BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - The mayor of Vermont’s largest city says officials learned last week that the developer of a proposed giant redevelopment for downtown Burlington is planning to pull out of the project.
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said Wednesday that the city has sent a notice of default to Brookfield Properties and the city is prepared to sue.
If Brookfield pulls out, management would be returned to Don Sinex, a partner in the venture who had previously been in charge.
Weinberger said in a news release that if the city sues it would ask at a minimum for control of the land needed to rebuild two streets that the developer had promised to reconnect.
Demolition for the project began more than two years ago, but has not progressed. Now there is a hole in downtown Burlington awaiting construction.
Since the city sent the default notice on July 18, Weinberger said Brookfield’s attorneys have been in contact with the city.
“We will give the developers a short window of time to return with an acceptable proposal for moving forward with the project,” Weinberger said.
Brookfield Properties spokesman Ken Liatsos said Thursday the company would have no comment at this time.
Sinex said he would have more information in the future.
“It will not be any time soon, I am talking a few weeks or more,” Sinex said in an email.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.