SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Repeated efforts to rehabilitate the nearly-200,000-square-foot, 129-year-old waterfront property at 100 River Street in Springfield have advanced in fits and starts over the past two decades, but a new, ambitious renovation project is just getting underway.
Some history: After the Fellows Gear Shaper Company vacated the facility in the early 1970s, the building stood empty and neglected for more than 40 years. The State of Vermont added the property to its list of brownfields, classifying the historic former factory as a contaminated industrial site.
The property sold in 2008, and a multimillion-dollar redevelopment plan was implemented to turn 60,000 square feet of the space into a healthcare facility, with additional retail and dining tenants. The new owners retained Stone Environmental to serve as the Qualified Environment Professional during the remedial cleanup actions taken at the time. Stone has continued to work with owners and several tenants, including the largest “anchor” lessee, Springfield Health Center, now North Star Health.
Partnering with Springfield’s Gallery at the VAULT, the owners established the Great Hall – a large, open gallery space with cathedral ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, renovated to showcase large sculptures and art installations, and serve as a place for community gatherings, performances, and lectures. The inaugural exhibition, entitled “Emergence,” premiered during the summer of 2012.
In 2013, Springfield Regional Development Corporation (SRDC) executive director Bob Flint told the Rutland Herald that the property had gone through a “$13-million makeover.”
Stone Environmental reported in 2019 that “a new prospective purchaser development group” had retained the company “to perform environmental due diligence” at the 100 River Street property, as well as the adjoining properties located at 5 and 65 Pearl Street. Previously owned by Parks & Woolson, the now-vacant lot at 5 Pearl Street was once a fiberglass manufacturing site, and 65 Pearl Street had been part of the Fellows Gear Shaper complex.
Under SRDC’s management, the Great Hall has continued to host some community activities, holiday events, a smattering of art shows, and, in September 2024, a kids’ roller skating fundraiser, Rollin’ on the River, sponsored by SRDC and SAPA TV.
Integrity Community Partners (ICP), a San Diego-based corporation that is overseeing the building’s current renovation, issued a press release in early April announcing a new renovation initiative for 100 River Street. Eastern Union, a commercial mortgage brokerage firm, agreed to refinance an almost $9.5 million loan to create a 43,000-square-foot self-storage facility, with 55,000 square feet of retail space.
ICP’s immediate plan, pending permits, anticipates a 14-month construction period to complete Phase One, starting within the next six months. This will include expanding the commercial tenant space, and adding air conditioning and public restrooms to the Great Hall.
Development partner at ICP Mark Ellenbogen stated that the first phase includes the installation of a large, climate-controlled storage space accompanied by packing, shipping, and private mailbox services. Ellenbogen mentioned that the historic Great Hall had been “woefully underused,” and ICP will focus on bringing that unique space back to life, and back to the community, with a variety of events, notable art exhibits, holiday happenings, and some new ideas, like a farm-to-table produce market featuring local wares and crafts.
ICP’s vision for the future of 100 River Street, the adjacent properties, and the outdoor space surrounding them is to create an enhanced waterfront along the Black River, with a pedestrian-friendly greenspace and “park-like settings.”
The multiphased project will ultimately include a 162-unit senior living community and assisted care facility planned for 5 Pearl Street. Additional housing for residents of all ages is also part of the plan, with the goal of addressing at least a small fraction of the town’s affordable housing shortage.