2nd Quarter 2016 Lending Reaches $145,800
Brattleboro’s Bradley family has been serving Vermonters for generations. Stephen Rowe Bradley was elected the state’s first U.S. Senator in 1791. His son William was a member of both the state Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Now, the stately Bradley House, built by Richards Bradley in 1858, will serve Brattleboro seniors as a residential care facility, with initial funding provided by the Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF).
The Bradleys sold the home in 1940, after which it became a World War II veteran’s residence and, later, a licensed level III residential care home. In recent years, however, it has faced financial, maintenance and staffing challenges, leaving the town to wonder whether the once-grand mansion’s best years were behind it.
That is, until its Board of Directors had an idea. They reached out to Holton Home, another level III residential care home in Brattleboro. In 2015, the two organizations merged. The next step: Bradley House’s renovation and expansion to add capacity and improve services.
In June, VCLF financing was secured for pre-development assessments and plans to support the expansion and renovations, including architectural and engineering reports, safety upgrades and more.
The pre-development process is a complicated and costly one, says Holton Home Executive Director Cindy Jerome, who expressed gratitude for VCLF’s assistance through it all.
“Without the Loan Fund, we wouldn’t have been able to complete all the preliminary requirements necessary to move forward, and then later, to qualify for federal funding for the project,” she said. “We’re so grateful, and so proud that Vermont has organizations like VCLF that understand the care needs of our elders and are willing to invest in making their lives better,” she added.
Commenting on the recent loan, VCLF Executive Director Will Belongia said “Given Vermont’s growing senior population, the need for high-quality senior services is becoming increasingly urgent. The Bradley House and Holton Home residences clearly are committed to providing excellent care and quality of life for Vermont’s seniors. It’s a commitment VCLF is proud to share, through our support for this important project.”
Ultimately, the loan will result in the addition of services for eight new seniors, (bringing the total to 63), the preservation or creation of 20 jobs and nine construction jobs. holtonhome.org
Additional projects funded include:
Fog Lake Farm, Brookfield
Craig Russell owns Fog Lake Farms, a certified organic, grass-fed dairy farm that has also diversified into beef and pork production. Recently, their disc mower, critical for cutting the hay that feeds their herd, broke down for the second time in a year. With repair costs nearly equaling the cost of replacement, they came to VCLF to finance a new mower. The loan preserves two full-time and three part-time jobs. foglakefarms.com
Pastabilities, Williston
Started by Dan Roscioli in 2008, Pastabilities is a manufacturer and wholesaler of pizzas, pastas, pizza dough, and snack foods, selling to supermarkets, distributors, and schools. After producing pretzels for nearby snack manufacturer Distler’s Pretzels for four years, Pastabilities purchased that business with a loan from VCLF. The loan is expected to lead to the creation of two part-time jobs. vermontpasta.com
2nd Quarter 2016 Lending Reaches $145,800
Brattleboro’s Bradley family has been serving Vermonters for generations. Stephen Rowe Bradley was elected the state’s first U.S. Senator in 1791. His son William was a member of both the state Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Now, the stately Bradley House, built by Richards Bradley in 1858, will serve Brattleboro seniors as a residential care facility, with initial funding provided by the Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF).
The Bradleys sold the home in 1940, after which it became a World War II veteran’s residence and, later, a licensed level III residential care home. In recent years, however, it has faced financial, maintenance and staffing challenges, leaving the town to wonder whether the once-grand mansion’s best years were behind it.
That is, until its Board of Directors had an idea. They reached out to Holton Home, another level III residential care home in Brattleboro. In 2015, the two organizations merged. The next step: Bradley House’s renovation and expansion to add capacity and improve services.
In June, VCLF financing was secured for pre-development assessments and plans to support the expansion and renovations, including architectural and engineering reports, safety upgrades and more.
The pre-development process is a complicated and costly one, says Holton Home Executive Director Cindy Jerome, who expressed gratitude for VCLF’s assistance through it all.
“Without the Loan Fund, we wouldn’t have been able to complete all the preliminary requirements necessary to move forward, and then later, to qualify for federal funding for the project,” she said. “We’re so grateful, and so proud that Vermont has organizations like VCLF that understand the care needs of our elders and are willing to invest in making their lives better,” she added.
Commenting on the recent loan, VCLF Executive Director Will Belongia said “Given Vermont’s growing senior population, the need for high-quality senior services is becoming increasingly urgent. The Bradley House and Holton Home residences clearly are committed to providing excellent care and quality of life for Vermont’s seniors. It’s a commitment VCLF is proud to share, through our support for this important project.”
Ultimately, the loan will result in the addition of services for eight new seniors, (bringing the total to 63), the preservation or creation of 20 jobs and nine construction jobs. holtonhome.org
Additional projects funded include:
Fog Lake Farm, Brookfield
Craig Russell owns Fog Lake Farms, a certified organic, grass-fed dairy farm that has also diversified into beef and pork production. Recently, their disc mower, critical for cutting the hay that feeds their herd, broke down for the second time in a year. With repair costs nearly equaling the cost of replacement, they came to VCLF to finance a new mower. The loan preserves two full-time and three part-time jobs. foglakefarms.com
Pastabilities, Williston
Started by Dan Roscioli in 2008, Pastabilities is a manufacturer and wholesaler of pizzas, pastas, pizza dough, and snack foods, selling to supermarkets, distributors, and schools. After producing pretzels for nearby snack manufacturer Distler’s Pretzels for four years, Pastabilities purchased that business with a loan from VCLF. The loan is expected to lead to the creation of two part-time jobs. vermontpasta.com