Transforming a Historic Brownfield into Affordable Housing
Atlas supported the transformation of three historic Army barracks at the former Fort Ethan Allen into the award-winning 10th Cavalry Apartments. The $31+ million project preserved a historic property while creating 65 permanently affordable homes in Chittenden County.
Named in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 10th Cavalry Regiment, stationed at Fort Ethan Allen from 1909 to 1913, the project transformed three historic brick barracks into affordable housing — helping address a critical housing shortage while preserving an important piece of local history.
Atlas led the environmental assessment, investigation, cleanup planning and regulatory closure activities that helped make redevelopment possible. Our work began with a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, followed by multiple phases of subsurface investigations and hazardous building material assessments. Atlas identified and characterized lead, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) impacts in soil, along with asbestos-, lead- and PCB-containing building materials. Atlas then developed the Corrective Action Plan, prepared bid specifications and managed the design of soil excavation, off-site disposal and building material abatement activities.
In addition to technical remediation services, Atlas assisted the development team with enrollment in Vermont’s Brownfields Reuse and Environmental Liability Limitation Act (BRELLA) program. Following implementation of the approved corrective actions, cleanup activities were documented in a Corrective Action Completion Report, enabling the developer to receive a Certificate of Completion from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation in accordance with BRELLA closure requirements.
Construction preserved many of the buildings’ historic architectural features, including original support columns, exposed beams, large windows and decorative ceilings, while creating modern, energy-efficient studio and one-bedroom apartments. Occupancy began in early 2025, and community leaders, project partners and funders celebrated the project’s completion during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 28, 2025.
The 10th Calvary Apartments project demonstrates how environmental remediation, historic preservation, brownfields funding and affordable housing initiatives can work together to transform underutilized properties into vibrant community assets with lasting impact.