Plans to build a Nordic spa in Burlington’s South End were scuttled last month after developers learned it would be too costly to contend with pollution on the property.

Known as a brownfield, the contaminated lot at 453 Pine Street was meant to become Silt Botanica Bathhouse, a sprawling spa with hot pools, cold plunges and a greenhouse. The state pledged $6 million toward the cleanup.

But recent estimates suggest the work could cost millions more. Unable to find funds to bridge the gap, developers had to pull the plug on the Burlington site. They’re now seeking locations outside the city.



“It’s very, very disappointing, especially so late in the project,” said Jovial King, one of the developers. “But this is a very complex site.”

The property sits next to the Barge Canal, a waterway next to Lake Champlain where workers from a long-gone coal gasification plant dumped tar, cyanide and other pollutants. In the 1980s, federal officials designated a 38-acre area around the canal as a Superfund site, pinning it with strict rules for redevelopment. The lot at 453 Pine is just outside the Superfund boundary but carries similar restrictions that have thwarted previous attempts to build there.

King and her team, which included Higher Ground co-owner Alex Crothers, were undaunted when they announced plans for Silt in 2022. Along with the 30,000-square-foot bathhouse, the project was to include a three-unit commercial building to anchor the lot, which is across from Dealer.com. Plans originally called for a bowling alley, but it was nixed from the design.

A July 2023 report said it would cost just under $6 million to ready the site for development, including removing contaminated soil and installing steel pilings to distribute the buildings’ weight and keep pollutants from seeping to the surface. Contractors, however, estimated the work would cost between $8 million and $10 million after adding in various contingencies.
King’s team attempted to scale down the project and eliminated the commercial building from the plans. They also looked into other funding sources, including loans.

“Everybody tried to pitch in and help solve the issue, but it was just too much,” said Rick Davis, a Stowe developer who has owned 453 Pine and a neighboring lot for about 40 years. King had been under contract to purchase both parcels.

“She had a great team of people working on it,” Davis said. “It just came right down to the wire, and she was just unable to make it work.”

At least in Burlington, anyway. King said she’s still committed to the project but is aware that there are few open lots in the Queen City.

“It's a big disappointment for a lot of people,” said King, who lives in Burlington. “It would have been just amazing for our community and for bringing more tourism to our city.”

As for the state money, it’s still available — but not necessarily for 453 Pine. The funds were returned to the state’s Brownfields Economic Revitalization Alliance, a grant program that gives priority to properties in “key locations” slated for redevelopment.
Graham Bradley, a hazardous site manager who oversees the property for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, said he still believes 453 Pine can be redeveloped.

“It’s just a question of funds,” he said. “I don't really have a feel for developers and how likely it is that someone comes along.”

Nor does Davis, the landowner. He hasn’t re-listed the property but says it’s still for sale, should anyone want to buy it.