Prominent developer Alfred Carpionato dies at 75

PROVIDENCE – Prominent Rhode Island developer Alfred Carpionato has died, the Carpionato Group LLC announced Saturday. He was 75 years old.

Carpionato was chairman and CEO of the Carpionato Group. During his tenure, Carpionato oversaw the redevelopment of what the company said was millions of square feet of Rhode Island shopping centers, among other projects, including Chapel View in Cranston and the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick.

Carpionato is survived by his wife Sheryl Costantino Carpionato, his sisters Iliana Luchka and Atilla Renzi, as well as his children Domenic and Louis Carpionato. “Mr. Carpionato was a self-made man who truly lived the American Dream,” said Carpionato Group President and Chief Operating Officer Kelly MacArthur Coates in a statement. “While never seeking the spotlight, he never wavered in his commitment to investing in New England.” Coates also said that Carpionato was a “quiet philanthropist whose generosity knew no bounds.”

Saturday, Sen. Jack F. Reed issued a statement on Carpionato’s death.

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“Fred Carpionato was a gentleman and a successful businessman,” said Reed. “He came from humble beginnings and made it to the top through hard work and determination. He helped shape communities and etched his mark across the landscape of Rhode Island. I think he helped make the state a better place for all. He will be deeply missed.”

Cranston Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Alan W. Fung also issued a statement Saturday saying, “Fred was one of the state’s most successful developers and entrepreneurs, and his mark on the community can be seen everywhere. He was also a stickler for detail and spared no expense to do the job right. Fred could see into the future and knew that Cranston deserved something special in the heart of our city.

Carpionato was the third generation in the Carpionato property development company. In its statement regarding his death, it said Carpionato bought his first building at the age of 15 in the Smith Hill neighborhood of Providence.

Former Providence Mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr. said of Carpionato, “Fred was one of the best developers and real estate minds our state has ever seen, and his projects transformed Rhode Island. … Losing him is a great loss for our state and our real estate community.”