The old sawmill at 213 Robinson St. in downtown Wakefield needs work.
The building — more than a century old — is showing the effects of years
of neglect. The yellow paint is peeling badly. Shingles are torn. Windows are
broken. An old couch sits outside the building — next to a rusted desk
Your Business Has Gone Global. Has Your Insurance?
A decade ago, “doing business internationally” was mostly a large-company concern. Today, a manufacturer in…
Learn More
But there are signs of life.
In recent weeks, huge Dumpsters were being filled with refuse. The old sawmill
is being gutted.
Someone has a lot of work ahead of them.
That someone is Howard Goldsmith. Goldsmith believes he is just the man to
resurrect the old sawmill. He is convinced enough to have started a company,
Sawmill, LLC. A real estate developer and Providence native who has lived in
South Kingstown for two decades, Goldsmith is renovating 213 Robinson St. Goldsmith
believes downtown Wakefield — with an eclectic mix of small businesses and
ample supply of restaurants — can follow in the footsteps of Wickford, the
popular historic village in the heart of North Kingstown. The old sawmill, he
said, is an integral part of making that happen. Goldsmith plans to completely
overhaul the property, making room for office space, retail tenants, and an
artists’ loft on the third floor.
“It’s all post and beam,” said Goldsmith. “The interior is in good shape, the
exterior needs a lot of work. We’re going to leave it as natural as possible.”
Goldsmith will build to suit the needs of tenants. He does not expect to have
trouble finding the five or six small businesses he will need to make the project
a success. He may be on to something. Membership in the South Kingstown Chamber
of Commerce has soared in recent years — with many of the new members being
among the scores of one and two-person businesses springing up in South County.
Carol Wilcox, executive director of the South Kingstown Chamber of Commerce,
calls Goldsmith’s plans a “step in the right direction.”
“It’s nice to see that the building is not going to be razed,” Wilcox said.
“It is wonderful that he (Goldsmith) is willing to put the time and money into
the building.”
The plan to rehabilitate 213 Robinson St. couldn’t come at a better time for
the Wakefield business district. Earlier this year the street’s anchor, the
U.S. Post Office building, closed. The federal government turned a vacant former
Almacs store on Route 108 into a glistening new full-service post office and
retail operation. That solved a problem on Route 108, but created one on Robinson
Street. The old post office drew people downtown on a daily basis. When it closed,
some long-time resident were up in arms. They called post office officials to
complain. They wrote letters to the local newspaper. The businesses located
across the street from the old post office — including Mom & Pop’s Bookstore,
Appetite’s Deli, and the landmark Healy New Stand — enjoyed the pedestrian
traffic it created.
The future of the old post office is up in the air, but like the old sawmill,
it may someday be home to small businesses of its own. South Kingstown Town
Manager Stephen A. Alfred said the federal government needs to do an appraisal
on the property and then offer it to federal agencies, then state agencies and
then to the town, before it can officially be put on the market. Ultimately,
Alfred expects that a private developer will purchase the property. The town,
he said, is not interested.
“At this point, I am not aware of any federal, state, or municipal interest
in the property,” Alfred said. “They look at it as federal surplus and so they
want fair market value. It’s not like they are looking to give it away for a
nickel.”
The concern among some in Wakefield is that the fate of the post office property
will not be decided quickly. Toni Owens, co-owner of Appetites, isn’t holding
her breath for the old post office building to have new life.
“The only problem with the post office is that you can bet the federal government
will drag its feet,” she said.
Goldsmith, who long ago sold surfboards in the area, is less concerned with
the old post office, and more concerned about his own property. Located five
minutes from South County’s beautiful beaches and five minutes from Route 1
and its easy access to Providence and other points north, Goldsmith has in 213
Robinson St. what a real estate developer needs more than everything else —
location. He also has town officials on his side.
“The town has made a concerted effort through zoning to keep businesses downtown,”
said Goldsmith.”
Other business owners in the area are rooting for Goldsmith. Owens’ deli can
only benefit from an increase in small businesses in the area. Appetites does
well mornings, with fresh baked muffins, pastries and coffee, as well as for
lunch. Owens is all for sprucing up the neighborhood.
“That building has been an eyesore for so long, it’s nice they are cleaning
it up,” Owens said.
