PROVIDENCE – Plans for a six-story addition that would be attached to the back of existing historic properties on Richmond Street once again faced resistance from the Downtown Design Review Committee on Monday evening, as public officials continued to question the aesthetics of the structure and the renderings that were submitted to reflect the proposal.
A vote on the application for design approval for the proposed “Richmond Residences” at 71-85 Richmond St. was ultimately delayed until next month by the Downtown Design Review Committee. But not before about 45 minutes of scrutiny of the latest renderings of the conceptual plans, submitted by the owner, Rhode Island real estate developer Eli N. Schwartz and his architect Monika P. Kraemer.
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Schwartz said he was left with a lack of clarity from the guidance of committee members, stating that their ideals for the building were subjective.
“I don’t feel like I’m involved in a very good bet,” Schwartz said at one point.
Schwartz, along with one of the city’s principal planner’s Christopher Ise who advises the committee, aired their frustrations that the Downtown Design Review Committee is now questioning the massing and height of the building, without offering objections on these matters in the two previous meetings with the developer. The objections over massing and height come after the conversation was focused on the appearance of the façade and the window glazing during a committee meeting on Sept. 13.
“I feel that we have been misled by the committee,” said Schwartz.
“The board met three times and had no issue with the height and massing,” Ise said. “I’m sorry. That’s how it went down. … You have to make a decision on what you want to do. The train has left the station.”
The six-story addition would include 11 apartments, and the structure would be attached flush to the rear of existing two- and three-story properties at 71-73 Richmond St. and 81-85 Richmond St.
Chris Marsella, a general member of the Downtown Design Review Committee, told Schwartz essentially to go back to the drawing board. Marsella said he felt like the proposed building was too tall from the onset, although Schwartz challenged him on that, telling him, “apparently we remember that differently.”
“My recommendation is you need to look at this with completely fresh eyes, from the massing, the façade and the overall personality of the building,” said Marsella, just before the vote to postpone the matter. “None of us are very comfortable with the overall design as a package.”
Marsella said the renderings didn’t reflect the developer’s stated vision of the property, first taking aim at the appearance of the windows that make up the glass exterior, stating that the color was off in the conceptual drawings, while also criticizing the sections of blank wall that also make up part of the façade.
“I’m looking at a building that’s not reflective of not only what you say it is, but what I believe it to be,” he said. “The renderings just aren’t helping. The design isn’t one that is compatible with those existing structures.”
Sharon Steele, president of the Jewelry District Association neighborhood group, joined in on the criticism during a public input section of the meeting.
“This has been painful,” said Steele, criticizing the appearance of the proposed six-story addition. “It’s still a box, which is too tall, attached to the back of a building, crammed into an alley, with a giant blank wall. If that’s as good as we have these days, then I’m sorry to say, we’ve really, really, really missed the mark.”
Toward the end of the meeting, Schwartz offered to alter the massing of the property on the Friendship Street side of the building to ease committee members’ concerns about that. Ultimately, however, Marsella said the committee isn’t going to design the property for Schwartz.
“There are some things we can do,” Schwartz said. “It’s hard to see how to proceed.”
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.
