

    CLC addressed flaws in a risky Burlington Town Center plan that the Mayor, Finance Board, City Council, DRB, and Planning Commission failed to acknowledge. CLC was right to question the financial backing of the project, and several controversial aspects of the project itself, like height, parking, housing mix, and TIF commitment (general fund liability). 

Blaming CLC for project failure is classic "blame the messenger."  See WSJ article below. The counter-suit is deflection theater, and the name of the show is "Slap and Chill." 

Let's all move on, jointly supporting an improved project that , yes, incorporates many of the suggestions CLC made originally. Brookfield needs to get on with  public engagement. It's beginning to look like they are afraid to reveal their plan to the residents of Burlington.

AN INVESTMENT GIANT [BROOKFIELD] DEFENDS CONTRARIAN STRATEGY AS THINGS GET WORSE FOR MALL OWNERS

By Miriam Gottfried and Esther Fung
December 22, 2019

Brookfield Asset Management Inc.’s BAM 0.21% big bet on malls last year, the firm’s latest wager on an out-of-favor asset, is looking riskier than ever as other investors increasingly sour on the sector.

CityPlace Burlington Developers Countersue Project Opponents

POSTED BY COURTNEY LAMDIN ON FRI, JAN 10, 2020 AT 5:02 PM

The counterclaim stems from a June 2017 settlement that required the developer to include more parking spaces in the project design, to not lease housing to college students and to contribute $500,000 to a charitable fund, among other agreements. ... the developers argue, they should not have to make the charitable donation. 

CityCenter Goes to Technical Review Committee. City Attorney says it will be closed to the public!

Update on Brookfield's City Center progress, in Executive Session. Two updates Glassberg shared with public: previously posted Brookfield Developer has no plan for public engagement, and then this announcement:

Glassberg reported that Brookfield will be meeting with the Technical Review Committee on Jan. 9 at 5:30 in Room 12. City Attorney jumped in to say that meeting will be closed to the public. Requested explanation, here it is:

"The meeting on Thursday is a technical meeting between the applicant and City staff to get a preliminary

Brookfield Developer has no plan for public engagement. 

January 6, 2020, City Council Meeting: Report on City Place project. Complete lack of community engagement. Weekly requests from City for fulfillment of commitment from Brookfield for a plan to engage the public in discussion outside the regulatory process have been ignored. 

Public engagement that council and residents expected would be an opportunity to talk about options and possibilities, a chance to build relationship, an opportunity to ask for what we think would benefit the city, and a chance for Brookfield to explain if not, why not. If this kind of engagement had taken place before Sinex went for permits, if he had listened to Coalition for Livable City members, an agreement on 10 stories could have been reached three years ago and the project would be built now. 

Brookfield Evades Public Engagement -- WHY?

​No community engagement. WHY is Brookfield unwilling to engage the public?

August 2019, Brookfield pledged to involve the public in its evolving plan; they didn't. 

Mid November 2019, at a council subcommittee meeting, Brookfield reps were supposed to propose a schedule of community meetings about the downtown development project; they didn't. When pressed, they again agreed to propose a schedule of community meetings — before year's end.

Year has ended.

CityPlace Burlington developers scale back plan

Mayor Weinberger: "The revised plans that Brookfield presented would achieve all of the major goals that the City has held for this site from the beginning, including restoring lost public streets, creating hundreds of much needed new homes and downtown jobs, and generating substantial new public revenues. While I welcome this overdue progress, Brookfield still has substantial work to complete before the end of this year to preserve the project, and get this effort to fix a long-troubled part of the downtown back on track.”

The scaled back plan also drops the controversial height of the project from 14 stories to 10. It also retains the former Macy's building, which will be redeveloped as a mixed use commercial/retail/office space. 

Oct 28, 2019, Read full statement of Mayor Weinberger here.

CityPlace Burlington Developers Unveil Scaled-Down Proposal

BY COURTNEY LAMDIN ON TUE, OCT 29, 2019 

    "Gone are the soaring 14-story structures originally proposed. 

     In their place are two towers.     One, on the Cherry Street side of the property, would rise 10 stories  and hold 280 to 300 apartments — the same as the original proposal. Twenty percent would be "affordable," as required by Burlington's inclusionary zoning ordinance.

     A 175-room hotel of similar height would occupy the Bank Street side of the downtown parcel. Retail space would fill the first floor of each building, and levels of parking would fit between — and below — the structures.

     The new plans would also incorporate the former Macy's building, which would house retail, commercial and office space. The remnants of the Burlington Town Center mall, which opens onto Church Street and extends west, would remain intact.

click to enlarge