on Watch Hill.
Long-considered “sleeper towns,” many South County communities are coming alive with development — and with many projects still on drawing boards, some local planners think it’s just beginning.
South Kingstown alone has three major projects in the works, the Village at South County Commons, along with a new Convocation Center and ongoing dorm and business school renovations at the University of Rhode Island; the town of Exeter, along with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, is redeveloping the former Ladd School center off Route 2; North Kingstown is eyeing development of Quonset Point/Davisville along with further expansion of business along Post Road. Home Depot has already broken ground on its new facility in town; Richmond recently announced plans to develop a 500-acre parcel of land off Stilson Road into a mixed-use facility; and Westerly is developing plans for a new Home Depot and the renovation of the historic Ocean House in Watch Hill.
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“We definitely aren’t sleeper towns anymore,” said Joseph Lombardo, who serves as the town planner for Westerly and the part-time planner in Richmond. “There is a lot more going on here than meets the eye.”
In fact, most of the projects are still in the development phase and have yet to receive approval from their respective councils and planning boards. But for a town like Exeter, where development seems to be inevitable, the process of planning ahead has become a number one priority.
“We seemed to be an untapped resource,” said George Caldow, part-time planner. “We are a rural area with a lot of land available right now located between Route 2 and 95. Add to that Route 2 running right through the center of town and we seem to a prime spot.”
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation thinks so. It has selected the 331-acre campus of the former Ladd School as the site for a new research and technology park that EDC officials believe could bring 3,000 new jobs and result in a 33 percent reduction in the town’s tax rate.
“The rural character of (Exeter) is something I hold near and dear to my heart,” said Kenneth Fernstom, president of the Exeter Town Council during a recent interview. “But you have to learn to move on to some degree. You have to look at the whole picture and not just what’s happening now. It’s certainly an addition to the tax base for both the town and the state.”
The current plan for the site, one of six presented to the town, is still under advisement
Also before the Exeter Planning Board is a smaller commercial development at the former Harbor Shellfish site also on Route 2.
“It not as major as the Ladd School, but they are doing a development plan review for three or four commercial buildings and several lots,” Caldow said.
A neighbor of Exeter, North Kingstown is also working with the EDC in the development of Quonset Point/Davisville. The 3,000-acre former U.S. Navy base has been the focus of a number of plans, including a proposed deep-water container port. Though the port plan is being redeveloped North Kingstown Director of Planning Marilyn Cohen said there are other projects being discussed for the property including a hotel.
“The focus of that area is definitely industrial,” she said. In fact, she added, the town has recently changed its zoning laws so that no new buildings over 50,000 square feet can be built anywhere but Quonset Point and Post Road. The one exception, she said, is the construction of a Home Depot adjacent to Route 4.
“That is a 120,000-square foot building on only 15 acres,” she said. “It was planned before our new zoning went into effect.”
One of the larger proposed projects in South County is along Stilson Road in Richmond. According to Lombardo, the proposed development of 550 acres could result in a variety of commercial uses. The plan was expected to be unveiled to the public on Wednesday, November 29.
“It’s an existing sand and gravel operation,” Lombardo said. “The owner approached the town in partnership to come up with a master plan for the property. Right now we are looking at infrastructure needs for water and sewer. But I can tell you we are looking at a variety of uses including some residential, a corporate campus, light manufacturing, and assisted living.”
According to Lombardo, Stilson Road has become a hot spot for development over the past few years because of its location adjacent to Route 95. The area has seen a series of commercial developments from a Stop and Shop to a car wash over the past year, and according to Lombardo the next major development could be a 200-room hotel.
South Kingstown is experiencing a similar kind of growth with the development of The Village at South County Commons along Route 1/Tower Hill Road. Heavily protested by residents and local business owners, the development calls for the creation of mixed-use facility that would include a movie theatre, office space and some residential homes. In all, 86 acres has been approved by the town council and planning board for development and according to the town planner, Anthony Lachowicz, the new development could mean close to $700,000 in annual tax revenues for the town.
“When we did the comprehensive plan in 1993 we realized that less than one half of one percent of available land in the town was zoned for commercial use,” Lachowicz said in a previous interview. “The town decided then that they didn’t want to stop future commercial development. Instead, they decided the best thing to do was to limit it to one area.”
South Kingstown residents are also bracing for the construction of a new Convocation Center at the University of Rhode Island. The $54-million project is the largest building endeavor ever at URI, and the official groundbreaking was held in October of this year. The new center is expected to host school basketball games and other athletic contests as well as alumni events, concerts and major cultural events. The overall project also includes a separate $12 million ice skating rink.
The URI campus will also be home to another major construction project – the renovation of Ballentine Hall, home of the university’s College of Business Administration. The project includes a 10,000 square foot addition as well as complete renovations to the interior and exterior of the building.
A Home Depot is also being proposed in Westerly, along Routes 1 and 78, Lombardo said. In addition, a major assisted living housing development could be constructed right off Shore Road. According to Lombardo, the assisted housing plan is a good one for Westerly because it could mean the preservation of 140 acres of open space.
“The family is selling the developer close to 175 acres,” he said. “But in turn, the developer has agreed to donate the bulk of the site – close to 140 acres – to the Westerly Land Trust. “
Developers are also seeking approval to renovate one of the town’s historic buildings – the Ocean House in Watch Hill. According to Lombardo, the multi-million project will mean 55 new rooms and the construction of villa cottages along the shore facing the ocean, a new restaurant and a pool.
“The hotel has been scaled down for a number of years,” he said. “This will mean a revitalization.”
In all, planners agree, this is only the beginning for South County.
“It definitely appears that a lot of larger developers are moving south,” Cohen said.
As a result, other towns are following North Kingstown’s example, updating zoning laws and comprehensive plans.
“The concerns are fairly universal,” Caldow said. “What’s happening is the same thing that’s happening all around South County. There are concerns about preserving rural character, preserving our schools and at the same time stabilizing our tax base. To balance them all is the trick and everyone is trying.”
