PROVIDENCE – The I-195 Redevelopment District Commission granted concept approval for updated plans of Parcels 14 and 15 Wednesday.
The developer, CV Properties LLC, unveiled its third set of designs for the property to the commission during a meeting Wednesday night.
The new plans for the project dubbed “Dyer Wharf” show an additional 16 residential units, for a total of 214 – up from the 149 units that were originally proposed in May 2023. The updated proposal also has about 24,000 square feet of additional space, for a total of 190,000 square feet, and an additional story to bring the height to 12 stories.
Updated plans show a return to the first proposal’s curved facade and a whole new color palette.
In May 2024 CV Properties presented a second round of plans for the project featuring a rectangular building with a blue and gray color palette and balconies. This marked a stark contrast to the first proposal’s light beige color with a twisting structure and rooftop garden.
The newest designs from Boston-based architectural firm SGA show a brick color palette, with a lighter tone used on the upper floors and no resident balconies.
In May 2023, Tim Love of Utile Architecture and Planning, recommended the commission select CV Properties as the preferred developer for the property because of the “strength of the initial proposal.”
Then, in May 2024 Love said the architect had come up with a smart way to reduce the effects of the building’s scale in the second set of plans. But some of the design details were more similar to a commercial or life sciences building, as opposed to a residential building – especially since two commercial buildings will be coming after it.
“I don’t think the broader goals of the design review we’ve been doing is to create a matchy-matchy district where buildings look too much the same,” Love said.
This time around, Love said “several recent target design revisions have improved the overall quality of the project” in a Feb. 11 memo to the commission. However, the consultant offered recommendations for improvements, including how to use massing to maximize outdoor amenity spaces, adding operable windows for residents and making the patio facing the District Park bigger.
Sharon Steele, president of the Jewelry District Neighborhood Association, who previously criticized previous designs said she was pleased with the updated plans.
"We have landed in a wonderful place. It took a lot of collaboration, and for that we are thankful," Steele said, who noted she was using her public comment period to speak on behalf of the group’s architect Lorenzo Apicella as well.
Developers hope to start construction late summer or early fall of this year and the project is expected to take 26 months to complete.
The Providence Downtown Design Review Committee must also offer input because the site includes city land. It was not immediately clear when the plans would be presented again.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com
Sadly I was unable to attend this last I-195 meeting. If I had, I’d have been clear that, despite this design being an improvement on the last, it could and should be better. It is not yet the trophy this site deserves.
Lorenzo Apicella.
JDA Design Representative