5Q: Robert C. Davis | Chairman, I-195 Redevelopment District Commission
1. What are your hopes for the remaining 9 acres still available for development, and what’s your message to developers about the opportunities within the district? The district is poised to site the burgeoning life sciences sector in Providence. As we work with developers, we are encouraging them to look at our ideal location and its supporting infrastructure and the quality of life in Rhode Island.
2. Can you tell us about your background as a partner for a Boston law firm and how that prepared you for your role on the commission? I was a partner at the Boston firm of Goulston & Storrs. I represented clients in all phases of real estate development, including permitting, acquisition, leasing, construction and financing. This experience has been very beneficial to me in evaluating proposals and in the negotiation of terms on which the commission makes its real estate available for development.
3. What have been some of the biggest challenges overseeing the district? At times I think critics have not viewed the district holistically and their narrative of “we just need a corporate headquarters” or “we don’t need any more apartments” fails to recognize that there is no one element that creates an ideal district. The highway was dismantled, and the land was improved to create an economic driver for Providence and for the state.
4. What are your thoughts on the proposals for the six-story properties on Parcel 2 along South Water Street? The commission received three qualified responses to the RFP [request for proposals] for Parcel 2. We are getting input from our design and financial consultants, as well as input from the public. We will take this information and look at the rubric and decide which proposals, if any, suit what we seek for Parcel 2.
5. What’s your response to critics who say the district has strayed from its original goal of developing the land for high-tech businesses and science companies and has now become mostly housing developments? The mission of the commission is: “To foster economic development on Rhode Island’s 195 land and beyond and generate job creation opportunities that embrace the city’s demographics by creating an environment that encourages high-value users to build well-designed structures that enhance the value of surrounding neighborhoods and augment the sense of place.” We continue to seek development that will contribute to our mission.
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.