UP|Newport and East Bay

The 40 Steps

Gusterfell — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:07:04 +0000

http://www.newport-now.com/2009/09/16/wind...ver-middletown/

Aquidneck Island is in the process of receiving its third wind turbine, this one at the Aquidneck Corporate Park, between Valley Rd. and Aquidneck Ave. in Middletown. It's not quite as large as the two in Portsmouth, but it is one more step toward making Newport County a leader in wind energy.

IN PROGRESS: Bourne Mill Redevelopment

mental757 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:50:01 +0000

This project needed an update - it is now (and has been for a while) "IN-PROGRESS" and some phases are even complete.

PBN 8/6/07: "Affordable housing gets $10M boost"
http://pbn.com/detail/26682.html

PROJO 8/12/09: "R.I. Housing gets a jump on projects for federal funds"
http://www.projo.com/projohomes/content/RI...55.3b3e223.html

PROJO: 9/13/09: "Blaze destroys Tiverton mill"
http://www.projo.com/news/content/BOURNE_M...10.37cdc73.html

Fire at House of Scrimshaw

Liamlunchtray — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:25:30 +0000

There is nothing at all to indicate it is retail. Even the signage is totally vague - It could just as easily be some new-englandy name for an architectural firm or something. Retail Fail.

Fire at House of Scrimshaw

Lone Ranger — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:08:05 +0000

The facade on the uppermost floor is just ugly, but that street-level facade is tragic.

If you can't get urban retail storefront right on Thames St., you can't get it right anywhere. Oh well, could've been worse, as you said. Thanks for the pics!

Fire at House of Scrimshaw

Cotuit — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:06:51 +0000

Gusterfell, on Aug 24 2009, 08:27 PM, said:

I still think the ground floor treatment is weird for a retail storefront:

Yeah, it's called a window, get to know it. How strange.

COMPLETE: Tower & Cottages At Carnegie Abbey

mental757 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:21:49 +0000

Research yielded several articles about this project which is now "COMPLETE."

PBN (1/5/09): "Carnegie Abbey a towering presence in Portsmouth"
http://pbn.com/detail/37070.html

PROJO (6/28/09): "Carnegie Tower in Portsmouth prepares for grand opening"
http://www.projo.com/ri/portsmouth/content...17.1815d40.html

Fire at House of Scrimshaw

brick — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:52:38 +0000

Could have used more windows. Strange. Oh well.

IN PROGRESS: Touro Synagogue Visitors Center

Lone Ranger — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:47:49 +0000

Much obliged, thanks!

Fire at House of Scrimshaw

Gusterfell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:27:55 +0000

This building is finished. I still think the ground floor treatment is weird for a retail storefront:

As I suspected, this building doesn't really stand out in either a positive or negative way among its neighbors. it's a nice, inoffensive addition to the streetscape. This could have been much worse.

IN-PROGRESS: New Sakonnet River Highway Bridge

Gusterfell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:11:45 +0000

Work has begun in a big way on this project, with noticeable excavations underway on both sides of the river. The Tiverton/ Little Compton exit immediately adjoining the old bridge is currently being removed, as it is in the path of the new bridge.

PROPOSED: Bellevue Ave. Condo/retail midrise

Gusterfell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:08:12 +0000

Nothing yet. The renderings are still up in the vacant portion of the building that is supposed to be demolished for phase I, but the project website seems to be down and things have been eerily quiet about whether this is still happening.

IN PROGRESS: Touro Synagogue Visitors Center

Gusterfell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:04:10 +0000

Goodness, have I really not updated this since January?

The visitor center is finished, and opened to the public earlier this month. I haven't been inside yet, but I'm impressed with the way the exterior turned out. The facade appears to be either concrete or some sort of (high quality) synthetic material, and it is molded to look like stone, with an interesting variety of textures over different parts of the building. I love that the details pay homage to the historic synagogue building, while the overall building is unique enough in design to make a statement in its own right.

The restoration of the house on the corner has been put on hold, with the economy being what it is. With any luck it will happen in the near future.

Here are a few pictures I took shortly before the visitors center opened, intending to post them here before real life got in the way. I'll have to take some "finished product" shots now that the construction paraphernalia is gone, but you can get a sense of the building:

the front (Spring Street) facade:

the rear facade, facing the synagogue:

the transom over the entrance:

IN PROGRESS: Touro Synagogue Visitors Center

Lone Ranger — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:08:25 +0000

How's this doing?

PROPOSED: Bellevue Ave. Condo/retail midrise

Lone Ranger — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:06:44 +0000

Been out of the city for quite some time. Did anything ever happen with this project?

COMPLETE: Tower & Cottages At Carnegie Abbey

mental757 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:43:39 +0000

It opens on 6/27/09:

PROJO: "Delay in opening tower prompts suit"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_C...26.35fba63.html

IN-PROGRESS: New Sakonnet River Highway Bridge

mental757 — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:36:35 +0000

PROJO:

"Business Digest

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, May 22, 2009

Sakonnet River Bridge work commences

Construction of the new Sakonnet River Bridge immediately south of the existing bridge has begun and will continue for about two years. A safe-work zone has been established to minimize risk to moving vessels and to prevent recreational boat traffic from entering the zone. It will involve three 250- by 72-foot barges, two 150- by 50-foot barges, multiple tugboats, and a temporary floating trestle system extending from the Portsmouth and Tiverton shorelines to the pier structures on each side of the channel. From the north, the safe-work zone begins at the old railroad bridge and extends 800 feet south of the old Sakonnet River Bridge. The zone will be delineated by white buoys extending from each side of the channel to the shoreline. A channel through the zone is marked with green buoys (15A, 15B and 15C) on the west side and red buoys (16A, 16B and 16C) on the east side. Vessels transiting the zone must stay in the channel and proceed at the slowest safe speed to minimize wake. The workboats will be monitoring VHF channel 11."

Commercial/Industrial/Business News

Frankie811 — Sat, 16 May 2009 07:48:16 +0000

Restored 1831 mill reopens in Newport. Thanks in large part to state and federal tax credits, the 1831 Aquidneck Mill once again is a functioning center of commerce along the waterfront.

http://www.pbn.com/detail/42269.html

IN-PROGRESS: New Sakonnet River Highway Bridge

mental757 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:15:27 +0000

Newport Daily News: "Ground is broken on Sakonnet River bridge project"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...b3414579595.txt

IN-PROGRESS: New Sakonnet River Highway Bridge

mental757 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:11:58 +0000

PROJO Business Digest 4/18/09:

"
Cardi wins Sakonnet Bridge work

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation Thursday night formally awarded low bidder Cardi Corp. the contract to build a replacement for the 53-year-old Sakonnet River Bridge. Groundbreaking has been set for next Friday at 3 p.m. on the Portsmouth side of the bridge. It carries Routes 24 and 138 and connects Portsmouth and Tiverton. The new $163.7-million steel span, to be built just south of the existing bridge, is expected to be finished by 2012, although the state has offered to pay Cardi more if it finishes early. DOT spokesman Charles St. Martin said Cardi�s bid came in $22.5 million below the second-lowest bidder. The bids were opened Jan. 22. (C. Eugene Emery Jr.)"

Naval Station Newport

mental757 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:35:30 +0000

PROJO: "Navy facility in Newport to get overhaul"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/robo...v8.2ef1fc8.html

Newport Airport

mental757 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:17:20 +0000

Newport Daily News: "Federal stimulus money is in the air"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...d6914846614.txt

PROJO: "Airport renovations mean 150 jobs"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_A...11.38657fd.html

Naval Station Newport

mental757 — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:14:41 +0000

Newport Daily News: "Two tribes want to check out Navy land"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...31705130039.txt

PBN: "U.S. to spend $9.9M on NUWC facility"

http://www.pbn.com/stories/41493.html

New constuction at Wampanoag Mall?

Frankie811 — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:15:24 +0000

wjp, on Mar 29 2009, 03:40 PM, said:

Any one know what the new construction going on at WAMPANOAG MALL is in East Providence, across from Greggs? Heard rumors it might be a Stop & Shop, but unconfirmed.

~wjp

Yes, I meant to post this earlier.

New constuction at Wampanoag Mall?

wjp — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:40:58 +0000

Any one know what the new construction going on at WAMPANOAG MALL is in East Providence, across from Greggs? Heard rumors it might be a Stop & Shop, but unconfirmed.

~wjp

Naval Station Newport

mental757 — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:48:57 +0000

Newport Dail News: "Officials tour Navy land to be declared excess"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...9b371427304.txt

Naval Station Newport

Lone Ranger — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:40:01 +0000

Massive opportunity. Let's hope these three communities know what they're doing. I like Portsmouth's goals, but I can't say I'm thrilled with Middletown's or Newport's.

I don't really know what I wanted from the Navy Hospital land, but seriously another marina? And a ferry terminus, there, why there? Downtown sure, but why there? Plus there's already b****ing about preserving the buildings on the site, that's encouraging too.

And Middletown wants to create **drumrollplease** another head-ache inducing, congested asphalt f***up, West Main Rd version 2.0, except this time on the waterfront. Brilliant!

Edit: and if the best Middletown can do with the available land is create another road, then someone really ought to give at least a little consideration to the old idea of linking up to 138 to the south and 24 to the north. If you're going to make a highway, why not make a highway? And if that's what you want to do, it shouldn't be too hard to pry that money out of Uncle Sam, who loves nothing better than making highways.

Naval Station Newport

mental757 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:21:28 +0000

PROJO: "Aquidneck Island sees opportunity in sale of surplus Navy land"

http://www.projo.com/news/content/NAVY_LAN...14.36aa453.html

Naval Station Newport

mental757 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:18:45 +0000

housekeeping request:

can we merge this thread with the one titled "Naval Station Newport"

thanks

PROPOSED: 3-story Commercial & Office Building

mental757 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:40 +0000

Newport Daily Times: "Waterfront building project granted variance"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...40248199752.txt

Christie's

mental757 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:21:36 +0000

Newport Daily Times: "Former Christie's site to be cleared for hotel"

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2...34206166761.txt