South Burlington
by Virginia Simmon
Back in the early 1980s, when I arrived in Vermont, I chose to settle in South Burlington. The decision was an easy one. My research had shown that this city had everything I needed, from attractive neighborhoods to convenient shopping and services to (most important) a highly regarded school system for my 13-year-old son.
One of the most developed communities in Vermont and arguably its most commercial, South Burlington is known for its excellent schools, heterogeneous neighborhoods and affluence (it's among the wealthiest 10 towns in the state). Poverty and crime are low; median household income is high ($42,358 in 1990). The city's two main commercial corridors-Williston Road (U.S. Route 2), the main east west route leading from Burlington, and Shelburne Road (U.S. Route 7), the major north-south route-are the primary highways in the region.
But "commercial" hardly begins to describe South
Burlington. A little history helps to put things in perspective.
South Burlington was created in 1865, when Burlingtonians voted to create a separate township. One of the main reasons for separation was the annual occurrence of typhoid fever, a water-borne disease that Burlington Bay residents hoped to avoid by extending the town water intake farther into the lake and moving the main sewer outlet further from the intake source. Rural residents, most of them far removed from the bay, would not benefit from the improvements and objected to paying taxes for them. Thus, South Burlington was born.
The town's rural nature prevailed even as late as the 1950s, when traffic on Williston Road paused for cattle crossing. A farm stood where the Sheraton Burlington Hotel now stands, and Staples Plaza was a pasture. There are still four to five other working dairy farms in South Burlington, according to city manager Chuck Hafter.
Modern South Burlington can probably be said to have its roots
in Mayfair Park, the city's first housing development, which offered
the town's first post-war housing. Mayfair Park remains one of
the loveliest neighborhoods in South Burlington, with mature trees
and rambling parkways. Its developer, Arthur Elsom, donated 33
acres of the area to the city so that Mayfair Park's residents
could always enjoy its natural state.
During the decade of the '50s, South Burlington's population grew a whopping 111%. The city's population today hovers near 13,000 and is again growing (although more slowly than in the '50s) after a few years of level growth. South Bur-lington officially became a city in 1971.
Most of South Burlington's neighborhoods are pop-ular places to live, from the condominium developments on Kennedy drive to the Laurel Hill area off Shelburne Road, from the residential neighborhoods near the airport to the cozy community at the end of Farrell Road, from the developments off Hinesburg Road to the lakeshore communities-one off Bartlett Bay Road and the other in the charming Queen City Park area, one of only two lakeshore communities in the city.
"When we were looking to buy a home, South Burlington was one of our first choices, primarily because of the reputation of their schools," said Eric Goddard, a civil engineer and father of two. "We also liked how close it was to everything, and especially liked the neighborhood, with its mix of young and old, that we ended up buying a home in."
Because of the young families who lived there, schools were (and are) a priority. An April 1997 report published by the school district states that 81 percent of new residents with children say they chose South Burlington "primarily because of the reputation of the schools." South Burlington students consistently perform above state and national averages in both reading and math. In addition to the high school and middle school, South Burlington has three elementary schools: Central, which is on Corporate Way; Chamberlin on White Street; and Orchard, on Shelburne Road.
Burlington International Airport, while owned by the City of Burlington, sits in South Burlington and contributes greatly to its economy, as does its proximity to Interstates 89 and 189. Over the years, South Burlington has grown into the commercial and hospitality center of the entire region. It is home to major hotels, such as the Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Econolodge, Ramada, Howard Johnson and Comfort Inn, plus many smaller or independent facilities. Restaurants abound in both the Williston Road and Shelburne Road commercial areas. University Mall, begun in 1979, is the largest enclosed shopping center in the state with more than 70 shops and services. A new Sears store and auto center will bring the total footage to 616,992.
Hafter says that the best thing about South Burlington is the
community spirit. In addition to enthusiastic school support,
there's the recent community involvement in building a recreation
path throughout the city and the beautiful, new Dorset Park and
C. Douglas Cairns Hockey Rink on Dorset Street. South Burlington
is also home to private organizations focused on physical fitness,
such as Quarry Hill Tennis and Swim Club, Burlington Tennis Club,
Twin Oaks Sports and Fitness and the Olympiad. Vermont National
Golf Course, a new development with a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf
course is being constructed south of Dorset Park. Although the
project experienced funding problems last year, Hafter confirms
that the golf course portion of the development will be picked
up in the spring and should be completed by July.
While South Burlington has everything you could want in a home town-- attractive, safe neighborhoods, superb schools, corporate offices (like Ben & Jerry's, Green Mountain Power, Bell Atlantic and Burton Snowboards) and great shopping nearby--it lacks a true town "center". A plan was hatched a few years ago to correct that by widening Dorset Street and creating an area scaled to foot traffic and community activities. This City Center Project is one of the best things to happen recently, says city manager Hafter. "This spring, we'll rename Corporate Way (a street that runs off of Dorset) to Market Street." And it will be developed as a "downtown", Hafter asserts.
With all the amenities of an urban area (including, at last, a downtown) but scaled to comfortable size, great community spirit, excellent schools, charming neighborhoods, fabulous shopping and proximity to the airport and Interstate, its easy to understand why the city is in demand.