Southwestern Vermont Health Care announces next steps for redevelopment of Southern Vermont College

July 26, 2024

Contact: news@dartmouth-health.org

BENNINGTON, VT— Dartmouth Health’s Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), announced next steps around the redevelopment of the former Southern Vermont College campus in Bennington.

In March of 2023, SVHC entered into a purchase and sale agreement of the campus with Alfred Weissman Real Estate, LLC (AWRE). Since then, AWRE has been working toward the development of a five-star destination resort.

“AWRE has made major progress in finding the right hospitality brand partner for this project,” said SVHC CEO and president Thomas A. Dee, FACHE. “While we can’t speak on their behalf, we want our community to know that plans are advancing. We’re supportive of their direction and we believe this project will have an immensely positive impact on Bennington and our entire region.”

The proposed five-star resort would include both fine and casual dining, a beauty and health spa, a fitness/wellness center, special events venue and other amenities. The project also includes an extensive historic restoration of the Everett Mansion for use as luxury accommodations and fine dining.

Access to the Bennington Area Trail System (BATS), at the trail heads on and around the property, will remain open to the public and available, throughout the redevelopment. Following completion of the project there will be a new dedicated parking lot.

“Once AWRE finalizes its brand partner — in the near future— the necessary regulatory reviews and permitting processes will get underway,” said Dee. “We’re hopeful this project will break ground next summer.”

SVHC purchased the 371- acre former SVC campus in late December 2020. After the purchase, SVHC used the campus for a widely successful COVID-19 community clinic. Additionally, they partnered with Town of Bennington and the BATS to maintain playing fields for youth athletics and keep the trail system open to the public.

AWRE has been involved in several commercial development categories since their inception over fifty years ago, including hospitality, residential, retail, office and industrial properties. The firm believes in a hands-on approach when acquiring, developing and managing properties. Additionally, AWRE prides itself on getting involved within the regions where they do business by sponsoring community charities to serving on chambers of commerce.

About SVHC:

Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), a member of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVHC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. SVHC provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

About Dartmouth Health:

Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and the state’s largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 56 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital and multiple locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene and New London, NH, and Windsor, VT; and Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory and specialty services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.