Newport Redevelopment Plan

[ruchele]

Is the "Newport Plan 2004" the same thing as the "Newport Redevelopment Plan"? Should this thread be condensed with that one?

By the way, great job sorting all these threads out, Cotuit. Much appreciated.

[Lone Ranger]

No, if you click the PDF link above, you'll see exactly what Plan 2004 entails. It's a series of recommendations for improving vehicular and pedestrian traffic downtown, as well as for enhancing streetscape.

The redevelopment thread is more catch-all category. Technically, everything falls under the heading of Newport redevelopment. But hey, we have our own subforum now, so we might as well kick back and, uhh, spread out, so to speak.

[Lone Ranger]

I don't live in town, so I don't really know about how property tax rates have changed in recent years. Do you have some figures on this? (I don't hear about it from my family, because they are those kind of people who think paying taxes are a priviledge of living in a civilized society. Frankly, in the 30 years they have owned it, the rising value of my family's house has enabled them to improve the property, send the kids to college, finance a business, and basically have a quality of life they would have never been able to achieve if property values had stayed where they were in the 70's. They are more than happy to pay their taxes. God-d**ned liberals.)

[MapmanNo1]

No, if you click the PDF link above, you'll see exactly what Plan 2004 entails. It's a series of recommendations for improving vehicular and pedestrian traffic downtown, as well as for enhancing streetscape.

The redevelopment thread is more catch-all category.

[dgreco]

I think 'Newport Plan 2004' and 'Newport Redevelopment Plan' to in fact refer to the same thing - the Taylor & Partners Central Newport Plan from 2004, available in PDF form via the link Lone Ranger mentions. The 'Redevelopment' thread has in fact branched out more to include items from the North End and other misc. items.

Here's what I think we might have "mainstay" topics for:

North End (Bridge Ramps, RK Center, Newport Heights)

Misc. Island Politics

The Wonderful World of Brian O'Neill (Carnegie Abbey, Carnegie Tower & Village, Marina Village at Weaver Cove, negotiations on the Thames Street Armory)

Misc. Downtown Retail, Development & Planning

Bellevue Gardens (Aram Garabedian)

West Side (Navy Land, West Side Master Plan)

Business & Industry (Marine Industry, Navy News, Tourism News, etc.)

[Lone Ranger]

North End (Bridge Ramps, RK Center, Newport Heights)

Misc. Island Politics

The Wonderful World of Brian O'Neill (Carnegie Abbey, Carnegie Tower & Village, Marina Village at Weaver Cove, negotiations on the Thames Street Armory)

Misc. Downtown Retail, Development & Planning

Bellevue Gardens (Aram Garabedian)

West Side (Navy Land, West Side Master Plan)

Business & Industry (Marine Industry, Navy News, Tourism News, etc.)

[MapmanNo1]

http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2.../news/news1.txt

MARY STREET GARAGE IS DEAD.

Redevelopment Authority agrees to shelve the idea after the price tag arrives. From the Daily News:

Taylor & Partners Inc., an architectural firm with offices in Newport and Boston, has drawn up alternative plans that would put the total construction cost, measured per parking space in the garage, from $28,000 to $36,000 per space, according to Bruce Bartlett, executive director of the Redevelopment Agency.

When the planning process began, the city was looking at a per parking space cost of $15,000 to $25,000 at the most, he said.

[Gusterfell]

That is really disappointing. The Mary St. Garage would have done much to reduce congestion downtown, and would have filled a gaping hole in the streetscape. How many years ago was this proposed? Why did the city shuffle its feet on this, while construction costs escalated year after year?

This part of the article confuses me:

Members of the Redevelopment Agency board discussed the plans at their meeting Monday night but details of the alternative plans were not released. Bartlett said the plans still are officially in draft form until publicized at a meeting scheduled for today at 3 p.m. in City Hall.

[MapmanNo1]

From Newport This Week:

Share Your Input on Newport's Waterfront

Newport resident and former AIA board member, Gail Goff appeared before the Council regarding designing a community outreach program set in Newport for the American Institute of Architects's 150th Anniversary. AIA RI received a $10,000 grant for a two day symposium on the Waterfront. The organization has partnered with the City's Planning Director, Newport Chamber of Commerce, Alliance for a Livable Newport, URI and Lower Thames Street Business Association to put the symposium which will be modeled after the Central Newport Charrette and a Providence Harbor District event held last Spring.

The symposium will be held on two Saturdays in October. On the first day historical background, overviews of past proposals for the waterfront and ongoing issues for the waterfront will be presented. Two architects will share information on waterfront community projects they have developed then participants will tour the waterfront area. On the second Saturday participants will review and define issues in breakout sessions and come up with possible solutions that will be presented to the City.

[MapmanNo1]

A snarky and fear-mongering post by Burt Hoffman over on KnowingNewport prompted a strong reaction from Paige Bronk, the city's planning director:

In a recent posting to Knowing Newport, Burt Hoffman stated that several

studies exist for the waterfront and that these documents have been

ignored. This is not true. The Comprehensive Plan, Foundation for

Newport Harborfront Plan (1996), and the Harbor Management Plan are all

important documents that have been and should be referenced, but none of

these studies provide the level of detail needed to preserve and

properly guide redevelopment along the waterfront. It was the

Comprehensive Plan that initially recommended the "Waterfront Business"

(WB) zoning district which was implemented in the mid-1990's. This WB

zoning was an important step, but it will not ensure that Newport

achieves the types of land uses, building designs, public access, water

vistas and harborwalk that we all desire. It also will not prevent the

type of development that the community fears.

The 1996 Harborfront Plan is a great concept plan with a strong emphasis

on transportation. Many of these transportation concepts have been

further studied, implemented, or are in process of future

implementation. Examples include the Perrotti Park Marine Terminal and

Harbormaster's Building, RIPTA trolleys, Pell Bridge Realignment, Pier

Improvements (Ann Street and Perrotti) and an expanded Harbor Shuttle

program. Also, the City recently sought additional federal

transportation funding to make significant roadway improvements

(roundabouts, travel lane reductions, landscaping, etc.) to the

America's Cup corridor, but funding was not provided. We are now

working with the AIPC, Statewide Planning and RIDOT to participate in a

regional project to include both America's Cup and Memorial Boulevard.

I commend those involved with the Harborfront Plan effort since it has

led to further detailed planning, engineering and eventual

implementation.

The City of Newport's Planning Department does not seek refined planning

for the waterfront in an attempt to "permit more and bigger hotels,

condos and time shares to replace whatever character remains on lower

Thames Street" as indicated by Mr. Hoffman. In fact, our vision is

quite the opposite. We seek to promote smaller scale development,

increased access to the water (to and along the harbor), improved

building designs, hazard resistant construction, and a mix of quality

land uses. There is no agenda or predetermined tools for

implementation. We seek to engage the public in determining community

values, issues, and opportunities.

Most residents have praised the Department for its involvement and/or

completion of the key projects. Some of these projects include: Cliff

Walk Restoration, Comprehensive Plan Update, Chafee Boulevard (CCRI, New

Visions, BankNewport), Newport Heights, Sunset Hill Park acquisition and

Miantonomi Park protection, Sale and Redevelopment of Potter and Lenthal

School properties, RIDOT land acquisition and development (on J.T.

Connell), Plat Map Digital Conversion, Abruzzi Field Renovation and

Restrooms, North End Master Plan, Pell Bridge Realignment, Washington

Square, Central Newport Plan, West Side Master Plan, Harbor Shuttle with

land side improvements, Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the ongoing Scenic

Roadways Project. The Planning Department is proud of its recent

accomplishments and cares to continue in best representing the long-term

interests of the community at-large.

Paige Bronk,

Director of Planning, Zoning, Development and Inspections

City of Newport