PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Housing board of commissioners approved $3.8 million in funding to revitalize neighborhoods in Central Falls, Providence, Smithfield and Woonsocket Thursday.
The money will come from the state Acquisition and Revitalization Program and will fund a total of 46 residential homes, 58 live-work units, 27,756 square feet of new commercial space, a park and a playground.
The new funding allots $1.6 million for public facilities, $1.2 million for residential projects and $975,000 for commercial projects.
In 2016, voters approved a $50 million Housing Opportunity Bond, $10 million of which was earmarked for urban revitalization and blight remediation. This money, utilized by the R.I. Commerce Corp., was used to create the ARP program.
“Within a year of the passage of Rhode Island’s Housing Opportunity Bond, we are putting that funding to work,” said Gov. Gina M. Raimondo in a statement. “As we work to grow our state’s economy and create jobs, these awards are smart investments that will revitalize communities and spur growth.”
Central Falls:
- The Dexter Adult Learning and Workforce Development Hub received $1 million in ARP funding. The project is sponsored by the city of Central Falls in collaboration with Rhode Island College to convert a vacant building at 934 Dexter St. to an academic office space continuing education, workforce development, professional development, personal enrichment and community programming. The project also received $150,000 from the city of Central Falls, $25,000 from the Central Falls Planning Department and $75,000 from the Central Falls Nuisance Task Force.
Providence:
- Bailey Baxter Playspace Project received $612,484 in ARP funding. The project is sponsored by the city of Providence in partnership with The Nature Conservancy to redevelop blighted properties, on Baxter Street and Norwich Avenue in the South Providence section of the city, into a playground for Bailey Elementary School as well as make improvements next to Baxter Park.
- Projects at 136 Rugby St. and 44 Lillian Ave. received $146,727 and $153,528, respectively. The projects are sponsored by Swap Inc., which will redevelop the two vacant lots, each with a three-bedroom homeownership unit and a two-bedroom rental unit.
Smithfield:
- Georgiaville Village Green received $906,369 in ARP funding. The project is sponsored by the Coventry Housing Associates Corp. and Gemini Housing Corp. to develop 42 apartment units. The project also received $8 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, $750,000 in RIH and the R.I. Department of
Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals’ Threshhold funds, $650,000 in Community Development Block Grants, $200,00 from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management Brownfield funds and $62,000 from the Smithfield Housing Trust, among other sources.
Woonsocket:
- The Millrace District Creative Placemaking Initiative received $975,000 in ARP funds. The project is sponsored by NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley to redevelop three vacant mills located at 15 Island Place and 68 S. Main St. into 58 live-work units and six commercial business units. The ARP funds will only be used for the commercial portion of the project. The mill project also received $2.5 million in Federal Historic Tax Credits, $2.2 million in State Historic Tax Credits and $200,000 in Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield funding.
“The investments announced today will do much more than just create homes – they will create opportunities for the people who live in these neighborhoods,” said Barbara Fields, executive director of Rhode Island Housing, in a statement. “I am very excited that these developments will have a profound impact on the surrounding communities: from a playground for children to continuing education and workforce development for adults, there are a myriad of possibilities offered by the developments funded.”
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
