Lincoln Place, located at 10 Lincoln Ave. in Rutland City, was originally built in 1951 as a K-8 Catholic school. The 18,000 square foot building operated until the mid-1970s, and most recently served the community as a privately run preschool until 2018. Now, the location will feature new, affordable, subsidized apartments.
Aerial view of Lincoln Place, off of Lincoln Avenue, as seen during construction.
The Housing Trust of Rutland County (HTRC) will be collaborating with Rutland Mental Health (RMHS) to make case management services as well as clinical and substance abuse treatment services available to residents as part of the permanent supportive housing model. The Homeless Prevention Center (HPC) will participate through referrals and program design. The project has been awarded 19 Project-Based Section 8 vouchers by the Rutland Housing Authority covering all 19 units.
Renovations to the school include all new interior layouts, accessibility modifications, a new thermal envelope designed for energy efficiency and the installation of renewal energy sources. Additionally, as a historic building, preservation of the exterior style and materials, and significant interior components, has been a priority. Electrical and mechanical upgrades will bring the building up to code; new water, sewer and electrical services, roofing replacement as needed, and site work have been part of the scope. The interior has been converted into 19 apartments and several community spaces, including resident lounges, a half-court gym and stage, and a commercial kitchen, in addition to office and meeting spaces. The energy components include PV solar on the rooftop, air source heat pumps, insulation and air sealing, heat recovery ventilation, and LED lighting.
A ribbon cutting occured Tuesday, Nov. 2.
HTRC is acting as sponsor and developer and will serve as the property manager.
In September 2019, the project was awarded Vermont Housing and Conservation Board funds through HOME ($495,000), National Housing Trust Fund ($631,348), and VHCB Housing Revenue Bond funds ($373, 468). The Housing Trust’s secured both Low Income Housing Tax Credits through VHFA and People’s United as well as Historic Preservation tax credits. In partnership with 3 E Thermal, Efficiency Vermont and Green Mountain Power, HTRC developed a state of the art renewable energy scope.
