BELLOWS FALLS - AREA WIDE PLAN
Current (updated July 19, 2024) Ongoing Brownfields Work in Bellows Falls
Island District and Under the Hill District
The Area Wide Plan (AWP) is a conceptual plan for redevelopment of the Bellows Falls Island and Under the Hill Districts. The AWP includes elements of transit-oriented development, public infrastructure and transportation, bridge and streetscape projects, historic preservation, adaptive reuse of existing structures and wayfinding.
Financial Feasibility Study 2023
Final Plan Draft - Presented to: 1) Bellows Falls Area Development Corporation August 9, 2023
2) Sustainable Valley Group September 3) Bellows Falls Historical Society 4) Town and Villages Joint Board - 2023
Michael Singer Study Final - Under the Hill Planning - Adams Grist Mill, TLR, Wyman Flint
Public Meetings Presentation Materials:
Poster, Target Area Summary, Environmental Overview, Area Wide Plan Analysis, and Site Overview
Property and Building Existing Conditions Inventory
Public Meeting and Focus Groups June 10, 2021:
Community Organizations Focus Group Recording
Property and Business Owner Focus Group Recording
Public Meeting - Second Round August 12, 2021:
Step 2 - Presentation of Incorporated First Round Input: Public Meeting - Discussion and Voting
AWP - Presentation Boards for Voting and discussion (input is open until August 29, 2021):
Please Vote as follows:
1. Pick a concept that you want to include (title at the bottom of the presentation boards) so: “Mixed-Use Village” or “Industrial Focus” or “Walk, Culture, Restore”, or “Canal Place”. E-mail that choice to Bellows Falls Areawide Plan bfareawideplan@gmail.com
2. Pick 5 aspects from the boards (can be from multiple boards) such as “New Industrial Development”, “Fire Pits above Canal”, “Bridge St Mixed-Use Infill”, “New Walking Loop – New River Overlooks option”, and “Elevated Suspension Pedestrian Bridge over the canal”; and e-mail them to: Bellows Falls Areawide Plan bfareawideplan@gmail.com
3. General or specific comments and input are welcome.
Voting Tally of Overall Concept Boards (during meeting / in the room):
Board Titled Mixed-Use Village = 4
Board Titled Walk, Culture, Restore = 3
Board Titled Canal Place = 1
Board Titled - Industrial Focus = 0
Voting Tally of Ideas (during meeting / in the room):
Riverfront trail = 9
Abenaki cultural places = 9
Canal walk with fun lighting = 7
Station Café = 7
Industrial development = 6
Tiny Houses = 6
Mixed-use transit-oriented development = 4
Renovate lower mill for mixed-use residential = 4
Amphitheater (near TLR) = 3
Riverfront overlooks = 3
Renovate lower mill for power user = 3
Welcome / arrival place / Welcome Overlook (near Meatland property) = 2 + 3
Renovate lower mill for restaurant / brewery = 2
New Brew Pub (near off-alignment bridge) = 1
Improve Character of Bridge Street = 1
Mixed use infill along Bridge Street = 1
Tiny Shops = 0
Fire pits on canal = 0
Perimeter connecting walk = 0
Suspension Bridge = 0
Raised pedestrian overpass (for river trail) = 0
On street walking loops = 0
Remove lower mill and restore land = 0
Second Public Meeting 8/12/21
Comments:
· Would like to preserve 1930’s gas station
· Would like to preserve industrial/paper heritage of area
· Concerned about removing any parking – because some parking dedicated to hotel
· Concern about new retail on island competing with The Square
· Like walking trail and Abenaki concepts
· Like tiny houses on canal
· Like preserving lower mill – maybe for office use – don’t see a large restaurant going in there
· Like big outer loop trail more than mixed use trail
· Like connecting to other parks
· Canal Plan is very exciting – lighting up is a great idea & would allow for redevelopment of back side of square
· Robert McBride suggested fountains or other water features on or over the canal
· Can off alignment bridge have sidewalks?
· Should take advantage of natural resources, views and historic elements of area
· Developing trails would help attract new development – even small devel
· What need to be done first by the town?
· Suggest 1st big walking loop and tiny houses (some concern about trains)
· Overall concern about costs and maintenance
· Gary suggested that a TIF District could help