10th Cavalry Apartments, Colchester VT: 2026 Preservation Award Winner

Authorized by congress in 1892 in an effort to establish a permanent defense in the vicinity of the US-Canadian border, Fort Ethan Allen in Colchester and Essex covers a sprawling 138 acres. At its peak during World War I and World War II, Fort Ethan Allen housed over 8,000 people and 1,800 horses. As one of the largest U.S. Army cavalry and field artillery training posts, it operated as a self-sufficient town, featuring a post office, tailor shop, movie theater, and chapel. Among the buildings are three large Colonial Revival style brick structures that housed the 10th Cavalry regiment – an all black regiment also known as the Buffalo Soldiers – on their four-year tour from 1909-1913. The military used the Fort until the base was deactivated in 1944, and the property was put to other uses. When Saint Michael’s College ceased using the three Cavalry buildings as dormitories, the buildings sat vacant for nearly a decade. In 2022, housing developer Evernorth and Champlain Housing Trust acquired the 10th Cavalry buildings with the goal of rehabilitating them into affordable housing in one of Vermont’s tightest housing markets. Work was complex and challenging. Among the issues needing to be addressed even before full plans could be developed were environmental concerns: lead paint, PCB’s, PAHs, and asbestos. Once environmental issues were tackled, preservation work began in earnest. Porches, historic windows, exterior masonry, and slate roofs were rehabilitated. Custom storm windows were added to improve thermal efficiency. The historic mushroom vents on the roof were discreetly modified to incorporate a new ventilation system that prioritizes healthy homes and indoor air quality. Access ramps were designed to seamlessly blend with the significant outdoor spaces once used for military drills. On the interior, original timbers and a grid of previously concealed structural steel columns were saved and restored. Extensive pressed metal ceilings were painstakingly catalogued, removed, restored, and reinstalled in public locations. Replica pressed metal was custom made to replace damaged tin in the first floor apartments. To honor and share the significant history of these buildings, a local museum provided images for the educational displays in the lobbies and common areas, including a panoramic photo of the 10th Cavalry in 1913 at the fort. Two wayside panels along Ethan Allen drive share the site’s history for passers-by. The $32 million renovation of the Cavalry Apartments – so named to honor the significant history and its association with the Buffalo Soldiers – successfully balances preservation concerns, cost effective rehabilitation, environmental cleanup, and energy efficiency. Above all, the project partners – Evernorth, Champlain Housing Trust, VHB, Freeman French Freeman, and Engleberth Construction – have transformed vacant and underutilized spaces into 65 perpetually affordable and healthy housing units, demonstrating that reinvestment in yesterday’s structures can beautifully address some of today’s biggest issues. Award to: Evernorth Champlain Housing Trust Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Freeman French Freeman Engleberth Construction, Inc.