Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr., D-Warwick, late in the General Assembly session this year introduced legislation that would preserve the open space of the Statehouse grounds. It would prohibit development of lands contiguous to the Statehouse unless authorized by the General Assembly.
The origin of the legislation was a revised proposal by the R.I. Department of Transportation that could use a portion of the Statehouse lawn for development of the Providence Intermodal Transportation Center, which is a transit hub to include interconnectivity with rail, transit and pedestrian services.
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PBN: What happened to the bill?
SOLOMON: Because the article came out toward the end of the session … I introduced the bill after the deadline with the Speaker’s approval. Unfortunately, it wasn’t posted for a committee hearing. It was late in the process. I was made aware of the state’s efforts. Many of my colleagues weren’t even aware.
PBN: Where would they put the center?
SOLOMON: That was my concern. The way they were talking about it definitely left it open. I was concerned something could happen quickly, especially when we went out of session, that the General Assembly wouldn’t have any input on.
PBN: Why is it so critical to retain the Statehouse lawn?
SOLOMON: I look at something [such as] the Boston Common or the Public Gardens, and I think of those areas. Sure, that’s prime real estate. You could put up a bus hub and you could make more use of it, but down the road you’ll never have that back.
PBN: Is your concern that any structure could overwhelm the Statehouse?
SOLOMON: We have the Statehouse, with beautiful grounds, that we need to preserve for generations to come. It has historical significance.
PBN: Are you in favor of creating an intermodal center but just don’t like the location encroaching on the Statehouse lawn?
SOLOMON: I would have to look at the proposal first. There should be some input. I just don’t want to see the [R.I.] Department of Administration unilaterally taking away Statehouse land for another purpose. There may be a better area for which the project would be suited.
Mary MacDonald is a PBN staff writer. Email her at MacDonald@PBN.com, or you can follow her on Twitter @MaryF_MacDonald.
