BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Work at the Bellows Falls Train Station continues as the asbestos removal phase of the project began some two weeks ago, part of a multimillion-dollar restoration project of the landmark building located at 54 Depot Street.
In 2022, the Town of Rockingham voted to purchase the 102-year-old building outright for $250,000, after several years of tight, complicated negotiations with not only the owner of the structure, the Vermont Agency of Transportation, but also Vermont Railways Systems, which owns the railyard surrounding the train station. In the three years since, Rockingham has appropriated additional funds to continue the multiphased project, and has also worked hard to generate several state and federal grants to cover most of the renovations and environmental cleanup.
Three contracts totaling an estimated $2.1 million have so far been approved, including bids for additional design work, the installation of a vapor barrier in the basement of the building, and additional exterior renovations and environmental cleanup.
Stone Environmental, Inc., based in Montpelier, was awarded a $789,000 contract to install the vapor barrier, which will keep the hazardous gasses from the polluted railyard from getting into the building. Another contract was awarded to Bread Loaf Construction out of Middlebury, who will receive up to $1.89 million for environmental cleanup and exterior repairs and improvements. A third contract will be available and awarded some time in November.
Stevens and Associates, based in Brattleboro, also received a contract to create a part of the Phase 3 design work necessary to allow the town to apply for more grant funds. 100% of the $130,000 contract is being funded through grant money.
The vapor barrier inside the building is already in place, and the town expects external masonry work to begin on the brick structure in early November. Eventually, the historic doors and windows of the landmark structure will also be restored.
“Asbestos contractor procurement by KD Associates occurred in August through September,” Gary Fox said in a recent interview. Fox is the director of development for the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance (BFDDA). “There were four contractors at the site visit and walk through on Sept. 11, and EHM was selected on Sept. 23.
“EHM began work in the boarded-up kitchen space three weeks ago, and continued to the basement in the following two weeks. They will then be finishing up containment with Air Clearance (air sampling and testing) on Monday, Nov. 3,” said Fox.
Additionally, the state plans to build a new ADA-compliant platform for the Amtrak train that runs through Bellows Falls twice a day. Train passengers currently have to step from the platform onto a stepladder in order to reach the train steps.
The continued restoration work on the train station location is an important step in the town’s efforts to develop and revitalize The Island and train depot area of downtown Bellows Falls, which is cut off from The Square area by the Bellows Falls Canal.
“The next phases of construction will be a vapor intrusion mitigation in the basement, and some windows and masonry rehabilitation on the outside,” Fox concluded. “We should have a better idea on that schedule on Wednesday, Nov. 5.”
The initial plan for the restored train station building is for the train to require only 20% of the building space, leaving adequate room for a new business of practically any kind to coexist in the building.