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IN PROGRESS: The Plant | 60 Valley St.


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That's so not true, and I know what real gated communities look like, I've been to Florida. I also watch the foot traffic every day on Valley and I see people who clearly live and work in the mills venture forth to local shops, the park, etc, all the time.
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This "project" is the Northeastern city equivalent of a gated community. While I won't say that they are bad for the community, I will say that any major wave of "gentrification" or "white influx" ( same definition essentially) is highly unlikely in this area in the immediate future.
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For me, it doesn't get better than Tuxedo Street for the area.. Check out that little run of houses.. Spring time flowering trees, probably a good photog opty for you shutterbugs out there..

Rising waters = The WOONS flooding all the time.. A few times its been bad..

Jerry's not wrong, he's just a misanthrope.. He hates things, he's very good at it.. No, I'm just kidding.. I feel that to an outsider, the area probably looks horrific, almost Naked Uzi Baby Level.. But not quite..

But if you live there, and see the changes for the past three years, and know why it happened. And know its inevitable when a billion dollars gets invested in a finite area, that a rising tide lifts all boats.

Whether out of capitalism, fixing and selling for profit, or fixing because a nice apt can now command nice rent, and the fear of tenant destruction is greatly lessened..

Or out of guilt, if 4 houses in a row are terrible, yours can be too.. But If those 4 are nice, you are an a-hole if yours is trash.. Social fabric is a powerful thing..

And when this happens, it affects all residents.. People are less likely to commit waste if everyone else is not committing waste..

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Look...I'm happy that they refurbished the old buildings. I grew up in that same area and lived on Bowdoin St. from 1984 until 1989. I was there when most of the buildings were forgotten...havens for drugs, stolen car lots, and the haunting place for PVD's notorious child serial killer of the late 80's. William Sarmento killed one of my childhood friends...R.I.P. Frankie Barnes...as well as skinning cats and dogs in the back of these buildings. He lived in the creepy house that's still there behind the El Sinai restaurant on Valley. My friends and I were lucky we were not one of the victims as we built forts and used to catch turtles in Valley Park. (actually Donigan) I remember being petrified to walk to school in the morning.

The bottom line is that, while Valley St. has seen an incredible investment in the last few years, O'ville will continue to be the resting place for one of the poorest cities in America. Our generous entitlement benefits, lack of welfare reform, and pro-ILLEGAL immigrant policies continue to attract a society that has virtually nowhere else to go in this state...NONE of our surrounding communities want them. Have you seen what lengths Johnston is going to stop "affordable housing?" This isn't Boston where all their low-income can flock to New Bedford and Fall River without an interruption of benefits. Maybe they can go to Woonsocket or CF but there is only so much land in Lil' Rhody to go around.The best case scenario that will happen is that O'ville will become more integrated with a healthier mix of income levels and socioeconomic statuses. If you think that some investment in this area is going to be " financially rewarding", I'd suggest you consider somewhere else. The "low-income element" has been pushed out of Fed Hill, the Armory, and other parts of Pvd. They are not welcome anywhere else and have nowhere else to go.

As far as future development, the businesses that the "Loco-motion" project will cater to are the couple of hundred people that may live in Eagle Square or the surrounding mills. It is not enough populace for a business to prosper and contribute to the overall neighborhood. On a 19K yearly salary, the majority of the 60K people that live within 2 miles of this place will not shop at any of these places. They are more likely to be seen at the Big Top Flea Market, Price Rite, and Wal-Mart in Cranston. What is left over is an Eagle Square of sorts...vacant prime properties....Ank, I don't know how you came to the conclusion that E.S. was 100% occupied...near-sighted? Anyways, this area could become a decent commercial corridor, but only if the surrounding businesses reflect the demographics of the area. Sadly, I think the rents will be ridiculous and few businesses will see the benefit of locating in the city.

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The main problem with olneyville is the stimga of the area, and these buildings won't change it because of that, no one who has an income or is not "poverty" striken will not move into the area. I go out of my way to drive around the area when I am in the area, it is sad, but I don't see the area getting any better. The only place I will go in over there is NY Systems, and even then I won't go at night.
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I agree on the stigma, and speak of change of perception alleviating that.. The biggest challenge, to me, with O'ville is this public perception change.. Cannot happen over night.. Gradual.. Then one day the general pub will think, its not bad here, its actually nice..

As far as Jerry's experiences there, nothing will change him.. Too traumatic.. Its like going back to an ex girlfriend who cheated on you, but 1000x worse; never a good time, and brings back bad feelings..

Regarding financial gain.. If houses were selling in the 100ks a few years back, and sales are in the 350ks now..... Rents were $500 for a 3 bed, and are now 900... Well...

I completely disagree with the area not changing.. In fact, out of all of Providence, there isn't an area that is a better investment.. Really.. Maybe lower sub-Knight St Fed Hill.. Thats it..

Eagle Square is not 100% occ retail; there is ONE vacancy next to Staples.. Commercial office space, which is located on 2nd floors, has been a huge failure.. I don't know how many units residential sold, but I see many people living there..

I used to afraid to walk my dog at night.. And its a pit bull.. Many people were afraid to leave their houses.. Its a sad existence.. Now, I see people walking at night, decorating their houses, caring.. not all people, maybe 63.78% of people... And rising..

As far as "all the poor people have left Fed Hill", I suggest you walk around below Knight Street... In the dark.. Horrific..

I agree with Broad Street "rough and tumble" conversation.. Very diff feel than Onleyville.. And just to clarify, Manton Ave and O Square are still tough.. Manton by far worse..

I am referring to Atwells and Valley area.. Manton has a far way to go.. I get a bad feeling driving on that road..

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Wow. If I go out of my way to drive around Olneyville, its only because the traffic can be a nightmare at times. I really dont think its all that bad of an area. Certainly not a place where I am afraid or uncomfortable. It is certainly very ethnic, but I have never gotten the rough and tumble vibe that I get on some parts of broad street or potters ave.
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I agree on the stigma, and speak of change of perception alleviating that.. The biggest challenge, to me, with O'ville is this public perception change.. Cannot happen over night.. Gradual.. Then one day the general pub will think, its not bad here, its actually nice..

As far as Jerry's experiences there, nothing will change him.. Too traumatic.. Its like going back to an ex girlfriend who cheated on you, but 1000x worse; never a good time, and brings back bad feelings..

Regarding financial gain.. If houses were selling in the 100ks a few years back, and sales are in the 350ks now..... Rents were $500 for a 3 bed, and are now 900... Well...

I completely disagree with the area not changing.. In fact, out of all of Providence, there isn't an area that is a better investment.. Really.. Maybe lower sub-Knight St Fed Hill.. Thats it..

Eagle Square is not 100% occ retail; there is ONE vacancy next to Staples.. Commercial office space, which is located on 2nd floors, has been a huge failure.. I don't know how many units residential sold, but I see many people living there..

I used to afraid to walk my dog at night.. And its a pit bull.. Many people were afraid to leave their houses.. Its a sad existence.. Now, I see people walking at night, decorating their houses, caring.. not all people, maybe 63.78% of people... And rising..

As far as "all the poor people have left Fed Hill", I suggest you walk around below Knight Street... In the dark.. Horrific..

I agree with Broad Street "rough and tumble" conversation.. Very diff feel than Onleyville.. And just to clarify, Manton Ave and O Square are still tough.. Manton by far worse..

I am referring to Atwells and Valley area.. Manton has a far way to go.. I get a bad feeling driving on that road..

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Its funny actually. The folks that I know who have the most stigma attached to Olneyville or the West End are all people who lived here "back in the day". I work with a guy who grew up off hartford ave and just cant beleive that I willingly live in the Armory. No matter how much I tell him it has changed it just doesnt get across to him. I grew up in Woonsocket and spent a lot of time in Providence in my teens before moving here when I was 20. Olneyville never had any stigma at all for me. It was just "that area around Wes' and the Skate Hut". I have never felt unsafe there - maybe it was just that I was naive when I was younger....

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Its funny actually. The folks that I know who have the most stigma attached to Olneyville or the West End are all people who lived here "back in the day". I work with a guy who grew up off hartford ave and just cant beleive that I willingly live in the Armory. No matter how much I tell him it has changed it just doesnt get across to him. I grew up in Woonsocket and spent a lot of time in Providence in my teens before moving here when I was 20. Olneyville never had any stigma at all for me. It was just "that area around Wes' and the Skate Hut". I have never felt unsafe there - maybe it was just that I was naive when I was younger....
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it sounds to me like jerry will never see the change in olneyville/valley.

as for what ALCO will cater too... yes, the people who live in eagle square, the people living in the 903, and you're forgetting the people just up river ave, north of chalkstone. there's a whole neighborhood up there, which is probably less than a mile from ALCO.

i'm considering the rising sun lofts as a possible location for when i move in june/july. i love that area, especially the mills along the river. it might be a little rough around the edges, but it's certainly not a bad area. in fact, i was just down at eagle square shopping (and i think that shaw's has become my new grocery store).

but the fact remains that olneyville is not a bad area, and i agree with the ank... many of the so-called artists can easily afford the average rents in the city. i may be a little hippy-ish at times, but it's a capitalist country and there's nothing anyone can do to change that... unless you live on a commune in vermont.

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