[Summit] Rochambeau

[Gayle Gifford]

Let me say that I, too,  have loved walking by the property, loved the
mystery of it, and the concept of it.  

 

But I also consult on business plan and fundraising development for
nonprofit organizations, including land trusts, historic houses, and am
somewhat familiar with other estates.

 

Here are some things to consider:

 

The $5million price tag should not at all be out of reach for Blackstone
area residents. However, I'm pretty sure the city cannot afford to take on
the maintenance of another major park. So if the neighbors are serious about
buying the property, it should come with a significant endowment to allow
for ongoing maintenance of any buildings, gardens, landscapes, etc.   The
property could be public, or it could be private, but parks require a big
investment in ongoing stewardship. In some ways, raising the money to
purchase the land is the easy part. How much car traffic from visitors to
the park are neighbors interested in seeing? 

 

Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum  in Bristol, which was saved by
its community supporters, requires full time staff and a huge investment in
weddings and other functions to make its approximately $1.7 m annual budget
work (from its 2013 990). Site rentals bring in about $488,000 a year.
Fundraising more than that. Then there are group tours, etc. Site rentals
are a critical part of the income stream of most historic properties. Is the
neighborhood interested in seeing major weddings or other functions
virtually every weekend in the spring through the fall? With other indoor
functions throughout the year? 

 

While I am also very supportive of urban farming and incubator farms and
model  farms and farming apprenticeships etc. etc, and think that it is an
imperative for our food security, again, I wonder how interested the
neighborhood is in living near all that farming entails (manure, heavy
equipment, dust, maybe animals like chickens and goats)? Just trying to get
community gardens into the area has been a controversy.

 

Gardening/ farming itself is not a lucrative business and places like Stone
Barns and the Intervale Center require a creative mix of market gardens,
other earned revenue streams and  major fundraising to make them work
financially. (And both started with a major philanthropist as investor).

 

The Aperion Institute for Sustainable Living in RI has had a rocky road
finding a financial model that works. 

 

So I would strongly suggest that neighbors do some research on other
properties, develop some business models and check in on the impacts to the
community that those other models might bring. 

 

Gayle L. Gifford, ACFRE

President

 <http://www.ceffect.com/> Cause & Effect Inc. R

401.331.2272

Sharing hope, tips and resources on our blog  <http://www.ceffect.com/blog>
The Butterfly Effect and on Twitter @gaylegifford

 

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