THE I-195 REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT Commission approved a $3 million purchase and sale agreement with the developers behind a new bank headquarters and apartment project in Fox Point in October. Marc Crisafulli, the new commission chairman, says he wants to focus on commercial developments such as this. / RENDERING COURTESY PERKINS EASTMAN
New I-195 Redevelopment District Commission Chairman Marc Crisafulli told Providence Business News recently he wants to see the panel focus less on residential properties. “I really want to try and get back to the roots of the mission of the commission, focus on economic and commercial development,” said Crisafulli, who retired last fall as president of…
What you have here is an example of “playing to the choir” rather than providing any insightful, realistic, and broader vision of how these parcels of land fit into the entire concept of downtown Providence. So the complaints voiced by NIMBY type critics have registered with the new Commission Chairman so he is now claiming a new direction. Really. Does the Commission have the people resources and budget to actively go after commercial projects in a development mode. How does this mesh with the responsibilities and efforts of the RI Commerce Corp.?
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What you have here is an example of “playing to the choir” rather than providing any insightful, realistic, and broader vision of how these parcels of land fit into the entire concept of downtown Providence. So the complaints voiced by NIMBY type critics have registered with the new Commission Chairman so he is now claiming a new direction. Really. Does the Commission have the people resources and budget to actively go after commercial projects in a development mode. How does this mesh with the responsibilities and efforts of the RI Commerce Corp.?
Richard, I couldn’t agree more with your assessment. The market should determine best use of the land.