NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OPENING UP IN BRATTLEBORO. NBC 5’S JOHN HAWKS WAS THERE TODAY. TO TELL US WHY THIS WAS SO NEEDED. MELROSE TERRACE, AN 80- UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITTING IN WEST BRATTLEBORO, WAS FLOODED DURING TROPICAL STORM IRENE. <NAT POP IRENE> WHETSTONE BROOK OVERFLOWED SUBMERGING BUILDINGS. <PETER ELWELLE TOWN MANAGER BRATTLEBORO> <WHAT IS A BEAUTIFUL STREAM FLOWING BY ON MOST NORMAL DAYS, BECOMES A SAFE TY THREAT TO THE FOLKS OUT THERE WHEN THERE’S REALLY HEAVY RAIN OR REALLY HEAVY SNOW MELT.> IT’S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THE STORM…CREWS ARE WORKING NOW TO DEMOLISH BUILDINGS. AND MAKE THE AREA LESS FLOOD PRONE. <PETER ELWELLE TOWN MANAGER BRATTLEBORO> <THERE WERE RESIDENTS THAT COULD NOT GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES THERE, WE HAD TO FINA D PLACE FOR FOLKS TOAV HE SAFE, DIGNIFIED HOUSING.> THE PEOPLE WHO LIV ED THERE…HAVE ALL BN EE MOVED OUT OF THE FLOOD PATH… MOST LIVE IN BRATTLEBORO HOUSING PARTNERSHIP’S NEW HOUSING. THEY’RE CALLING IT RED CLOVER COMMONS. THE EXISTING BUILDING IS5 5 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE 1 OR 2-BEDROOM UNITS. THE N EW BUILDING JUST OPENING, H AS 18 1 OR 2-BEDROOM UNITS. THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP AND EVER NORTH HD A EL VIRTUAL RIBBON CUTTING TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING AND HARD WORK PUT INTO THE PROJECT. AND THEARE Y IN CHARGE OF REPURPOSING THE OLD SITE. <PETER ELWELLE TN OW MANAGER BRATTLEBORO> <THEY’RE GETTING THE HOUSING OUT OF HARM’S WAY, BUT THEY’RE GOING A STEP BEYOND THAT, RECONTOURING THE LAND T
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Brattleboro’s newest affordable housing option
Melrose Terrace, an 80-unit affordable housing sitting in West Brattleboro, was flooded during tropical storm Irene. Whetstone Brook overflowed submerging buildings.“What is a beautiful stream flowing by on most normal days, becomes a safety threat to the folks out there when there’s really heavy rain or really heavy snowmelt,” Peter Elwelle, Brattleboro’s town manager, said.It’s been 10 years since the storm, crews are working now to demolish buildings. And make the area less flood-prone.“There were residents that could not go back to their homes there, we had to find a place for folks to have safe, dignified housing,” Elwelle, said.The people who lived there have all been moved out of the flood path. Most live in Brattleboro Housing Partnership’s new housing. They’re calling it Red Clover Commons. The existing building has 55 units of affordable 1- or 2-bedroom units. The new building just opening has 18 1- or 2-bedroom units.The Housing Partnership and Evernorth, held a virtual ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening and hard work put into the project. And they are in charge of repurposing the old site.“They’re getting the housing out of harm’s way, but they’re going a step beyond that, recontouring the land there to absorb some of the flow when we do get high water,” said, Elwelle.
Melrose Terrace, an 80-unit affordable housing sitting in West Brattleboro, was flooded during tropical storm Irene. Whetstone Brook overflowed submerging buildings.
“What is a beautiful stream flowing by on most normal days, becomes a safety threat to the folks out there when there’s really heavy rain or really heavy snowmelt,” Peter Elwelle, Brattleboro’s town manager, said.
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It’s been 10 years since the storm, crews are working now to demolish buildings. And make the area less flood-prone.
“There were residents that could not go back to their homes there, we had to find a place for folks to have safe, dignified housing,” Elwelle, said.
The people who lived there have all been moved out of the flood path. Most live in Brattleboro Housing Partnership’s new housing. They’re calling it Red Clover Commons. The existing building has 55 units of affordable 1- or 2-bedroom units. The new building just opening has 18 1- or 2-bedroom units.
The Housing Partnership and Evernorth, held a virtual ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening and hard work put into the project. And they are in charge of repurposing the old site.
“They’re getting the housing out of harm’s way, but they’re going a step beyond that, recontouring the land there to absorb some of the flow when we do get high water,” said, Elwelle.