abandoned market. (Tom Croke)
When Valueland Supermarket at 539 Smith Street in Providence boarded its windows five years ago, its vacant parking lot became what some call an eyesore.
And now that Providence College wants to buy the property, there is a struggle between local elected officials and the college.
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role…
Learn More
Although there is speculation that the college intends to use the area for a new soccer field, Vice President of College Relations and Planning Edward Caron would not elaborate on the specific use until environmental studies are completed. He did, however, confirm that the college sent a letter to the City Planning Department, expressing an interest in the property.
The Providence College campus is located less than a mile from the Valueland site, with much of its property off Eaton Street.
“The main thing is that you’ve got a piece of property that has gone unattended for a number of years and no suitors from a retail point of view have any interest in the property,” said Caron. “Our position was that if we could beautify the property by creating some kind of green space we felt that it was in everybody’s best interest, and at this point our interest is still preliminary interest.”
City Councilman Terrence Hassett, (D- Ward 12) is opposed to the college’s plan. ”Our basic position is that the property is commercial property,” he said. “It’s intentionally there to serve neighborhood needs.”
Providence Planning Director John Palmieri agreed. In a letter to Michael Frazier, vice president of finance and business at Providence College, he said there would need to be amendments to both the city’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance for institutional uses to be permitted on the property — amendments the planning department is not interested in making.
“While proposed uses may be consistent with the college’s mission, they would not be consistent with the city’s mission,” said Palmieri.
State Sen. Maryellen Goodwin (D-Providence) thinks the college should get other things in order before it buys additional land.
“They should take care of the business of good student behavior and the principle of respect before moving into another neighborhood,” she said.
For years, the college and the Elmhurst neighborhood have clashed. Hundreds of Providence College students rent apartments in three-decker homes along Eaton Street and the streets that intersect it. Those apartments are often the scene of college parties – drawing the ire of neighbors.
Hassett is also concerned about the city losing tax dollars.
“The asking price is over $1 million (for this lot),” he said, “and we believe that should stay on the tax roles and have the kind of private investment that is intended by the zoning designation.”
He said it would be difficult to get another supermarket at the location, and that the city tried for almost two years to generate that sort of interest in the area. There is a possibility, he added, of putting an assisted living space at 539 Smith Street.
David Sorafine runs Downtown Radiator, across the street from the vacant market, the parking lot, which was fenced in only six months ago. With Downtown Radiator for 25 years, Sorafine has seen the property change hands several times, and is eager to see it change hands again.
“I wasn’t against the nursing home but I think if you have a soccer field with nice bleachers around it, you will get people from out of state coming here to watch the soccer games,” he said, “and it’s going to revitalize the neighborhood.”
Hassett emphasized the need for a taxpaying entity to occupy the property.
“The assisted living would create 35 local jobs and the facility would be paying property taxes, which PC would not be,” he said.
Sorafine seemed angered by this notion.
“If you’re going to beef about one piece of property that’s not going to pay taxes you might as well beef about Brown, PC, Rhode Island Hospital and Johnson & Wales,” he said.
And Sorafine said he just wants something better to happen soon.
“The market has been empty for years and before they put the fence up six months ago there were junk cars, prostitutes, drug addicts and trash blowing all over my lot,” he said.
Hassett is clearly unhappy with the manner in which Providence College has proceeded thus far.
“If we had been given the courtesy of knowing the college’s interest we would have imparted to them the neighborhood’s need for development and our concerns to them since all of our area residents have a stake in what is developed there,” said Hassett.
Caron said PC’s intentions are good, and will improve the area.
“We’re working strictly out of the motivation that you’ve got this piece of property that’s been unattended for five or six years,” he said.
