WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Grant to Help Restore Berlin Neighborhoods
Member Center:
Berlin, New Hampshire - April 2, 2009
Berlin, N.H., is a community of quaint hillside neighborhoods and spectacular views of Mount Washington. But it is also a city speckled with rundown homes and buildings that have been abandoned or destroyed by fire. The most visible example is a pile of rubble that greets visitors on Main Street downtown. Business owners say the effects of the eyesores are devastating.
"Emotionally it is devastating to have invested into this downtown and to have to look at it every day," said Stacia Roberge, of Rumors Boutique. "Now you can smell the fire, you can smell it in the store. People park and they get out and they are telling me when are they going to clean it up."
Gov. John Lynch visited Berlin Thursday afternoon. The city has applied for millions of dollars in neighborhood stabilization grants, and Lynch viewed a plan for spending the money.
"There are 85 buildings now in Berlin which are vacant and this money will allow the city to go ahead and rehab those, to sell them, bring more workers into Berlin, and help with the economic development and economic vitality," Lynch said.
The city has already spent more than $600,000 in taxpayer money cleaning up some of the dilapidated homes. The federal grant money will allow the city to work with a private developer to remove more debris and turn some of the homes into affordable housing.
"We've made tremendous strides," said Andre Caron, the Berlin Housing Coordinator. "Between our enforcements and what we have done so far with our monies, we have probably done 17 or 18 houses that have been demolished. Probably 60, 70 units that have been done. And that is what we are trying to do. We are trying to clean up the city."
Berlin is one of five communities eligible for the funds but it's not known what the city's piece of the $20 million pie will be.
Adam Sullivan - WCAX News
