A Providence waterfront property that some see as ripe for development could instead become a stomping ground for joggers, kite flyers and musicians, if a group of artists, preservation activists and tourism promoters have their way.
At an April 7 meeting at the Radisson Hotel – which overlooks the site – the group discussed plans to create a park and festival marketplace, and to keep out high-rise buildings and condominiums.
“No one likes the idea of residential use there, either high or low,” said artist Barnaby Evans, creator of the city’s WaterFire event.
“This could be a great spot for public gatherings,” added Bob Billington, director of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council. “It seems we no longer have places for things like that.”
The site, which abuts India Point Park, includes 1,700 feet of shoreline and a large vacant building that once housed the nightclub Shooters. The state acquired the 1.7-acre property in late 2000, for use as a staging area during the I-195 relocation project. From the start, the state’s plan has called for selling the site once highway construction is complete.
In recent months, however, activists and some city leaders have been taking steps to stop that from happening. City Councilman Seth Yurdin (D-Ward 1) has proposed rezoning the site as “public space,” a move that could stifle the sale, at least until the Providence Comprehensive Master Plan neighborhood meetings are held for the area in June.
In a press release, the activist group Head of the Bay Gateway called the site of the former Shooters nightclub “the last expanse of shoreline open to the public in Providence.” The newly-formed group organized last week’s meeting and brought in a consultant, the non-profit Project for Public Space (PPS), which has helped plan parks and plazas in cities around the world. Close to 100 people attended the event.
PPS planner Ethan Kent told the gathering that urban waterfronts are changing all over the world, and cited some successes and failures.
New York City made his list of flops. “They allowed high-rises to be built there,” he said. “It only benefits the wealthy people who live there.”
As for Vancouver’s Granville Island, he termed it a grand success: “There’s a whole range of uses there – art schools, bakeries, a farmer’s market. They’ve left an old cement factory there, and everyone loves it, because it keeps the place authentic.”
Last week’s event was largely a brainstorming session, where activists drafted a long wish list for the Shooters site. Topping the list were suggestions for putting people on the water – ferry transportation, boat docks, a fishing pier and harbor cruises.
“This is something that is uniquely Providence,” Billington told the group. “If we can build on that, we’ll see success.”
Commercial uses could include cafes, shops, and a farmers market to attract visitors during the day, and restaurants and nightclubs to bring them back in the evening. There might also be a conference area, with rooms overlooking the bay, and a function hall for weddings and other events.
Park space at the site could host a of July fireworks display, sculling regattas, concerts, plays, and fundraising walkathons. There could also be activities for children, such as story hours and yo-yo competitions. And the suggestion list included fitness facilities – a pool, an ice rink, basketball counts, lawns for Tai Chi classes, and trails for strolling, jogging, and bicycling.
Public art might include a sculpture garden, murals, performance space for musicians and mimes, and sound-and-light display in the access-way that will pass beneath the highway. One novel suggestion called for wind turbines – decorated by artists – to provide green energy as well as aesthetics.
The group plans more meetings in coming months to continue drafting a proposal that they hope to present to state and city officials. •
