Sunday, July 29, 2018

Providence redevelopment plan stalls amid community concern

By: Dan McGowan,  WPRI
Posted: Jul 10, 2018 11:25 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 11, 2018 11:24 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – A proposal to redevelop 233 acres of mostly industrial land along the Woonasquatucket River in Providence was met with sharp criticism Tuesday evening from business owners and residents who raised concerns about whether the city will seize their properties.

Repeated assurances were offered by city planning director Bonnie Nickerson that the proposal focuses on “public improvements to public property” and will not result in private properties being taken by eminent domain. But that did little to dissuade dozens of opponents who turned out for a public hearing in City Hall in front of the City Council Committee on Urban Redevelopment, Renewal and Planning (URRP)…

Nickerson agreed to conduct more outreach and return with an amendment that removes eminent domain language from the proposal.

Full Story

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Providence seeks to borrow $160M for school repairs

By: Dan McGowan 
Posted: Jul 19, 2018 02:50 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 19, 2018 03:23 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Providence leaders are racing to add a question to the November ballot that would ask city voters for approval to borrow $160 million for school repairs over the next several years.

The bond question, which didn’t come to light until Thursday, will be introduced at Monday’s City Council meeting. In order to appear on the ballot, it must be approved before Aug. 8, which gives the council just over two weeks to vet the proposal.

Full Story

Monday, July 16, 2018

City Council Ordinance Committee hearing on Fane Tower zoning change 7/18


The City Council Ordinance Committee will hold a public hearing on the Fane luxury skyscraper proposal on Wednesday, July 18th at 5:30pm in the City Council Chamber (City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street, Third Floor).

Emily Martineau, City Council Chief of Staff at emartineau@providenceri.gov 
Chair Terrence Hassett at Ward12@providenceri.com.

A Towering Debate
By Dan McGowan
for the Eastside Monthly
Posted June 25, 2018

Excerpt
Fane already has an agreement in place to buy the land from the state for about $3 million, but he needs the City Council’s help. The maximum height for a building allowed in the location he wants to build is 130 feet, well short of the 500 feet he currently envisions. The City Plan Commission has already voted against recommending a zoning change, but the council has the final say. The proposal is currently before the council’s Ordinance Committee.




Monday, July 2, 2018

Here's the scoop on every Providence City Council race in 2018

By: Dan McGowan 
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)
Posted: Jun 28, 2018 12:11 AM EDT
Updated: Jun 28, 2018 09:44 PM EDT

Forty residents from across the city filed paperwork to run for one of the council's 15 seats, including 13 incumbents who are asking voters in their respective neighborhoods to re-elect them to another four-year term.

There are 33 Democrats and seven independents vying for positions on the council, but no Republicans announced plans to run by Wednesday’s filing deadline. (A member of the GOP hasn’t been elected to the council since 1986.) Candidates need to turn in enough signatures by July 16 to make the ballot.

So who is running and what are the key races to watch? Here’s an overview.


Sunday, July 1, 2018

Brownfields as Land Reuse for Building Better Communities

Tuesday, July 17 at 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Navigant Credit Union - 693 Broad Street, Central Falls, RI 02863

The City of Central Falls Office of Planning and Economic Development along with New Jersey’s Institute of Technology TAB Team and Grow Smart RI have teamed up to host a free seminar on
Brownfields and how to effectively manage them in your community!

The workshop is open to planners, developers, community members, or anyone interested in the development of brownfields sites in Rhode Island.

For more information and to Register