Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier has purchased the neighboring property of rK Miles, a lumberyard that was damaged in a 2023 fire, as part of an expansion plan.
The co-op purchased the 1.6-acre property for $487,500, according to a press release. Co-op leaders plan to use the lot to expand its capacity for parking, storage and other operational needs.
“This purchase is a key part of our long-term vision to deepen the Co-op’s values of health, sustainability, and cooperation,” general manager Mary Mullally said in the press release. “Back in 2012, we anticipated a need for more parking and retail space. This agreement allows us to explore those options while continuing to serve our vibrant community.”
The co-op sits along Stone Cutters Way, a one-way street parallel to the Winooski River. Its customer parking lot is located on the northwest side of the building, while the new purchase adjoins the co-op building to the southeast.
The exterior of an 8,000-square foot building on the former rK Miles property still has fire damage that will need to be addressed before it can be used for storage, Mullally said in a phone interview. The property will allow the co-op to buy in larger quantities, and it should also be “relatively easy” to set up staff parking on the site as an initial goal, she said.
But the press release and website for the project seem to anticipate concerns from members. In its “frequently asked questions” section, the co-op addressed the timing of the purchase with the recent ratification of a union contract with UE 255, the union that represents co-op employees.
According to the website, the timing was a coincidence, and the purchase should not affect salaries because money used for the purchase is from reserve funds rather than the operating budget. The union did not respond to a request for comment before publication time.
The FAQs also addressed why the purchase negotiation was not shared with members. It was instead left to a smaller council vote.
“We began exploring the possibility seriously in the fall of 2024, after the property’s owner expressed interest in selling,” the co-op wrote on the website. “At that point, we followed standard fiduciary and governance practices by conducting due diligence in private. This included reviewing financial terms, legal considerations, environmental assessments, and potential risks.”
Mullally said the co-op published the FAQ section to “provide as much information as possible.” So far, the feedback received has been “extremely positive,” she said.
The co-op has its annual meeting planned for Sept. 13. Members are welcome to bring their questions about the future of the property to the meeting, Mullally said.
In the long term, the co-op has floated ideas for the property: Expanded retail space, community gardens, housing. But the co-op may need further assessments to determine if environmental remediation is needed, it wrote on the website. The co-op is also creating a flood risk management plan.
Mullally said it has been “a long process,” but she’s happy it’s come to completion.
“I’m so excited about what this means to the co-op’s future,” she said.
