Sen. Patrick Leahy has secured the funding he pledged to work for to help rebuild fire-stricken downtown St. Johnsbury

April 27, 2000

Leahy Delivers On Pledge To Help St. Johnsbury Rebuild After Downtown Fires

(APRIL 27, 2000) -- Sen. Patrick Leahy has secured the funding he pledged to work for to help rebuild fire-stricken downtown St. Johnsbury.

Leahy said St. Johnsbury will receive a grant of $1 million under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Initiatives program to help the downtown renewal effort.

“Nothing we can do can make up for the lives lost and for the suffering of so many families,” Leahy said. “But we do have the ability to help St. Johnsbury rebuild for the future. This grant can serve as one of the cornerstones for downtown redevelopment. This will help convince other investors that the downtown recovery is real, and it is underway.”

Leahy had worked directly with HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo to identify potential funding sources for St. Johnsbury and then to secure the funds. The Neighborhood Initiatives program helps improve conditions of distressed towns and stimulates neighborhood revitalization. Leahy methodically worked to convince HUD officials that St. Johnsbury was an excellent candidate for this award. Leahy is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and of its HUD subcommittee, which writes HUD’s annual budget. In recent years he has used his senior Appropriations post to help other Vermont communities rebuild, including Randolph, which was devastated by fire, and Montpelier, which needed downtown revitalization help after disastrous flooding.

Vermont’s senior U.S. senator toured the fire damage on March 6, meeting with residents and town officials about the community’s needs. Local officials have identified several needed steps, from rebuilding the block and improving storefront facades, to financial and technical help for retail store and business managers.

Fire swept through the century-old historic Daniels block on Railroad Street in the early morning hours of Jan. 28. The block consisted of first-floor commercial space occupied by two retail stores and 16 affordable housing rental units in the upper stories. Three residents of those apartments were killed and 20 left homeless. The buildings on both sides of the burned block also were seriously damaged, resulting in another four stores having to close to recover from fire and water damage.