In its most recent public meeting, the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission took up two proposals for the land left open by the movement of Interstate 195 on the East side of the Providence River. In one case the developer proposes to build apartments over a first-floor grocery store. The other plan is for mixed use – micro-offices, offices, retail and apartments – but it too would include a grocery, something that many believe is missing from downtown.
At many of the commission’s meetings and outside of them, there is a debate about the nature of development in the district – should it focus on job creation or on trying to development a downtown neighborhood for people to live? What do you think?
