PROJECT UPDATES & FAQs
Winter Update
The Silt team has been working hard to finalize our construction documents and prepare for groundbreaking in the spring. Sauna designs are being finalized, steam room tile selected, and native landscaping plans completed.
Finalizing Designs
We are excited to share that our project is moving full steam ahead! We have been working with talented architects, landscape designers, interior designers, and thermal spa specialists to build out our vision for a world-class nordic inspired bathhouse.
Site Work
Over the next two months, passersby will see more activity at 453 Pine Street. Beginning on August 29, a crew of environmental scientists and contractors will be conducting investigations to evaluate soil quality conditions across the property. The work will run one week and include shallow borings using a Geoprobe to retrieve samples for laboratory analysis.
Hey Vermont!
Burlington residents and local entrepreneurs, Jovial King and Alex Crothers have teamed up on an exciting new project to redevelop 453 Pine Street. The project consists of two new businesses. Silt Botanica, a state-of-the-art Nordic-inspired bathhouse and wellness space will include indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, cold plunge, steam rooms and botanical gardens. Backside Bowl is a two-story contemporary bowling alley and community gathering space that embraces the South End Arts District aesthetic. Incorporating local food and beverage offerings, Backside Bowl will provide multiple lanes of traditional and duckpin bowling.
Project Development FAQs
What is Silt Botanica?
Silt Botanica, a state-of-the-art bathhouse and wellness space that includes indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, cold plunge, steam rooms, relaxation space, and botanical gardens.
When will this project be complete?
With permits in place, we plan to break ground in spring 2024 and open our doors to the public in early summer 2025.
Will there be local discounts and memberships available?
YES!
What will the open space be like?
The project includes a commitment to open space through the donation of several acres of land, which will be developed with leadership from the City of Burlington and the public. This process will take place over the next several years and involve inclusive planning and public input. The open and public space could include art installations, walking trails, Burlington Bike Path access, and views of the lake and sunset; elements that make the South End so special.
What is a Brownfield?
A Brownfield is typically a former industrial site that requires specific clean-up to remediate for use once again. Learn more at the EPA website.
Are Brownfields sites safe?
With appropriate remediation led by state and federal partners, Brownfields sites are ideal places for economic growth and community spaces. Here in Vermont, sites like the Burlington Waterfront and City Hall Park in Burlington, Jones & Lamson in Springfield and City Place in Barre have all benefited from successful remediation efforts and new economic development.
What People Are Saying
“Vermont’s commitment to our environment and our communities has put us at the forefront of brownfield clean-up across the country. Turning these once-polluted sites into community spaces that are affordable and accessible is an important step in our shared goals of protecting our local economies and making the environment safer, healthier and able to thrive. As a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which has oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), I will continue to work to ensure the federal Brownfields Program receives the support and funding needed to continue this important work and I look forward to seeing this project move forward.”
— Senator Bernie Sanders
“As I travel around the state visiting sites like this, I see job creation and economic opportunity where it was not possible before and that is absolutely critical to ensuring Vermont is an affordable place to live and raise a family.”
— Governor Phil Scott
“It is gratifying to see this piece of our South End come to life with this great new project,” said Senator Patrick Leahy, who has long championed federal appropriations for brownfields redevelopment work. “Along with places like the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, this is another tangible and practical example of how federal policies can support real world efforts to strengthen our communities.”