EAST PROVIDENCE – An 8-acre property with frontage on Newport Avenue but which backs up to a single-family neighborhood has been rezoned to allow new construction of three apartment buildings and two smaller commercial buildings.
The apartment buildings will be four stories each, a height which angered several residents of the area, who spoke at a City Council meeting on Sept. 1. The site now is zoned for commercial use. It is bounded by Newport Avenue, Moore Street and New Avenue.
Antonio Rubin, who lives a few streets over, said he would be able to see a four-story building from his window. “Would any of you want to live next to that?” he said. The proposed buffer of mature trees between the development site and the neighborhood – 30 feet – is not sufficient, he said. “Thirty feet is nothing.”
Another resident, Dustin Oerman, said he worried about traffic through the residential streets, as people try to get away from Newport Avenue, as well as property values. “If your house is looking at a four-story building, your house is not going to be worth as much,” he said.
The apartment buildings will contain 152 units. The commercial buildings will likely be a convenience store and gas station, and a grocery store of 19,000 square feet, according to the plans.
The applicant is Schiavo Enterprises Real Estate Development.
The attorney representing the company is Joseph Shekarchi.
Initially, the council voted against an amendment to allow the city’s comprehensive plan to accommodate the mixed-use development. But Councilman Ricardo Mourato changed his vote after the city solicitor told the council it was allowed to change the comprehensive plan for individual sites.
With that vote, as well as a rezoning to allow mixed-use, the project will be able to move forward to the city’s Planning Board for further review.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at MacDonald@PBN.com.
