The City of Providence’s Planning Department and the Department of Inspections and Standards could soon issue demolition permits to raze three historic homes at 209, 211, and 217 Angell Street,” said Councilman and Senior Deputy Majority Leader John Goncalves (Ward 1).
“The Planning Department and the Department of Inspections and Standards did not inform me until Tuesday, 11/7, as required by ordinance.
The only reason why I was notified, as the Councilperson, is because of Providence Code of Ordinances Chapter 5, Article 1, Section 5-8, an amendment to expand demolition notification requirements that I authored, introduced, and passed with my City Council colleagues after the historic Duck and Bunny restaurant was demolished, in the darkness of night, on an Easter Sunday. Had this law not been passed, demolitions would continue to occur without expanded notification.
I have contacted the Planning Department and the Department of Inspections to ask if there is any recourse to prevent the razing. Since this is not in a local historic district, demolition is allowed by right. With the City Planning Commission’s approval of an appeal, it appears that the buildings can be removed by the owner. DIS’s only recourse is to ensure that the process is complied with.
However, notices on these properties indicated that the “date of the proposed razing of structure” was today, Monday, November 13. As the ordinance states, “Any applicant who obtains a demolition permit for the complete removal of an existing structure through the building official shall post at the property a notice alerting the public of the pending demolition for seven (7) days prior to the commencement of said demolition.”
As such, this notice posted on 11/7 is defective, and the current notices of proposed demolition need to be revoked at this time.
Had contractors gone ahead with demolition during a long holiday weekend – without transparency to the neighbors, neighborhood, and local stakeholders – this would have been catastrophic. Additionally, Angell and Brook Street are highly traversed and are in very close proximity to many students, families, employees, residents, schools, and businesses. The hazards posed by demolition, including dust, debris, airborne particles, noise, equipment, etc., are not to be taken lightly and should not come as a surprise to our constituents.
Neighbors need to be briefed and not blind-sided, waking up only to discover a hole in the ground and an empty lot in their neighborhood and community. This is unacceptable.
We will not stand by idly while this continues to happen. We are calling on the departments in the executive branch of government to urge all contractors not to begin work and halt the issuance of demolition permits. As of Sunday, I’ve been notified that a Legal Notice/Stop Work Order has been posted on the proposed sites for now.
It is beneficial to develop our city and grow our tax base. However, demolition and development without a clear plan informed by neighbors and abutters is inappropriate, and as a result, if demolition does occur, I will strongly oppose any forthcoming zone changes proposed at this site.”
Providence, RI – “I’m aware of the Fane Tower news today. We all know this process took time, energy, and resources, and we want to thank the parties involved for their due diligence. Now we move in another direction. As the city councilor representing the Jewelry District and Downtown neighborhood, I look forward to working with our constituents, Marc Crisafulli, Caroline Skuncik, and the 195 Commission to find an alternative investment and feasible economic project for this integral parcel in the great city of Providence.”
City Council Committee Leaders Elected Council Committees on Public Works, Ordinances, Claims & Pending Suits, State Legislative Affairs and City Property convened tonight to elect committee chairmen
Members of the Providence City Council held five committee meetings tonight to elect the chairmen of the Committees on Public Works, Ordinances, Claims & Pending Suits, State Legislative Affairs and City Property.
Public Works
Councilman Oscar Vargas (Ward 15) was elected to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Works, which oversees abandonments and easements filed with the city as well as general operations of the city such as snow removal and street sweeping.
“I look forward to working with my council colleagues to ensure that essential city functions are delivered at the highest quality to all neighborhoods across the city. From snow removal to street cleaning and street sweeping, city residents are relying on us to get the job done quickly and efficiently, and that is exactly what I plan to do as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Works,” stated Councilman Vargas.
Ordinances
Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) was elected to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Ordinances, which handles zoning changes, and the general laws of the city.
“I would like to thank my Council colleagues for electing me to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Ordinances. I am committed to serving with integrity and attention to detail as we oversee the legislative process for the City Council,” stated Councilman Espinal.
Claims and Pending Suits, City Property, and State Legislative Affairs
Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1) was elected to serve as the Chairman of three committees. The Committee on Claims & Pending Suits handles all claims filed against the city such as potholes or trip and fall law suits. The Committee on City Property oversees the sale, leasing and transfer of any City owned property. The Committee on State Legislative Affairs supervises Council support and/or opposition to legislative initiatives at the state level.
“I am honored to have been selected by my Council colleagues to serve as the Chairman of these three committees. The committees of the City Council oversee a broad and diverse pool of issues from local quality of life concerns to statewide initiatives with far reaching effects. I am ready to hit the ground running and tackle a robust agenda in this legislative session,” said Goncalves.
“We’re so thrilled and excited to welcome Trader Joe’s to the neighborhood! Residents from near and far are enthusiastic about the grand opening of another grocer that will offer fresh produce and organic foods to the Capital City and beyond,” said Councilman Goncalves, who represents the Ward 1 neighborhood where the store is located.
“As we welcome new customers to the 9,408 square-foot Trader Joe’s, please be sure to calibrate your GPS to the correct 425 S Main Street and take advantage of the 110 parking spots on site. To those intending to visit over the coming days, happy shopping.”
Today, ahead of their next meeting to hear the mixed-use residential and commercial development proposals for Parcels 8 and 8A, I am respectfully asking Chairman Robert Davis, Executive Director Caroline Skuncik, and the members of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission to ensure decisions on the development of Providence land happen “with the community” rather than simply “to the community.” In my many discussions with constituents, there is a constant thread as we look toward future construction projects with mindfulness toward maintaining our neighborhood vibrancy and fabric.
The area always has and should support local restaurants and shops from Al Forno to Bacaro to Geoff’s to Felini’s to Coffee Exchange to Adler’s Hardware. South Main, South Water, and Wickenden Street is our artsy, funky character-filled shopping destination that should not be overtaken by luxury housing and undermined by the retail corporatization of this area.
The rapid growth of our neighborhood is inevitable and more housing and economic opportunities should be acknowledged. We have seen critical development projects like Point 225, and Aloft, and have Parcels 6, Emblem 125, and 9 and more coming to fruition. However, nearly 9 acres are still available.
Constituents are once again requesting that the Commission formalize and establish a task force of neighborhood abutters/representatives and local businesses who can help develop Requests for Proposals (RFPs) on the front end to ensure alignment with our vibrant neighborhoods. If the commission cannot follow through on this request, we will respectfully urge the rest of our colleagues in government to advocate that the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President create such a task force or otherwise give back municipal oversight and local zoning control of the I-195 Special Economic Development District.
As we continue to gather robust feedback from our constituents and neighborhood abutters, we will formulate a more formal position on each of these development proposals. Still, we ultimately look forward to working with our state partners to ensure the vitality and vibrancy of the neighborhood remain strong.
“I would like to thank Governor McKee, Commerce Secretary Pryor, Mayor Elorza, and the team at High Rock Development for their leadership in revitalizing the iconic Superman building in the heart of Downtown Providence.
I look forward to engaging with stakeholders and community members as we move forward with this process to bring this hallmark of the Providence skyline back to life. This moment is a unique and exciting opportunity to boost our local economy and reinvigorate Downtown and the City of Providence,” Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1).
