30-unit Village project to proceed with groundbreaking

By Chris May, Brattleboro Reformer, August 19, 2026

BRATTLEBORO — Infrastructure upgrades needed for the initial phase of construction for The Village at Winston Prouty housing development are starting up. 

Sited on the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development campus, the project is designed to integrate housing with existing early childhood education and family support services. 

“An important step forward is underway for the Village project at 300 Maple St., as construction is set to begin on the infrastructure improvements needed to support 30 new housing units on the campus,” an announcement issued Monday states. “The first phase of the project will include improvements to water and sewer systems and electrical infrastructure. The work represents a significant investment in expanding the community’s housing supply while strengthening the vitality and long-term financial stability of the campus.”

Temporary impacts to campus access and local travel are anticipated as construction begins. 

Construction is expected to close Maple Street between the highway overpass and the entrance to campus from Monday morning, Aug. 24, through Tuesday, Aug. 25. During this period, campus access will be available only from the Guilford Street side, via Exit 2 past Memorial Park.

Timing is subject to change as construction logistics are finalized, the announcement states. Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as this important work gets underway,” Chloe Learey, executive director at the Prouty center, said in the announcement. “This is an exciting milestone for the Village project and a major step toward adding much-needed housing to our community while creating a stronger and more sustainable campus for the future.”

Funding for the infrastructure work was granted as part of Vermont’s fiscal year 2026 Capital Bill for Infrastructure Improvements in Support of New or Rehabilitated Housing, administered by the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Fundraising for the vertical build for Phase One is underway, the announcement states, with a goal to raise $5 million through an integrated capital campaign.

This will come in addition to the $4 million investment from Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak’s office to support the first phase of construction. The 10 percent in Vermont program, recently renamed Invest in Vermont, “puts state funds that we’re holding in our office to work out in the community, offering low cost financing to home builders,” Pieciak said during an announcement ceremony in March.

“Essentially, this program makes it cheaper to build homes so working and middle class Vermonters can afford to live in communities like Brattleboro, where the housing vacancy rate is among the lowest in the country,” he said at the event. “I can’t think of a better use of these funds than investing here in our community.”

State treasurer invests in Village at Winston Prouty

BRATTLEBORO — The Village at Winston Prouty is getting closer to construction after a major …

A housing study funded by the town in 2021 “determined that 500 units of housing were needed to meet local demand,” according to village.winstonprouty.org.

“Years later, the demand is even more urgent, with a 2025 Vermont study showing the need for 7,000 new residences statewide per year,” the website states. “The Village will be part of the solution to the housing crisis our community and state are facing.”

The master plan calls for as many as 300 energy efficient housing units on campus.

The project is described in an article on the website as “advancing a workforce housing initiative that also serves as a model for impact investing and integrated capital — bringing together public funding, private investment and community-driven financing to create lasting change.” Funds are “being raised through a blended capital approach that integrates traditional philanthropy with investment opportunities designed to generate both financial returns and measurable community benefit,” the article states. 

“The impact investment model benefits everyone,” Learey said in the article. “Individuals can support the project financially, earning a return and keeping hard-earned dollars local with a trusted organization. Our community gains dozens of new homes that are desperately needed.”