East Monitor Barn Restoration

The first phase of restoration is complete on Vermont Youth Conservation Corp’s historic East Monitor Barn in Richmond, VT. The East Monitor Barn was built in 1901 and is one of the few remaining large-scale dairy barns of its time. VYCC acquired the barn and surrounding land in 2008, at which time it was already in need of restoration. In addition to saving an icon of Vermont’s landscape, restoring the barn is critical to strengthening VYCC’s growing programs in the years to come.

Great news: the East Monitor Barn is once again plumb and straight!

At 54 feet wide, 112 feet long, and nearly 70 feet tall, the East Monitor Barn is the largest structure on the VYCC campus and is prominently visible from Route 2 and Interstate 89. It is a “bank barn,” built into a hill at its northern end, allowing grade entry into three of four levels of the building.

Over time, the north retaining wall had shifted south toward Route 2, causing the entire building to list forward. In 2023, Building Heritage and partners lifted the barn, repaired timbers and walls at the lower levels, restored the foundation, and set it back down again. On the southern end, we recreated the barn’s original central entrance.

Below, please find detailed accounts and photos of restoration efforts to date on our blog.

Eliot Lothrop of Building Heritage is the lead restorationist for this project. While the task of restoring this immense structure is daunting, we have a shovel-ready plan. We’ll start by lifting the upper floors off of the stock and ground level floors. This will relieve pressure, allowing us to lay a new foundation and restore timbers as needed.

On the northern end, we will stabilize the soil to reduce southward pressure. This will also allow us to install insulation, a vapor barrier, and drainage systems. On the southern end, we will recreate the barn’s original central entrance.

Eliot Lothrop of Building Heritage remains the lead restorationist for this project. In phase two, our focus is on the upper two stories of the barn and the roof. The original slate roof and flashing has seen little to no maintenance besides emergency repairs since the barn was built.

We will perform major timber repairs on the main roof, particularly on the north and east sides of the building. Jeff Spencer and the crew at Stewardship Slate will repair sheathing and slate along the length of the monitor roof.

The restoration of the East Monitor Barn is supported in part by a Save America’s Treasures grant from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service. This project is also supported in part by many individuals, foundations, and corporations who share our vision for historic preservation and expanded programming. Your tax-deductible gift to the VYCC will help ensure a functional, vibrant, and lasting space in which youth and young adults will learn vital skills, while supporting Vermont’s natural environment and its residents.

Curious about construction updates, latest news, and partner features? See our blog posts below. We'll continue adding updates as the restoration progresses.

To learn more about Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, visit vycc.org.

To discover more about the restoration, contact Eliot Lothrop of Building Heritage via email Eliot@BuildingHeritage.com or phone at (802) 598–9344.

To inquire more about the purpose of the restoration, contact Breck Knauft, VYCC Executive Director, via email at breck.knauft@vycc.org or phone at (802) 598-6386.

East Monitor Barn: April 2024 Construction Updates

May 6, 2024

Phase Two of restoration kicked off April 9, 2024. Work is happening on the ground (improving drainage) and in the air (stripping slate). Find details, photos, and introductions to two new team members in this post.

East Monitor Barn: November & December Construction Updates

January 10, 2024

It’s a new year, and the East Monitor Barn is looking newer by the day! Since lowering the barn back onto the restored foundation, the restoration team has added steel reinforcement, reframed a large portion of the lower walls, and much more…

Lowering the East Monitor Barn

October 24, 2023

After three months defying gravity atop 164,000 pounds of steel I-beams, the roughly 500,000-pound East Monitor Barn touched down onto a restored foundation not long ago! In between our last update and lowering the barn, the restoration team completed finishing touches.