Clement Woods Cooperative at Saint Joseph’s College, Rutland City, Vermont
A Draft Business Plan
Submitted by Kathleen Krevetski, January 21, 2022
History
The once proposed “CSJ Center for Excellence & Innovation” did not happen at the now-closed College of St Joseph (CSJ) currently owned by Heritage Family Credit Union (HFCU). However, the campus is now on the market.
Once purchased, it will house a new organization called “Clement Woods Cooperative” (CWC) which will allow for the planned creation of a world-class performing arts venue to include an outdoor state-of-the-art COVID-compliant amphitheater with spacious lawn seating.
Rutland, Vermont is and has been a mecca for the performing arts ever since our city elders brought the Paramount Theater back from decay. Before the COVID pandemic, theater and live music were doing okay in Rutland City. Many of our local performing artists were part of that “Gig Economy” and were making a living playing the Killington entertainment scene, while holding day jobs in the tourist & food industries which have now been severely curtailed by the COVID crisis.
A grassroots effort by Rutland community members, led by Kathleen Krevetski – a retired nurse and city business owner of Vermont Tree Spirits, LCC, – was organized since 2020 to promote public ownership of CSJ in recognition that this 100-acre property, the last open space in the City, should be protected and utilized in a way that benefited the entire region.
An Overview
The “Clement Woods Cooperative” (CWC) is newly created to purchase the CSJ campus from HFCU. It includes the once-regal Clementwood mansion, which will be restored to house the CWC Performing Arts School for all ages as well as a university-based scientific laboratory to investigate and develop workable protocols in infectious disease prevention for use in the entertainment industry.
The historic carriage barn will be restored to host special events in an indoor space for performances, programs, and classes. Four employee residences on site will be reimagined as recording studio cabins which small groups can rent and stay for rest and relaxation with opportunity to create new music in an idyllic setting.
Employment opportunities will be embedded in all activities associated with this project. The main campus needs updating, but it is well laid out and can be easily setup for job training, immersive outdoor education and certificate training in healthcare, the food industry, performing arts and music to provide backup career choices to area musicians while introducing the power of music to area young people now suffering through these pandemic and climate crises.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, local service providers and programs already up and running will be utilized. Students will have the ability to advance their performing arts interests while also learning other life skills needed in today’s world. Students will be recruited and paid wages for on-the-job training and will be awarded “concert bucks” to attend events for learning good work ethics. Working in the Rutland Performing Arts industry will become a viable career option and job opportunity now and for future generations.
All of us are in some way still suffering the consequences of COVID and fear as we witness the shuttering of our culture and values – what we hold dear as humans. Why performing arts? Music heals. Watching and participating in the performing arts makes us happy. Science shows the performing arts can make our children smarter, and our elders can stay more astute as they age. Hundreds of valid research projects already point to music as mental health therapy.
Students participating in the CWC program will be offered a pathway in training, first in medical self-care & family care then onto home care specialist as they advance on a pathway to CNA certification. Students in the performing arts will have a backup plan for employment in the health care industry as well as a career in the performing arts. CWC Programs will be designed to encourage and foster resiliency and positive health outcomes. This Rutland community will figure out how to make the performing arts a safer and healthier endeavor for the artists, the students, the stage crafters as well as their fans.
Current needs
Financials - Estimated Costs
$3.5 million needed to purchase CSJ.
$1.5 million for startup costs.
We are recruiting philanthropist partners to build this coalition. We seek interested residents, entrepreneurs, and civic organizations to come take a seat at the table to help raise the funds necessary to buy this property and make Clement Woods Cooperative a reality.
We will establish the legal structure of CWC with use of a Tax Attorney and a CPA to create a funding plan which will have tax advantages for both corporations and private philanthropy. Legal partnerships – combined with creation of 501c3 – will allow additional organizations to be invited to come onboard in development of Clement Woods Cooperative.
For more information, please reach out to Kathleen Krevetski at 802-779-1485, or email us at [email protected].
