Shoreham Commons Planning Projects

COLLABORATORS: Steve Libby, Diane Gayer, Kathleen Ryan, Michael Oman, Brandy Saxton (ACRPC)
GOALS: Master Plan Design for Town Commons and associated Historic Buildings Shoreham Town Commons, Shoreham, Vermont, 2002

Prepared for the Town of Shoreham,Vermont May 2003 by the Vermont Design Institute

This planning project was funded with grants from the Vermont Community Development Program and Preservation Trust of Vermont.

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Overview
The Vermont Design Institute (VDI) was hired in April 2002 to develop a strategic plan for the village center called the Shoreham Commons.  Critical to this process is the analysis of the use of the Commons and the facilities which surround it.  The Shoreham Commons consists of eighteen acres of municipal land, twelve of which are the village green, and the buildings located on this land: the Fire Department and Town Garage, Platt Memorial Library (1906), Town Offices (1962), Shoreham Congregational Church (1846), Masonic Hall (1885, originally the Universalist Church), Elementary School (1955), and Newton Academy (1811).

The goal of this project is to provide a framework for improving, enhancing, expanding, adding or consolidating community services and municipal functions to best serve the citizens of Shoreham.  The information and recommendations are based on community surveys and outreach conducted by the Shoreham Commons Task Force prior to VDI’s contract, two community-wide public meetings (June 2002, March 2003), multiple meetings held between the task force and VDI, and individual meetings held with specific members of the Shoreham community.

The following elements are addressed in the strategic plan:

• Uses for vacant/underutilized buildings and land in order to improve residential, medical, social, educational, and recreational activities in and around the Commons.
• Building solutions for the growth needs of town government and service.
• The preservation needs of historic buildings and ADA requirements of public buildings
• Potential traffic, parking, safety, and circulation improvements.
• Overall landscape master plan for the Commons.

Existing Buildings and Land Use Patterns
The Conceptual Use Plan was developed at the start of this project to identify and situate uses, key zones of daily activity, vehicular and pedestrian circulation needs and conflicts, prominent scenic viewsheds, and historic and municipal buildings.

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For a full copy of the report please contact the Vermont Design Institute.