CityPlace Burlington developers have met the city’s first set of demands to get the long-delayed project back on track.
Brookfield Properties wired the city $192,000 on October 7, the first of three deadlines set by Mayor Miro Weinberger in a September 27 letter that demanded the company make good on its promises.
“They have fully and timely complied,” Weinberger said. “It’s a step in the right direction, and it’s a step toward restoring some confidence in them and in the project.”
Missed deadlines have been piling up for years now. Back in 2016, then-project lead Don Sinex promised the 14-story mixed-use building would be operational by January 2019. The most action the site has seen this year, however, was when crews removed a construction crane in July. Then, Brookfield announced that the massive project would be scaled down and redesigned. There hasn’t been an update from them since.
Weinberger’s letter essentially demanded that Brookfield put its money where its mouth is. The developer had promised to pay $10,000 each month that construction was delayed and apparently fell behind between May and August to the tune of $40,000.
Brookfield also never paid Burlington Electric Department $30,000 to support its district energy plan, which would harness the steam from the McNeil plant to heat large buildings in Burlington. That invoice was sent back in March, city documents show.
The bulk of the payment — $122,000 — will fund a free parking program during the holidays, a repeat of last year’s successful initiative on the developer’s dime. Brookfield representatives had committed to the plan at a city council meeting in August but hadn’t yet paid up. Of the total, $72,000 is the actual parking subsidy, and $50,000 is for the promotional budget.
The mayor also demanded that Brookfield restore parking on Bank and Cherry streets and reopen public bathrooms on the mall’s lower level. Aanen Olsen, a Brookfield vice president, wrote to the mayor on Monday that work on parking will begin within a week, and bathroom renovations will begin October 28.
Before that date, Weinberger wants Brookfield to present “a feasible plan” toward executing a $50 million construction contract, according to his letter. The parties’ development agreement requires Brookfield to sign the contract before December 31. The city needs that document inked before June 2021 or else it can’t use $22 million in tax-increment financing dollars to support the project.
Also before October 28, Weinberger demanded to see Brookfield’s plan to redevelop the former Macy’s building and a commitment to retain the University of Vermont Medical Center as an anchor tenant.
Brookfield representatives are scheduled to attend the October 28 city council meeting and provide additional updates.
“[Brookfield] said they believe the additional deadlines are reasonable, and they intend to meet them,” Weinberger said. “I hope they continue to perform.”
Read the mayor’s letter below:
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Mayor Miro, single-minded capitalist sellout, also known as the father of downtown Burlington’s giant hole. That picture above would look excellent on ad boards around his massive dirt child (like the ones there before which have conveniently vanished). That, or perhaps I am just satisfied to know that the hole represents a grave that Miro dug himself politically through his own “pro-development” folly. 🙂
So free parking for Christmas shoppers who would otherwise, and most likely will still, use the giant lots at box stores to park and the internet to do holiday shopping? Why frame this as a tough guy action by Weinberger? It’s akin to tearing down the mall; promising everyone jobs, parking, and housing; and merely building a Dunkin Donuts.
Pre arranged political theater… and 50k going to the Burlington Business Association coffers so that they can spend it on internet PR when the new reimagined plan needs selling to desperate taxpayers… what hundredth of one percent of the 220 million is 192K?!?!…. Miro should get a sarcastic golf clap for this… how much tax revenue has the city lost during this debacle???… and why oh why is the local media falling for this tough guy bs narrative hes feeding them?… these young reporters need to step up their game and not simply be an extra mouthpiece for city hall… the giant multi national is acceding the demands of the mayor?!?… laughable… did they pass a hat in the office or dig through their couches for the peanuts they just gave the city?!?! Miro Weinberger is responsible for this debacle and should be voted out of office… he bought the con… he spent a lot of money selling it to the public… he owns it… and he should be thrown out of office for his poor judgement… pretty simple…