Voters in 2021 narrowly approved a $40 million initiative to prepare for development Rhode Island’s limited supply of industrial-use property.
The Rhode Island Ready program is based on a successful forerunner utilized to help fill Quonset Business Park over the last 15 years. The program focused on speeding up permitting and preparing sites for developers to quickly break ground on new projects.
It worked well enough to attract more than 40 companies that created 3,500 jobs, according to Quonset Development Corp.
But as this week’s cover story reports, the statewide version of the program has been slow to develop.
So far, less than $3 million has been spent on two sites, fueling doubts about the program’s value in such a land-challenged state and the wisdom of committing $40 million to it.
There are some encouraging signs of progress, however, with 35 applications for funding and technical assistance. Eighteen of those requests have been approved.
And the program does have a leader in Chelsea Siefert, Quonset Development Corp.’s chief operating officer, with a history of success. She helped it work in the North Kingstown business park and is leading the effort to expand it statewide.
She says pre-permitting takes longer in local communities, where zoning and competing interests must be sorted through.
Rhode Island needs more industrial development and the jobs and tax revenue that come with it.
If you get it ready, will they come?
Quonset’s experience says yes if local communities also do their part.