PROVIDENCE – When David Salvatore recalls the downtown of his childhood, he sees a drab picture: Swaths of concrete, a federal highway traveling through residential neighborhoods, and all in all, a lack of attractions for businesses and residents.
Thanks to projects like the I-195 relocation, the Capital Center and Downcity plans, Providence looks very different today. Behind each of these initiatives, The Providence Foundation played an essential role, says Salvatore, who has served as the nonprofit’s executive director since last year.
“The Providence Foundation has always been a convener in bringing people together,” Salvatore said, as both an advisor and a financial driver – various revitalization projects draw funding from a grant that the organization secured from the National Endowment for the Arts in the early 1990s.
Salvatore now sees a downtown that is "not only functioning but thriving." But as the nonprofit celebrates its 50th anniversary, Salvatore says that much work remains to build upon these improvements and keep up with the modern needs of residents, businesses and visitors.
On Friday evening, Salvatore will present a glimpse into the nonprofit's past accomplishments and future vision for the city at a "Legacy in Motion" event, held at the Reserve on Dorrance in celebration of The Providence Foundation's semicentennial anniversary.
Among the organization's upcoming priorities, Salvatore highlights investments into the state's public transportation system, reimagining Kennedy Plaza, repopulating the Industrial Trust, or "Superman" Building, adding to the city's housing stock and creating new green spaces.
With many downtown workers relying on R.I. Public Transit Authority buses to travel to and from their jobs, Salvatore said that a more reliable, user-friendly service will be essential to Providence's future growth.
This task becomes increasingly pressing as RIPTA plans to reduce the frequency of rides along 40 “lower-ridership” routes in order to address a $10 million operating budget shortfall in the next fiscal year, among other cost-saving measures like fare increases. The RIPTA board revised the plan after initially proposing service cuts that would have led to even more route reductions and complete eliminations.
With this setback, “we have to continue not only working with, but advocating with our partners in civic life to ensure the appropriate investments are being made” to increase RIPTA ridership, Salvatore said.
Building a modern, accessible public transportation system also hinges on connecting bus and train service.
"Our transportation system in Rhode Island will require significant investments in the immediate and long-term future," Salvatore said, “all while creating an intramodal transit center by the train service.
"Linking bus service with rail is what cities are doing around the country," he added, "and it makes absolute sense for Providence to move in this direction."
Reimaging the current RIPTA hub Kennedy Plaza, meanwhile, "will be the final piece of the land use puzzle that we will be focused on in the days, months and years ahead," Salvatore said. The Providence Foundation is also involved with efforts to establish a new bus hub in the city, which has raised debate around location and other logistics for more than a decade.
Land use policy also plays an essential role in the city’s housing supply, Salvatore said, and emphasized “creating predictability around the tax treatment of these housing conversions that will be critical moving forward.”
Potential areas for new housing include highly visible opportunities like the long-vacant Superman Building, which could accommodate nearly 400 new residents in the city center. But numerous empty commercial spaces throughout the city can compound this effort with proper policy in place, Salvatore said.
"When all of these pieces to the puzzle come together," he said, "downtown Providence will continue to flourish in a way that residents and visitors can be proud of."
The anniversary event will run from 5:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with
tickets available for $200. The event will feature food, cocktails, local music performances and an interactive time capsule preparation.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
