HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 05_SP-22-007_916 Shelburne Rd_DS Realty1
Marla Keene
From:Teresa Davis <tdavis@davisstudiovt.com>
Sent:Monday, March 21, 2022 4:16 PM
To:Marla Keene; Paul Conner; Dalila Hall
Subject:EXTERNAL: ATTN: Development Review Board Members
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Hi Marla and P&Z staff,
Thanks for your help with the Davis Studio project. Please forward this email to the DRB members.
Dear South Burlington Development Review Board,
Just taking a moment to thank you for all the work you’ve invested in our project to create space to expand the
preschool and art programming at Davis Studio. We do appreciate it! It is not lost on us that you are volunteers and we
value the service you provide to the community.
Our application is scheduled to continue on April 5th, but I am writing to let you know that we are withdrawing the
project application. Frankly, it’s heartbreaking for us, our staff and the parents and students we serve. We’ve invested a
lot of careful thought, money (over $100k), and time (2+ years) into trying to make this work, but in the end we can no
longer afford it. Construction costs have increased significantly and we seriously underestimated the time and expense
that has been required to meet the zoning requirements. We’re not developers. We’re just a small arts education and
child care business running barely above breakeven. We had hoped an expansion would bolster the long term viability of
the studio, but hurdle after hurdle these past couple of years is preventing us from even being able to complete this
modest reconfiguration. It is disheartening, especially because the demand for affordable housing and child care which
we have been trying to address will go unfulfilled from our business at a site which is perfectly situated for both.
Thank you to the Planning & Zoning staff who have helped us through several attempts at increasing the housing and
child care resources at this site.
Sincerely,
Teresa & Robert Davis
Davis Studio
916 Shelburne Road
S. Burlington, VT 05403