Putnam Block

Bread Loaf Corporation was chosen as the Construction Manager for the historic redevelopment of the Putnam Block in downtown Bennington, VT.

 

This project involved the sustainable restoration of three historic buildings that had been mostly unoccupied for four decades, all located in the heart of Bennington. During pre-construction, Bread Loaf coordinated smoothly with three different design teams to establish the budget to finalize the project financing. Once construction started, Bread Loaf worked closely with the design teams to update the final design to meet existing conditions and stay within budget. The work incorporated the installation of energy efficient building envelopes, energy-conserving plumbing fixtures, appliances, windows and HVAC systems, and the project’s carbon footprint was cut immensely by reusing the embodied energy in of the original construction.

 

The project created 30 new downtown apartments, including 12 units of affordable housing, office space, storefronts and restaurants as well as new exterior green spaces. Historic plaster, woodwork, tin ceilings and storefronts were restored with historic preservation review performed on an ongoing basis to achieve federal tax credits.

 

With the exceptional support of the Bennington community, the Bread Loaf team has completed a historically accurate, high efficiency, mixed-use project amid the challenges of the Covid19 pandemic. The Putnam Block Redevelopment makes a significant contribution toward revitalizing Bennington’s downtown.