Plans to raze the former Vermont Tap and Die property are inching forward
Plans to raze the former Vermont Tap and Die property are inching forward. According to the state Natural Resources Board, the project’s Act 250 permit application is complete and has advanced to the review process. The Act 250 permit is required for Robert Bosch Tool Corp. to clear the 4-acre lot located at 378 Main St. and for Kennametal to demolish the 93,000-square-foot building that has been vacant since 2014. The District 7 Environmental Commission will review the permit application behind closed doors unless someone with party status provides a reason for a public hearing on or before March 24. Kennametal and Bosch have proposed a 30-week demolition and site restoration process. According to project documents, that would include eight weeks of building demolition, eight to nine weeks of soil restoration, and three weeks of slab removal. Original plans called for Kennametal to begin demolition in the late fall and for Bosch to start site remediation work in late winter or early spring. That timeline has been pushed back. Redevelopment of the site remains an economic development priority for Lyndon. It occupies a prime location with the potential to make a big economic impact. The former Kennametal plant employed 80 until it closed nine years ago.