New Building & Demolition Proposals
#On The Boards
The City maintains an ArcGIS map with projects under review and completed that is worth checking out.
#As many as 326 units at 27 East River Street
A vacant 88,000 sf parcel along the Seekonk River and East River Street has a proposal for a seven story, 326 unit apartment building with 163 parking spaces. The proposal won “by-right” approval from the City Plan Commission with some requested adjustments. “By-right” means the proposal meets all zoning and code enforcement policies and these projects do not require approval from the Providence City Council.
Councilman John Goncalves is holding a community meeting to solicit feedback on the proposal, and his recent newsletter informed constituents of the proposal. It included such details as:
- Project Overview: The proposed $90 million+ development is a 7-story, 326-unit multifamily residential building with 163 internal parking spaces. The property is in the W-1 zoning district, which allows multifamily use by legal right. The project sought dimensional adjustments, including a height increase from the permitted 75 feet to 90 feet and a 50% reduction in required parking (from 326 to 163 spaces). These adjustments were granted by the CPC with specific conditions.
- Environmental Impact and Landscaping: The development will include a 25-foot-wide landscape buffer at the rear, featuring a public walking/bike path and access to a kayak launch along the river. The applicant has also submitted a drainage plan for stormwater runoff, but the DPD advises that a sediment and erosion control plan should be provided before final approval.
- Traffic and Parking: Ingress and egress will be provided via East River Street. The DPD highlighted the need for a traffic study to assess the impact on the street’s safety and flow, especially given the site’s location on a rising grade. The study should also assess the visibility and safety of the loading zone and the adequacy of the 163 proposed parking spaces, with a condition that additional parking spaces be identified off-site if necessary.
- Dimensional Adjustments: The project sought and was granted dimensional adjustments by the CPC for both height and parking. These adjustments were approved by the CPC with conditions, including the requirement for a traffic study, CRMC input, additional community outreach, and the identification of off-site parking if necessary.
His newsletter goes on to say, and we largely agree and echo these statements:
Given the housing crisis, there’s a diversity of opinions about these kinds of developments in our neighborhood. Some residents emphasize the need for more housing and welcome the increased density, while others raise concerns about the project’s height, parking, and impact on neighborhood character. Balancing these perspectives is essential as we move forward with addressing both immediate housing needs and long-term community goals.
#Large lot at 64 Angell Street to get Four More Homes
Update
The proposal was voted down and removed from consideration.
Posted May 2024
On Wednesday, May 15, the Historic District Commission (HDC) reviewed plans presented by the Providence Group (Dustin Dezube, Managing Partner) to subdivide an almost 30,000 sf lot at 64 Angell Street in five parcels. The historic Captain George Benson House (1794) occupies the center of the large lot and would remain in place, while four additional single family homes would be constructed at each corner.
The property is in the city’s College Hill Local Historic District and the federally designated College Hill National Register District. According to existing zoning law, the lot can be subdivided by right as long as each property is at least 5000 sf.
HDC staff’s preliminary opinion states one house at the northwest corner would be appropriate, houses at the southwest and northeast corners would be possible, and a fourth house on the southeast corner is problematic. The meeting on May 15 heard an advisory opinion from the Providence Historic District Commission and public comment.
#30-story tower proposed next to the Hilton Hotel
Posted May 2024
A proposed 216-unit, 30-story tower received an approval from the Downtown Design Review Committee in May. Only three members were present of the six, and the vote was 2-1. The project will not need to go before the committee again, as this approval cleared the way for final approval to rest with city officials.
The tower has been proposed by Procaccianti Companies who owns the Hilton Hotel next door and built the Residences tower down the street next to the Omni hotel.
The building would be constructed over a parking garage with 248 spaces. There is an existing parking garage on site now and a one-story hotel addition housing a ballroom. The architect is ZDS Architecture. The building would feature “upscale units.”
Full story and renderings at the Providence Journal, “This new condo high rise could go up in downtown Providence. Here’s everything to know.”
Interestingly, this proposal mirrors some of the same ideas for a massive tower project dubbed The Power Block that was never built on a lot next door.
#251-269 Wickenden Street
Moved most of this information to a #DemolitionAlert post for the properties at 249 through 265.
Update October 2024
No new construction progress has been made.
Update November 4, 2023
On Tuesday, October 17, the City Plan Commission approved an updated Master Plan proposal. This design has substantially changed; the facade has been broken up into three distinct sections and the residential-unit count increased from 62 to 75 while commercial and parking space decreased. The fifth story was hidden as requested by the Commission in order to grant the additional story, with a denied request to encroach on a 20-foot rear setback by 10 feet. The approval came with many conditions, including a request for further details on the transformer’s location; a recommendation that the loading space for parking remains; and requested specifications related to the cellar, landscaping, floor plans, drainage management and signage, all to be presented at the proposal’s next step, Preliminary Planning.
Update August 22, 2023
William Morgan weighs in with this GoLocal recent article.
Update August 16, 2023
The City Plan Commission approved the plan for this new building after the developer made slight modifications to the design. Even though most of the 60 citizens who packed the meeting opposed the development, the CPC has a history of agreeing with developers who are making an investment in the city. They push back some, but not enough most of the time, and do not always consider public opinion. Granted, some of that opinion might be NIMBY, but many people presented salient points about the design, the increase in density, and the historic and relatively untouched nature of the neighborhood.
#Proposed demolition of Mount Pleasant High School
Update October 2024
Plans for demolition have been scaled back and a hybrid approach now has the most support, where the facade remains and much of the rear of the building (the gym and auditorium) may be rebuilt.
Update November 20, 2023
The initial September 15 deadline for Mount Pleasant High School was only the first of three steps of the “Necessity of School Construction” application process. The next steps are the Stage II application, due on February 15, 2024, and City Council approval, to occur in May 2024. Once these steps are complete, the plans will enter a Design Review process. While a full renovation is off the table, hybrid options are being considered. PPS will continue to advocate for a Mount Pleasant that retains its facade, as supported by many community members, students and faculty.
Previous News
The Providence Public School Department is considering whether to knock down Mount Pleasant High School in favor of constructing a cheaper alternative. The district has been under state control since 2019, and touched on three proposals for the school during a community hearing.
The first proposal recommends renovating the existing building, while the second suggests knocking it down and building a new one in its place. The final proposal is a combination of the first two, with a portion of the school being torn down to make room for a new build. Saving the building and upgrading it would create a $80 million budget shortfall, while new construction is more cost-effective.
The details of the proposals were scant, with no mention of the interior design or classroom models of each proposal. It was also unclear if the budgetary shortfall was created because of the costs associated with maintenance vs. the temporary savings of not having large maintenance projects associated with a new building for a few years.
A portion of this decision to demolish seems self-inflicted, in our opinion. RIDE and the school takeover administration cut repair funding from $26.5M to $3.6M which likely created a demolition by neglect scenario.
#Parcel 2
On Wednesday, May 17, Urbanica Inc. presented their new concept proposal for Parcel 2. This design now features two buildings, scaled at 3, 4, and 5 stories with the 3-story portions facing South Main Street and the height increasing towards the south and the waterfront. The Providence Preservation Society commends the collaboration with the State Historic Preservation Office and Urbanica to create a more balanced proposal for the parcel.
#I-195 Land Parcels 14 and 15
Update April, 2023
Excerpted from Beth Comery for the Providence Daily Dose:
Boston-based CV Properties wants to develop an apartment building on the west side of the Providence River, north of the parcel that was recently in the news. My immediate reaction? I don’t hate it. The image featured here shows the first phase; below is an aerial image of the eventual master plan comprising three buildings. From the Boston Globe:
CV Properties submitted their proposal to the 195 Redevelopment District Commission and company representatives will present their plans during a meeting on April 19. The proposal, which was shared with the Globe on Wednesday, includes plans for a 149-unit residential building to anchor Parcels 14 and 15 along Dyer Street. The proposal also outlines the firm’s plans for an adjacent parcel of land owned by Brown University.
The public is invited to comment at the next regular meeting of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission to be held in District Hall on Dyer Street. The public comment session follows opening remarks by Chairperson Crisafulli.
Members of the public should sign-up to speak during the general public comment session via email at questions@195district.com. Comments will be limited to 3 minutes per person. Download the agenda and supplemental materials for the April 19 meeting at Commission Meeting Documents.
#311 Knight Street
Update October 2024
No progress has been made.
Update Nov 12, 2022
A five-story, 41-unit apartment building will be coming to Providence’s West End reads the headline from the Providence Journal. This building is another design from ZDS Architects.
Construction is supposed to start in late 2022. The three lots of this location were the former M.N. Cartier & Sons and a car lot on the corner next door. Older renderings are available as presented to the City Plan Commission in July of 2021.
#230 Waterman St
Update October 2024
The building this new development was supposed to demolish is still there and no progress has been made.
- Update December 8, 2022
- Added a page for the property in #DemolitionAlert and UsedToBeThere.
- Update Nov 22, 2022
- On November 15, the City Plan Commission unanimously approved the demolition of 230 Waterman Street, stating that there are no protections for this 1892 funeral home. In response to PPS’ comments, the developer stated that “incorporation of the existing building would be impossible.” PPS was alone in opposing the demolition. The new building will host a ground-floor commercial unit and three floors with 12 residential units. We will continue to watch this developing project.
- Update Nov 12, 2022
- Myles Standish Associates on behalf of Capstone Properties is proposing the demolition of an existing 1892 building at 230 Waterman Street in Wayland Square (Google Streetview)— the former Monahan Drabble Sherman Funeral Home and location of McBride’s Pub.
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The existing preliminary plans have been posted for public review. Outright demolition of the property seems unnecessary, and a more imaginative design could incorporate it. The current design is a bland and basic-looking four story condo that looks more like a cheap hotel. At least 77 South Angell Street (Google Streetview), just outside Wayland Square, is a more intersting condo building with real brick and stone exterior finishes.
More advocacy news at the Providence Preservation Society.