John Grosvenor is a principal at Newport Collaborative Architects Inc. The state of Rhode Island recently awarded the firm a contract to prepare architectural renderings of marine facilities and assets as part of Rhode Island’s bid to have the America’s Cup return to Newport in 2013. Grosvenor is the chief architect for the contract that allows up to $20,000 in services. He recently took some time to speak with Providence Business News about the project.
PBN: Can you tell us about what’s involved with the America’s Cup work?
GROSVENOR: The America’s Cup planning is far reaching in that the sailing challenge requires the location of nine to 10 one-acre syndicate camps on deep water clustered in a village concept. This is a multi-year event that brings more than one thousand yachtsman and technicians to Rhode Island, with the event culminating in the fall of 2013. The America’s Cup is estimated to bring several hundred thousand tourists to the region and generate several billion dollars for the state’s economy. The most critical aspect will involve state and federal design review.
Under the leadership of a top-notch committee of sailing, government and business leaders appointed by Governor Carcieri, the design team comprised of Newport Collaborative Architects, Gates Leighton Associates and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin is moving forward with alacrity. We anticipate the permitting issues for both dredging and sewer to be among the most difficult and lengthy to overcome and therefore have narrowed our search to state-owned properties in an effort to accelerate and expedite the permitting process.
It is a tall order, but there is a lot to gain. There will be a huge economic influx of foreign capital and when the event concludes, the state’s entire populous will benefit from the recreational and infrastructure improvements that the event leaves behind.
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PBN: Fort Adams has been mentioned as a possible site to serve as the hub for the Cup. Why there?
GROSVENOR: It appears to be a win-win at Fort Adams where there are 107 acres of parkland with nearly three miles of waterfront property. Additionally the load-bearing masonry fortification (built 1824-1857) has nearly 250,000 square feet of abandoned interior space that encircles a six-acre parade ground.
Fort Adams, which is reputed to be the largest fort of the third-tier system in North America, may actually offer the best opportunities to outfit the next challenge. Not only is there nearly a half-mile of waterfront available on the east side of the peninsula leading to the fort, but when the Cup is away, the improvements will attract other significant sailing events to the site such as the Volvo Ocean Race and future “Around the World Series.”
PBN: Has Newport Collaborative Architects ever done a project like this before?
GROSVENOR: We have designed many master plan developments such as Carnegie Abbey Club in Portsmouth and the North End Plan for Newport and Fort Adams, which are among our most notable award-winning projects. Newport Collaborative Architects’ most recent endeavor has been the Fall River Energy Enterprise (FREE) initiative for Fall River. FREE will replace the spaghetti ramp infrastructure tying Route 79 to Interstate 195 with a tree-lined waterfront boulevard and create a new gateway for the city with a 80-foot high waterfall as the focal piece.
PBN: A lot of architectural firms were craving the project, how did it feel to be the one selected?
GROSVENOR: We are certainly honored to be brought in as the R.I. Economic Development Corporation’s master plan consultant and we are giving it our all. It is a fantastically tight deadline and I am sure that our familiarity of Newport and waterfront projects played strongly in our favor.
PBN: I understand you have an interest in sailing yourself; does that make the project more exciting?
GROSVENOR: Growing up on the water and owning my share of small sailboats does make the America’s Cup master planning even more personal and tantalizing. The initial designs are coming together and they are very exciting for all to consider. The question is to how best wrestle the cup way from Larry Ellison’s hometown of San Francisco? Now is the time for a creative push from all sectors of state government.
