NORTH SMITHFIELD – A well-worn example of roadside advertising in Rhode Island could be refreshed and incorporated into plans for a commercial redevelopment on Route 146.
Owners of the “Milk Can” building are planning to repurpose the structure shaped like a farmer’s milk bottle into plans for a new mixed-use development, according to initial plans discussed with the town.
Long vacated, the Milk Can is an example of “mimetic architecture,” a popular method of constructing buildings into unusual shapes, meant to serve as roadside advertising, according to a site description provided to the town of North Smithfield.
Originally a drive-in ice cream stand, the little structure was moved to North Smithfield from Lincoln in the late 1980s, when a highway was built near its original location. It is thought to date to the late 1920s, when these kinds of buildings were popular. Although not included on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s considered architecturally significant, and the owner wants to include it in the new plans as a retail space.
The site is zoned for business highway development, according to town planner Tom Kravitz. It does not have access to municipal water or sewer services.
The property owners recently had a pre-application meeting with the town’s planning board.
Redevelopment plans are conceptual, but according to the site plan, the Milk Can sits among four lots that cover about 5.6 acres. The property owner is discussing a project that could include additional service businesses fronting Route 146 and two mixed-use buildings toward the back.
The existing business owned by the property holder, Lakeside Pool and Supply, would be renovated and remain in operation at its current site.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
