Green Light Given for Police Station Demolition

Burlington's Historical Commission met in early January to discuss whether or not the Board would take action to delay the demolition of the police station, which was opened in 1898 as the town's Union School.

The Commission voted that the building isn't historically significant, giving the green light for its demolition to make way for a new police station. The building has been added onto and renovated over the years without preserving the historical aspects of the old building. But there are still some original features that they would like to see preserved for use elsewhere in town.

The Commission is particularly keen on keeping the woodwork, structural timbers, and bead board from the school. These materials could find new life in upcoming projects, including a planned shed for historical items and a lean-to for farm equipment.

The commission stated that, while they can impose a six-month demolition delay, the actions wouldn't save the building in the long run. Instead, they opted to work collaboratively with the town to decide what can be preserved from the building. They're planning to send a letter to the town outlining their requests.

Police station demolition is set to start in early fall, giving the commission a few months to nail down plans for salvaging and repurposing materials from the former Union School.