Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Country Club Road facility in Montpelier. Photo by Natalie Williams/VTDigger.
A nonprofit organization of tennis enthusiasts has put forward a bid for the former Elks Country Club, a property on Country Club Road owned by the city of Montpelier.
HUB, through Blueberry Associates, LLC., a city real estate developer and property management company, submitted a written proposal to purchase the buildings and five parcels of the 138 acres on the site for $750,000. Their proposal was to keep the existing buildings on the site and add tennis courts, community space and other possible amenities.
The asking price is well below the $1.5 million appraised value of the building and land, according to a memo from City Manager Bill Fraser. The group also proposed a seven-acre land swap as part of the sale and the possibility of a public-private partnership to help meet some of Montpelier’s recreational needs.
Montpelier City Council members, the mayor and city staff discussed the proposal at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, ultimately voting to wait to make a decision until the new plan was fully evaluated.
The wide-ranging conversation noted that since the city purchased the land on Country Club Road in 2022, various uses for the land have been considered. For the past two years, Montpelier has used a building on the property as an emergency winter shelter. There is also a community farm, outdoor space for cross-country skiing, soccer, and disc golf.
In recent months, the city has evicted people who had been camping and parking RVs on the site after the shelter closed in May, citing problems such as theft and waste. The decision sparked a protest on the steps of City Hall.
However, the property’s long-term goals primarily include residential development and recreation. Fraser said at the meeting that the housing aspect is still being considered, but the city may consider selling some of the hub properties at the same time.
Todd Olson, a member of HUB Group, said supporters were inspired to come together after nearby gym Green Mountain Community Fitness closed some of its indoor tennis courts in 2020. spoke.
The group has expressed interest in the property since 2021 before it was sold to the city. Steve Rivolini, lead agent with Blueberry Associates, helped City Properties sell the land to the city in 2022.
In addition to tennis courts, Olson said he hopes to include a restaurant and virtual sports center where members can simulate sports such as golf, baseball and soccer. He said the group is open to public-private partnerships.
Councilors asked Olson how accessible the space would be to the public. Councilor Perrin Cohn asked if the group would consider public hours.
Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Country Club Road facility in Montpelier. Photo by Natalie Williams/VTDigger.
“These are still details that need to be worked out,” Olson said. He added that in the first few years of a business, it may face financial challenges, which could limit its ability to make such types of offers.
Councilor Adrian Gill asked if the proposal could allow for flexibility to use the courts for basketball and other indoor sports as well. Recreation department officials and several members of the public noted that tennis is less popular among Montpelier children than basketball or soccer.
Olson said that is an option the HUB is open to, but it still depends on financial constraints on the size of the sports building that can be built.
There was also discussion about whether the city of Montpelier itself should fund a fully public recreation center on the site or invest in renovating the city’s current space at 55 Baar Street. . A feasibility review of the recreation option said the Barre Street facility lacks ADA amenities and is not fully equipped. Space for recreational needs.
Montpelier Recreation Director Arne McMullen shared his vision for the Country Club Road facility, which will attract sports enthusiasts through tournaments and community events.
“The opportunities are endless, but you need a starting point,” he said.
Some city council members are daunted by the potential cost of renovating old sites or building on new ones. Fraser’s memo said renovations could cost up to $7 million, and councilors said new recreational facilities nearby, like the one underway in Colchester, cost more than $10 million. said.
Councilman Tim Haney said it’s a difficult time to propose putting additional funding into municipal recreation centers. The city is facing huge budget losses due to flooding in 2023 and is in the midst of major infrastructure improvements, including water pipes and roads.
“We were given an opportunity for HUB to potentially come in and develop a portion of that area for recreation and do the recreational portion that would not be a capital investment on the part of the city of Montpelier. “I think that’s refreshing and what I want to hear,” he said.
Tori Rodin, a member of the city’s homeless task force, reminded the council that there are people currently living in shelters on the property.
“That building could disappear without a backup plan,” she says.
Councilors discussed the option of converting the Baal Street facility into a shelter instead of using the Country Club Road building. In that case, Fraser said the city would likely transfer the facility to Downstreet Housing & Community Development, a local housing nonprofit, or to the state of Vermont.
Resident Jody Petterson quoted a friend who said it was “elitist” to build a tennis court on the property before housing plans were in place. She said the building’s location could be the only place where apartments could be built because it is the flattest part of the site.
Councilor Cary Brown said she would be open to selling some of the property, but not interested in the public-private partnership aspect of the proposal or the price.
“Tennis courts are pretty low on the list of priorities,” she says. “There is no compelling public interest in selling for less than it is worth.”
Mr Rivolini said he expected some people would ask why the group had made an offer below valuation. His answer was, “A real estate offer is a negotiation.”
The 138-acre site is “a big sandbox,” he says. “We can all play there.”
