EAST CALAIS

GENERAL STORE

East Calais, Vermont

Having abruptly closed in December of 2019, the East Calais Community Trust (ECCT) formed and purchased the East Calais General Store building (c. 1850) in the spring of 2020 in the hopes of revitalizing this critical community asset.  R. Edwards & Company, in partnership with Engineering Ventures and Engineering Services of Vermont, was hired to provide architectural and engineering services needed to bring this long neglected historic structure back to life.  The building, which houses the general store on the 1st floor, and three affordable housing units on the 2nd and 3rd floors, was completely gutted on the interior, with full insulation and air sealing upgrades, all new plumbing and electrical systems, and is the first carbon neutral general store in Vermont.  The building was also provided with numerous ADA upgrades including the construction of a new covered ADA ramp both at the front and rear of the building, the construction of a new ADA compliant restroom, and full upgrade of the affordable housing units to HUD standards.  With over twenty local, state, and federal funding sources, R. Edwards & Company worked with ECCT and their grant and development consultants to coordinate all of the various funding and procurement requirements mandated by those sources.