PROVIDENCE – The Providence City Plan Commission is reviewing a proposal for a new five-story building, to be built over three lots in Federal Hill.
The structure would include 36 apartment units, and retail on the first floor. The design would fill in the irregular-shaped lot with a building featuring curved features, according to the initial renderings.
The applicant is K&S Development, with the owners identified as Gary Badessa and Providence Recon Corp., according to Providence Planning Department documents.
The location is the intersection of Knight and Westminster streets, with the lots covering 311 and 321 Knight St. and 1077 Westminster St.
The existing site consists of an older garage and a parking lot. The applicant proposes to demolish the garage and build on-site.
The project will require several waivers, including for less parking than is required under city zoning, and for a taller building. The proposal calls for 26 parking spaces, to be tucked behind the first-floor retail. City zoning requires 36 spaces.
The five-story design is one story higher than allowed under zoning. The building height of 56 feet is 6 feet taller than zoning allows.
The proposed mix of uses is allowed under C-2 zoning.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
Approval of this K&S development proposal should be a no-brainer because of its many positive features. First, it adds an attractive and substantial investment in a non-desript area of city which given Providence’s financial problems is no small item. The advantage of any city is its density and this project makes a strong contribution to density which is the foundation for more diverse retail and improved transportation service to the street. It also supports Providence in its drive to increase the city’s population, an important factor with the upcoming 2020 census and the awarding of federal grants. Finally the quality of the investment is in stark construction to the ugly new two story residential building just across Knight Street. Yes that building fits the scale of the neighborhood and needed no variance or saw no opposition. But is that the vision we want for Providence, a building put up by individuals/organizations, both poor of pocket and poor of taste??