A new attempt to breathe life into R.I.’s main streets

Correction at 11 a.m. on July 7.

Christopher Allen

07/04/2025

READY TO HELP: Jillian Finkle, deputy director for Grow Smart Rhode Island, will be helping to oversee a three-year pilot program focused on revitalizing the state’s Main Streets, such as the commercial corridor along Dexter Street in Central Falls, where Finkle is pictured.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

The colloquial “Main Streets” are vital for community cohesion and small-business growth. Yet, these areas don’t develop naturally, and many local commercial corridors struggle to reach their full potential. This year, the General Assembly approved legislation allocating $125,000 to fund a one-year pilot program managed by Grow Smart Rhode Island and modeled after the Connecticut

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