PROVIDENCE – Once again, a plan to potentially lease the city-owned Carl G. Lauro building to Excel Academy was defeated by the City Council.
And some local education groups are not happy about it.
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During their July 24 meeting, council members discussed the plan to lease the former Lauro building to the North Providence-based charter school, as it was recently given the R.I. Department of Education’s blessing to expand. The building at 99 Kenyon St. used to house the Carl G. Lauro Elementary School, which closed in 2023 due to its old age and poor physical condition.
According to multiple published reports, the proposal would have had Excel Academy use half the building, with the other being utilized as swing space for the Providence Public School District through June 2030.
Council President Rachel Miller reportedly made multiple changes to Mayor Brett P. Smiley’s plan for the building and Excel Academy leading up to the July 24 vote.
However, a day before the vote, Miller changed her mind “after careful consideration” and determined that this arrangement with Excel Academy “would not be in the best interest of the neighborhood or city,” according to a statement from her.
“I viewed it as my role to make this lease as strong as possible for our community, including by negotiating revenue for the city and historic labor neutrality, and then hear the community’s response,” Miller said. “I have listened closely to my neighbors and will be voting no on the proposed lease. We need to ensure that our public spaces are utilized in ways that reflect the needs of surrounding communities. I will work closely with my neighborhood and our partners to find a solution for this building that is beneficial to Federal Hill.”
The council subsequently agreed with Miller and rejected the proposal. It was the second time in two years that the council said no to leasing the property to charter schools.
Some local organizations were displeased with the council’s decision.
Janie Segui Rodriguez, CEO of local education advocacy nonprofit Stop the Wait RI, said in a statement the City Council “betrayed the children and families” of the city with its “no” vote. Rodriguez says reneging on this commitment in the 11th hour not only “represents a breach of trust but a missed opportunity” to provide educational resources to both Providence Public School District and charter school students.
The Rhode Island Education Collective pulled no punches either, calling the council’s vote “shameful.” The organization further said the lease would have brought in more than $80 million in total investment over time, including Excel’s rent payments, capital improvements, annual neighborhood beautification and philanthropic support.
“This was a chance to say yes to students, to families, and to a smarter future for Providence. Instead, we are left with a building that continues to drain public resources while children are denied better options,” Victor Capellan, founder and CEO of Rhode Island Education Collective, said in a statement. “We feel betrayed by the Council President’s reversal, and the council’s decision, which ignores the voices of families who showed up, spoke out, and called for change.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
