A downtown property owner has put the kibosh on a small piece of the state’s Route 195 relocation plan.
The state wanted to buy approximately 9,000 square feet of land on the west side of the Providence River – opposite South Water Street – to construct a river walk that would be a connection to the Heritage Harbor Museum. However, the land’s owner RB Realty felt the state was not giving the company a good enough deal, so they backed out of the project.
The land was appraised by the state at $900,000. The state offered RB Realty a lower amount and an offer to swap 4,000 square feet of land nearby.
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"It was not a desirable piece of land (that was offered by the state)," said RB General Partner Richard Baccari. "My position was either they should pay in cash and negotiate a settlement or leave us alone."
The project also would have extended Peck Street toward the water.
"I understood the need for it," said Baccari. "It’s a great piece of property and we’ll continue to look at our various options for the land."
Although not a critical component to the relocation of the roadway, the land – referred to as "contract three" in the relocation project – was a flourish to the beautification process of Providence. Because of the failure to reach an agreement on the land, the state has decided to redesign a portion of its plan to save money.
"I’m confident there will be no increase in cost," said Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director William D. Ankner. He added that the asking price of RB Realtors would have "significantly increased" the cost for contract three.
However, the shift in focus on the project will cause an increase in time spent planning. Ankner estimated the redesign in that area will be delayed two to three years, because the new design calls for use of land that the Narragansett Bay Commission is currently working on.
Ankner said the setback would not affect the overall relocation project, just the river walk.
"Contract three is the only one where we hit a snag," he said.
