St. Johnsbury Bay Street Corridor Redevelopment Project -

Former rkMILES Properties;

145, 249, 256, 258 Bay Street

Town of St. Johnsbury former rkMILES Redevelopment

Former rkMILES properties Request for Concepts (RFC):

The Town of St. Johnsbury is seeking innovative concepts for the acquisition and future use & development of Town-owned properties located at 249, 256, and 258 Bay Street, located next to the Trailhead Pavilion in a rapidly developing area of downtown St. Johnsbury.

This Request for Concepts is intended to identify potential partners, projects, and development approaches that align with the Town’s goals, and help inform future decisions by the Town regarding potential sale or development of these properties. Concepts may include any combination of parcels, or may be submitted as an individual solution for a single parcel.

Links to the full RFC, along with supporting documents and information, can be found on the left side of this web page.

Project Background

Downtown St. Johnsbury is experiencing a renaissance as the community transitions from its historic roots as an industrial center to an experiential economy fueled by arts & culture, outdoor recreation, and hospitality. In the past five years, a net of 37 new businesses has opened downtown, spurred by key investments in infrastructure and recognition of the town’s assets as a cultural and service hub in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.

Based on community priorities identified in the 2011, 2017 & 2025 Town Plans, as well as the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s 2015 Community Visits process, the Town has taken a leadership role in development of the Bay Street area. The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail—New England’s longest rail trail which spans 95 miles across the state between Swanton and St. Johnsbury—is a key part of that development. The Town completed one of the first sections of the LVRT a decade ago and constructed a Trailhead Pavilion at 195 Bay Street in 2020. Further projects for development include construction of an extension path along Bay Street to directly connect the trail terminus on South Main Street with the Pavilion—slated to be completed in 2028, improvements to parking and river access, and private sector development of adjacent properties.

In the spring of 2026, an opportunity became available to purchase four parcels adjacent to the Trailhead Pavilion, 145, 249, 256, and 258 Bay Street (commonly referred to as the former rkMILES campus) to build out much-needed parking and greenspace infrastructure while maintaining control of commercial spaces to ensure future use that supports the Town’s goals for the Bay Street riverfront corridor. The Town will retain 145 Bay Street to develop daily and overnight parking and green space that will support residents, trail users, and periodic events. The three other parcels (249, 256, and 258 Bay Street) are available for developments that bring visitors & residents alike downtown to access amenities and services to enhance their access to outdoor recreation and strengthen St. Johnsbury’s downtown business core.

Community Engagement Process: Bay St. Advisory Group and Public Feedback Sessions

On January 29, 2026, and February 3, 2026, the Town of St. Johnsbury hosted public input sessions to guide the future reuse of the former rkMILES campus properties. These public input sessions were facilitated by staff from the Northern Forest Center and included an in-person tour of each property and associated buildings, followed by a brief presentation of possible reuse scenarios developed through consultation with members of the ad-hoc Bay St. River Corridor Advisory Group. An advisory group composed of St. Johnsbury municipal staff, business owners, individual citizens, and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) with direct ties to St. Johnsbury and its downtown.

The reuse scenarios presented considered redevelopment of 249 Bay St., 256 Bay St., and 258 Bay St. under municipal or private ownership, with retention of 145 Bay St. by the Town of St. Johnsbury being a constant among the presented scenarios. Due to the small lot size of 258 Bay St. and its adjoining 256 Bay St. the two properties were treated as a single redevelopment property in each of the three re-use scenarios presented. During the January 29 and February 3 public feedback sessions community members were invited to provide thoughts and ideas on the highest and best re-use of each property and what ownership structure (private or municipal) would best serve the interests of St. Johnsbury’s residents and local businesses.

Through this public input process, the Town of St. Johnsbury learned that a majority of citizens favored private ownership of 249 Bay St. in the long-term, while perspectives were mixed on the future ownership structure of 256 Bay St. and 258 Bay St., where the large, multi-bay warehouse situated on 256 Bay St. garnered reuse suggestions that included an indoor sports facility coupled with storage space. In the case of all three properties, the majority of participant suggestions centered around redevelopment that supported and enhanced the outdoor experience in St. Johnsbury.