A state owned office building in Waterbury will be converted to affordable housing units under a federal disaster aid grant.
Governor Peter Shumlin says the project is the fulfillment of a promise in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene nearly 18 months ago.
"This represents the first project that will actually be built in Waterbury that’s going to deliver on our promise to rebuilt Waterbury better than the way Irene found us," Shumlin told a group that included Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy and a number of local and state officials.
Ladd Hall, which faces Main Street, was state office space until Irene closed the Waterbury complex.
The state will transfer ownership of the building and the Central Vermont Community Land Trust and Housing Vermont will convert it to 27 affordable housing units.
The money will come from a federal block grant for disaster recovery.
Alison Friedkin is with the land trust. She says the building was only minimally damaged by Irene and the renovation will not require that it be elevated.
"This building is in the 500 year flood plain, but not the 100, which is part of the reason why we can use this building and not have to raise it up." Friedkin explained.
The state also announced that several communities, including Hardwick, Bristol, Charlotte, Rutland City and Coventry will receive non-disaster related block grant funds for a variety of projects.