The 鈥� a proposed redevelopment of the downtown mall 鈥� has had a tumultuous history. We've laid out a timeline of notable milestones in the still-uncompleted project's lifespan.
Note: We plan to keep updating this timeline going forward; it was last updated on May 15, 2023.
Jan. 2016
Burlington Town Center property owner Don Sinex about his plans for development of the site, which would include housing, office and retail spaces.
"We're going to try to bring onto this site critical mass and activity that'll last every day of the week, almost on a 24/7 basis. ... The mix of tenants is critically important and how they fit into this sort of community of activities that we're going to have here is critically important."
May 2016
The Burlington City Council where community members turn out to voice both support and opposition to the downtown redevelopment. The plan calls for a 14-story building, up to 274 apartment units and a 925-space parking garage.
The council between the city and the Burlington Town Center developers.
Sept. 2016
A lays out the proposed plan for the Burlington Town Center. It suggests October 2019 as the timeline for a number of deliverables.
Oct. 2016
A PAC associated with Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger pushes for ballot items essential to the redevelopment project.
Early Nov. 2016
On Election Day, that propel development forward: one related to zoning and height allowances, and one about allowing tax-increment financing for infrastructure work.
Weinberger said at the time:
"I'm very aware that this was by no means a unanimous decision. I hope that people who were looking for a different outcome tonight can see in this result [that] their work, their attention, their scrutiny of this project has made the project far better, has made this zoning policy that we just passed better and there is opportunity to make more progress tomorrow."
Late Nov. 2016
A group known as Coalition for a Livable City files a lawsuit saying the TIF vote results from Election Day shouldn't count because of how the ballot item was worded.
April 2017
Weinberger about pursuing development in the city and accompanying pushback against it:
"We try to listen very carefully to those voices of concern. If they look at where the redevelopment of the Burlington Town Center started more than two years ago versus the design that was just approved by the development review board, anyone who kind of looks at that and thinks about the change that has gone through in that period of time 鈥� streets being added, better interaction between the buildings and the streets outside, step backs on the upper stories, very substantial amounts of affordable housing 鈥� that came as a result of public input."
The mayor also specifically weighs in on concerns about the height of proposed buildings and the city potentially losing its character:
"I don't think this policy change is happening too quickly. This is something that we've had a planning commission and city council joint committee working on for more than two years and we got it through a lot of public process already and there will be more process in the months ahead. I think it's time to get it done. However, I did ask the council to get that work done over the next 120 days."
April 2017
Sinex tells Seven Days that financing is nearly secure and that construction can start in the summer.
May 2017
Two about the Burlington mall project:
- Vermont Superior Court dismisses challenges to the outcome of the November 2016 vote.
- Vermont's environmental court refuses to order a halt to the redevelopment efforts until a remaining challenge to the project is decided.
July 2017
Sinex and a group of city residents represented by attorney John Franco come to an agreement that says, in part, that future buildings won't be more than 10 stories.
Oct. 2017
The city of Burlington with Sinex.
Nov. 2017
Demolition begins in Burlington.
Jan. 2018
Asbestos is discovered on the site which halts demolition and pushes the mall timeline back.
Early/mid-March 2018
Weinberger of Burlington.
Also, the city approves adding more apartment space (and decreasing retail space) in the downtown redevelopment plan. .
Late March 2018
John Franco files a lawsuit in U.S. District Court saying that with the new city-approved plan, Sinex violated the July 2017 agreement with the city residents he represented.
April 2018
Demolition starts back up, and Sinex says he expects it done by June.
Summer 2018
A turns up emails between Sinex and top city development official Neale Lunderville about the foundation, as well as accounts of drama between Sinex and local-company PC Construction, the general contractor overseeing construction.
In August, Sinex tells the city he is going to fire local PC Construction, but by October, Sinex tells VTDigger actually they were probably going to stay on. .
Late Aug. 2018
Seven Days reports that the Burlington City Council voted to let Sinex move ahead with pouring foundation at the site, despite not having the necessary financing (construction had been stalled because of this financing situation).
Sept. 2018
Burlington hires a consultant named Jeff Glassberg to oversee the CityPlace project.
Oct. 2018
Weinberger issues a public statement with a plea to the CityPlace developers.
"The City has made good on all its commitments to the project. It is time for the developers to act and begin site construction, and to communicate their progress to the public regularly."
Meanwhile, an Arkansas man receives probation for playing a role in defrauding Sinex of $29,348. .
[Update: 7/18/19 8:35 a.m. 鈥� The above line has been clarified with the inclusion of "playing a role in.鈥漖
Early Nov. 2018
Seven Days reports that, amid the lack of progress, Lunderville said there were two other developers who expressed interest in purchasing the property.
Late Nov. 2018
Steel beams are delivered to the project site, however no foundation has been poured 鈥� despite being given the approval to do so back in August.
Early Dec. 2018
VPR takes a look at , noting that while the mayor had been supportive of the project early on, he's recently more critical of the delays. Weinberger tells VPR about the steps the city has taken:
"We have communicated to them that it is a problem that they're not in construction. We have pushed them hard to hold up that commitment, and we are looking for them to communicate to the public what their intentions are."
The mayor expresses cautious optimism that the project will get back on track. "If they don't show enough progress soon, that would be something we'd have to start reconsidering," he says.
Late Dec. 2018
Before the year ends, a judge dismisses the second Franco lawsuit on behalf of city residents, who claimed Sinex violated a July 2017 agreement.
Feb. 2019
Brookfield Asset Management, a previously silent partner in the CityPlace plan, . Weinberger responds to this news by telling VPR: "I would drop the 'cautiously,' now. I am optimistic."
March 2019
According , Brookfield says construction on CityPlace will start in June.
April 2019
Brookfield Asset Management . The group says they're committed to the $235 million project, however there is no timeline.
June 2019
Although a federal suit was dismissed last year, a judge rules that a state lawsuit regarding an alleged breach of the July 2017 agreement can proceed.
July 2019
At the Burlington City Council meeting on July 15, Weinberger and others 鈥� though nobody from Brookfield 鈥� . While reporters waiting outside overheard an architect say there would be "extensive" redesign, the mayor and city councilors aren't commenting until Brookfield issues a public statement on the situation.
A few days later, Brookfield Properties that didn't provide any specific information on forthcoming changes to the project, however did note construction is not planned to restart anytime soon.
Weinberger that same day, in which he said Brookfield is considering changes to address "the size and scale criticisms of the project." The mayor also expressed optimism for the project's future.
Aug. 2019
Representatives from Brookfield Properties 鈥� the first public update about the project since last month's news that the development would be scaled back.
Brookfield Properties Vice President Aanen Olsen, however, did not provide any specific timeline or details about changes to the project in his update at the meeting. When specifically pressed on a timeline by City Council President Kurt Wright, Olsen said: "I think you can anticipate seeing some action in the near term, in the next year."
Sept. 2019
In , Weinberger laid out steps for the company to take 鈥� including paying the city $50,000 by Oct. 7 and presenting a development plan by the end of October.
Oct. 2019
The City of Burlington the first week of October that noted Brookfield agreed to the demands in the mayor's September letter. In addition to meeting the Oct. 7 deadline, Brookfield Properties will give a presentation to City Council on Oct. 28,
Then, , Brookfield agreed to pay the city $192,000 for a holiday parking promotion, marketing downtown and covering other costs related to the delayed redevelopment. Brookfield's letter also noted the company plans to reopen public bathrooms in the mall and implement a temporary parking plan for the area affected the by construction site.
At the Oct. 28 Burlington City Council meeting, representatives from Brookfield Properties . The major changes include reducing the maximum height of the project from 14 stories to 10 stories and adding a 175-room hotel. A firm start date, however, has not yet been set.
Nov. 2019
A major redevelopment project in Vermont's largest city won't be completely finished until 2023, according to .
The new memo from Brookfield Properties, the developers of the mall, shows construction tentatively starting in August 2020. The company estimated the new project would cost $120 million 鈥� far less than the original proposal, which was .
The mixed-use development will be completed in phases with the garage, basement level and some residential floors set to be finished in February 2023 according to the memo.
January 2020:
Seven Days the developers of CityPlace countersues project opponents, alleging that the opponents violated terms of a previous settlement.
July 2020
The city of Burlington threatened to sue after learning that Brookfield Properties intended to pull out of the project and return management to Don Sinex, a partner in the venture who had.
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said the city sent a to Brookfield accusing them of breaking their promises and gave them a 鈥渟hort-window of time鈥� to respond. , the city would ask for control of the land needed to rebuild two streets that the developers had promised to reconnect.
Brookfield Properties declined to comment. Sinex, when reached by email, initially said a press release would be out 鈥渟ometime soon鈥� but then backtracked.
鈥淚t will not be any time soon, I am talking a few weeks or more,鈥� Sinex wrote in an email to VPR.
August 2020
Don Sinex of the project from Brookfield Properties, and brings on three local developers: Scott Ireland, of S.D Ireland Companies, Dave Farrington of Farrington Construction and Al Senecal of Omega Electric.
"I invited them to join because they have big companies, live in the area and have stellar business reputations,鈥� Sinex told the Burlington Free Press.
September 2020
The city of Burlington sued the developers of the stalled CityPlace project, alleging that BTC Mall Associates broke repeated promises to start construction and make public improvements that are part of the redevelopment plan.
Mayor Miro Weinberger said during a press conference that the city is demanding the developers start the public improvements, like reconnecting two streets, and cover the costs. The city, under the orginal agreement, was going to reimburse the developers.
鈥淥ur patience is gone now,鈥� Weinberger said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do everything we can to hold them to the promises they made.鈥�
October 2020
The project team submits an application for a new zoning permit, which contains a revised project. The new plan increases the amount of housing from 357 to more than 420 units, including 84 affordable housing units, according to .
February 2021
Burlington settles its lawsuit with the CityPlace developers. Seven Days requires the project team to rebuild two public streets that were blocked by the former mall. The city will reimburse those construction costs with tax revenue generated by the project, but only if construction starts within two years.
May 2021
sues the CityPlace team, alleging that the mall demolition was negligent and the loss of the parking garage violated an agreement to provide parking spaces for workers, according to Seven Days.
July 2021
Redstone, the development company that sued the CityPlace team, .
May 2022
Three local developers assume full ownership of the City Place Burlington project after buying out Don Sinex.
鈥淲ith this turn of event, the partners are excited and looking forward to bringing this long-awaited project to fruition,鈥� said David Farrington, one of the developers, in an email.
Farrington did not disclose the terms of the deal to buy out Sinex.
In an email, Farrington said Sinex would still be involved with the redevelopment of the existing mall and the old Macy鈥檚 building.
September 2022
The CityPlace developers filed an application for federal funds to build as part of the project.
The development team and project opponents also reached a settlement, ending a long-standing legal challenge.
November 2022
The Burlington City Council unanimously approves an amended development agreement with the new owners of CityPlace, clearing the way for construction to start. The developers said they planned to start construction of a concrete podium later in the month. The podium would be the base for the three buildings that will eventually make up the project.
About two weeks after the council approves the amended development agreement, the new owners start construction on the project and say they plan to finish the entire project by fall 2025.
May 2023
The CityPlace developers that they're planning to get rid of the restaurant space that was supposed to be part of the project, and instead increase the amount of housing. The proposal could add 50 additional units, bringing the total number of housing units at CityPlace to 480, the developers said during their presentation. Developer Dave Farrington said that the project was still on track to be finished by fall 2025.
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