Can redevelopment finally purge an old orphanage's demons?

Officials hope a new, vibrant neighborhood will help purge the demons of an imposing building with a troubled past in Vermont's largest city.

The building in Burlington once housed a Roman Catholic orphanage and later the now-defunct Burlington College.

The orphanage was the scene of allegations of abuse and even killings of children. The Vermont attorney general and the church itself continue to investigate.

The college was the focus of a federal investigation into the business practices of the wife of Sen. Bernie Sanders. It was only last November that a representative for Jane Sanders said she was informed no charges would be filed.

Mayor Miro Weinberger acknowledges the property was the scene of "a couple pretty dark chapters" but that "what is emerging now is much more hopeful."