Little Italy - Piccola Italia

Historical 3D Virtual Recreation:
The Champlain Street Urban Renewal Project
Burlington, Vermont - 1965

Beginning in the early 1900s, this area housed numerous emigrants. Many moved here from Italy with hopes to build better lives. Some worked for the lumber mills and railroad yards that bordered the lake. In the process, they created a community of over 140 homes, lush gardens, thriving businesses, community social centers and Catholic schools and churches.

In the 1960s this area became the center of Vermont’s largest urban renewal project. The final home was razed in 1968. Displaced families were scattered into the outskirts of Burlington. In place of this once vibrant family neighborhood stands a dynamic downtown district, internationally known as a social and economic center of Vermont.

Interactive Map

Colored area represents the buildings that were demolished during the Champlain Street Urban Renewal Project

Click on colored blocks to be able to select specific buildings and see photos, address and additional information.

Augmented Reality - GPS

Using your smartphone's GPS, you can interact with a 3D version of the neighborhood (You must be physically in the area to see buildings)

Download AR Media - Player Application

Download Model

Augmented Reality - Tracker

Using your smartphone or computer, you can interact with detailed 3D models of buildings (You need to print out marker)

Download AR Media - Player Application

Download Model - Little Italy

Download Marker

Exhibits | Collections

People

Bellino's Grocery–1928

Cherry Street Gang

Chi Chi and the Boys

Louis Bove

Monica Farrington

Merola's Closing

Izzo's Market–1930

Izzo's Market

Maiettas

Street Views

Aerial Photography

Future Plans

Initial Proposal

Detail

Secondary Proposal

Burlington Square Plan

Maps

Burlington Construction / Demolition Map 1964

Original plans involved widening parts of North and South Champlain Street and creating a new extension to Grant Steeet that connected to Sherman Street.

Detorioration Map 1965

Sanborn Map–1919

Proposals

Demolition

Churches