Community members gathered Monday, March 18, 2025 at the historic Ward 5 School in Barre for a grand opening of nine new apartments created in the former elementary school. The event celebrated the permanently affordable apartments and an additional 18 rehabilitated affordable apartments on Bromer Street, as a part of the larger Granite City Apartments development project.
Rehabilitation of the properties comes at a critical time for Barre, which has endured multiple years of flooding impacting homes throughout the community. The Ward 5 School property had been vacant since 2013 and was last used as office space for the Barre Housing Authority. Repurposing of the building, located on Humbert Street, brings life back into a historic Barre neighborhood. “The Ward 5 School Apartments are a wonderful example of how housing innovators are repurposing and restoring Vermont’s historic buildings into something that has lasting significance,” said Maura Collins, Executive Director for VHFA.
VHFA, along with co-developers and owners, Downstreet Housing and Evernorth, are committed to preserving the historic details of the Ward 5 School building and similar properties, capturing the property’s historic significance while adding affordable housing to the Barre community. Many of the building’s original details were preserved including original classroom chalk boards as part of the walls in each apartment, large windows and doors, and other details that make the historical landmark an enjoyable space for its residents.
Funding for the project includes an investment of $255,000 from Vermont Housing Finance Agency’s Housing Investments for Vermont (HIVE) fund and other stakeholders. VHFA also awarded $4.1 million in federal housing tax credits for the project. Other financial partners and funders include the City of Barre, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Northfield Savings Bank, TD Bank, and others.