PAWTUCKET STATION THREATENED

[Mothra]

Jen: Paragraph 4 says they can't tear down any portion until after five years, but paragraph 5 says the owner agrees to put the station on the Historic Register "within the time frame of this Agreement as indicated in Paragraph No. Four (4) above."

Forgive my naivete, but wouldn't being on the Register at the very least make demolition more difficult?

Sure didn't help the Louttit Laundry Building over on Providence's West Side.

[bloodyrocker]

Trains Long Gone But CVS Pulling in at Depo Site - Pawtucket Times

"Finally, the work has begun," said Ike Seelbinder of SMPO Properties, Inc. a Memphis, Tenn.-based development group. "As Mayor Moreau has promised to the city, he has delivered CVS to Central Falls."

what a crock of crape. I think that they will let the train station rot then tear it down. Pawtucket's just going to end up a blighted eyesore like Central Falls.

Edited November 3, 2007 by bloodyrocker

[Dan]

"Finally, the work has begun," said Ike Seelbinder of SMPO Properties, Inc. a Memphis, Tenn.-based development group.

Seelbinder ...said plans also include a rehabilitation of the train depot's facade.

Seelbinder said the old depot building is considered so decrepit that it wouldn't be worth renovating. However, he said the agreement states the building should stay up for at least the next five years.

Moreau said the train depot has been abandoned for 47 years and is an eyesore.

... [and indicated that] plans for a commuter rail stop north of the depot will bring even more commerce to the area.

So the fix is in? How far along in the planning stages is the Central Falls stop to the north? What is the City of Pawtucket's position on this?

Edited December 2, 2007 by Dan

[frymasterspeck]

So the fix is in? How far along in the planning stages is the Central Falls stop to the north? What is the City of Pawtucket's position on this?

So far as I understand, there's a lot of moving part and the depot building itself is the least malleable of those parts. It's in private hands, and we failed in the effort to take it by eminent domain. There's still ongoing efforts to rehab the building and include it in the overall plan, but The City doesn't hold very many cards. If we're not "drawing dead," we definitely need to "catch a card on the river."

"The fix is in," is far afield, IMO. More like "Tried. Failed. Next."

The main priority for The City is getting the train to stop, which is not any kind of a done deal. Amtrak wants a fourth line installed so the T won't stop on the main line. Never mind that it stops on the main line in Attleboro two miles up the track. Amtrak doesn't own that part of the line, so they can't make that demand. They DO own all the track through Pawtucket, so it's their prerogative to mess with our deal.

As John Lennon said, "Possession is 9/10ths of the problem."

Your question re: the north-of-the-depot site is apt, because it's, uh, problematic. Take a walk up there and think about adding a 4th line. You'll quickly see that it's a tight fit. I've heard some talk about the other site again, the one south of Union Wadding, same place they wanted to put the trash transfer deal. Plenty of space there for a 4th line. Except then you'd have to move a working freight yard.

If you haven't noticed, the Northeast is already chockablock with infrastructure. There's practically no unbuilt space, so adding more is like playing whack-a-mole. Something as heavy as commuter rail is a big, big deal.

Er, project.

So there's more study money they're trying to get from the Feds to study the 4th line issue. 'Cept that money comes from the US Congress in the next budget. And that budget is in limbo with a series of Continuing Resolutions funding existing programs while the Democans and Republicrats duke it out for supreme control of the universe. Once they settle that, we can look at our train tracks again.

Does that clear things up?

[FjmArch]

Drove past the station today and they are working on repairing the damage created during the attempted demo.

Does anyone know if the HDC or Preservation Society were contacted to make sure this work is historically accurate? I'd hate to see yellow brick or Concrete Block used for the repair.

It would also appear that they are starting to tear up the parking lot out front to start construction on the CVS.

[FjmArch]

My fears have been realized, I drove past the station today and the brick used for the window/wall patch is not even close to the original brick (now I realize that you can't replicate years of wear but at least get close with the color.)

Also from the look of the cornice area that is created with CMU that is flush with the face of the brick we will be getting a dryvit cornice to match the cornice of the new CVS I assume.

This is outrageous.

Edited April 30, 2008 by FjmArch

[runawayjim]

My fears have been realized, I drove past the station today and the brick used for the window/wall patch is not even close to the original brick (now I realize that you can't replicate years of wear but at least get close with the color.)

Also from the look of the cornice area that is created with CMU that is flush with the face of the brick we will be getting a dryvit cornice to match the cornice of the new CVS I assume.

my guess is a few years of wear and tear and it'll be much closer in color.

[bloodyrocker]

You couldn't possibly have expected them to care or try and preserve anything.. I mean come on.. don't forget what we are dealing with here. The only reason that building is standing at all is because we all pulled together.

If it was up to the developer it would be a parking lot ala PAVE-alino.

[FjmArch]

my guess is a few years of wear and tear and it'll be much closer in color.

Not likely. The existing brick is in place is a textured brick with multiple color variations (nut age and wear) THe new brick is a smooth single color. It will alway stand out as different.

[FjmArch]

You couldn't possibly have expected them to care or try and preserve anything.. I mean come on.. don't forget what we are dealing with here. The only reason that building is standing at all is because we all pulled together.

If it was up to the developer it would be a parking lot ala PAVE-alino.

Unfortunatly, I moved my office to Pawtuxket after this occured and was not part of the process. Yes, I would have expected them to preserve everything and repair the facade to match the existing closer than they have. I know what I am dealing with, The cities had a little thing called a building permit that could have been held until the developer repaired the facade to the satisfaction of the local Historic District Commission or the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission. I guess you were happy with walking away patting yourselves on the back for your efforts in stopping the developer but really didn't care about preserving the station.

[brick]

Unfortunatly, I moved my office to Pawtuxket after this occured and was not part of the process. Yes, I would have expected them to preserve everything and repair the facade to match the existing closer than they have. I know what I am dealing with, The cities had a little thing called a building permit that could have been held until the developer repaired the facade to the satisfaction of the local Historic District Commission or the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission. I guess you were happy with walking away patting yourselves on the back for your efforts in stopping the developer but really didn't care about preserving the station.

Yes, the cities had that, but given the fact that CF approved the demo and the new building permit, there is a question of how well things could be blocked easily. But apparently you are a superstar so I look forward to all problems in the city being resolved appropriately now that you have moved your office.

[FjmArch]

Yes, the cities had that, but given the fact that CF approved the demo and the new building permit, there is a question of how well things could be blocked easily. But apparently you are a superstar so I look forward to all problems in the city being resolved appropriately now that you have moved your office.

why do you feel the need to be an a#@!. I never said I could solve all of the problems. But if I take up a cause I see it thorough until the end. I am just tired of good enough being good enough.

I know putting pressure on the deveolper works. As a sitting member of the Cranston Historic District Commission we were able to stop work on the Park Cinema until such time that the developer decided to restore the property correctly. If you don't put pressure on of course the pols and developers are going to take the path of least resistance it is in their nature.

[frymasterspeck]

Just 'cuz, here's an old TBB blurbette on the connection between the Trashfer Zoning Compliance episode (won by the good guys) and the station demolition (won by the bad guys).

Watch out. This is old TBB story put onto the new TBB platform. But the links in the story are to the old TBB platform. Gotta do a big link mapping project. Anyway, foretold is forewarned.

Edited May 1, 2008 by frymasterspeck

[bloodyrocker]

I guess you were happy with walking away patting yourselves on the back for your efforts in stopping the developer but really didn't care about preserving the station.

Wow, nice to meet you too. I'm sorry to be so late in my reply to your post, things are hectic here in the Bucket and I'm too busy trying to make my neighborhood a livable place (setting up neighborhood watch, going to zoning hearings etc). I'm a Pawtucket resident and have owned a home here for almost 5 years now.

As for the state of the train station I'm actually not happy at all nor have I walked away from the issue, its something that my wife and I discuss with our neighbors on an almost daily basis. You see if the train station were to actually come back to life it would have a direct impact on our neighborhood (Pleasant View) and go a long way towards dragging it back from the urban blight it now finds itself sinking deeper into.

I have given PADS, the Pawtucket Foundation and anyone else who might help in this situation my full support so who are you to be telling me what I do and do not care about? I care about it very much and have put my money where my mouth is by living here day to day. I try and attend every meeting that has to do with the preservation of the station.

What did I do to you? sheesh.

[Frankie811]

New CVS to reconfigure Broad Street

As part of an agreement with the project

[bloodyrocker]

this forum looks to be dead but in the hopes that there are still people that come here, i ran across this tidbit today.

Station a threat?

[Sandy]

Hi, I wonder is there anyone knows the current condition of this station in 2015? Really interested in it and may take it as one of my school design project.