The Challenge

Retreat Farm, a non-profit entity, took on the role of preserving and revitalizing the 2,000-acre historic property in Brattleboro, VT. Retreat Farm has been making improvements to the property with the goal of providing a modern, working educational farm to the people of Windham County and beyond.

The next phase of this revitalization effort was to transform the 190-year-old North Barn into a public event and community space. This project was a pivotal one; without the North Barn renovation, the rest of the Retreat Farm is not sustainable.

The Solution

Retreat Farm commissioned Camoin Associates to conduct an analysis to demonstrate the economic and fiscal impact of the North Barn project, as well as that of the entire farm, on the county. Without the North Barn renovation, it is reasonable to assume the rest of Retreat Farm would not exist in Windham County and its economic contributions would be lost.

The Impact

In its analysis, Camoin Associates found that the North Barn renovation will generate a significant number of new visitors to Windham County, resulting in new jobs, earnings, and tax revenue for its municipalities. Findings from the analysis were used by Retreat Farm in their application for grant funding for the North Barn project from the Northern Border Regional Commission and to promote the farm and its community benefits.

Then, in 2021, Retreat Farm hired Camoin Associates again to conduct an updated impact analysis of the North Barn, as well as the planned reprogramming of the Grafton Cheese Factory. The results from this updated impact analysis were then used to help Retreat Farm win a $1.4 million grant to renovate the North Barn from the US Economic Development Agency’s competitive American Rescue Plan Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program in 2022.

The renovation of the North Barn was completed in 2025. It has been transformed into a versatile event space with a seating capacity of 250 for dinner and 600 for concerts and lectures. Congratulations to Retreat Farm on the completion of this wonderful historical preservation and reuse project.

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Project rendering source: Retreat Farm