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The Armory Thread

Liamlunchtray

By Liamlunchtray
in Providence

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virgo20 Whistle-Stop

virgo20

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I have no idea to be honest. I thought it was funny that in one of Virgo's posts he(?) mentioned that West Fountain was a gateway to the neighborhood - It is a totally isolated side street tucked away behind the police station. You pretty much only drive down it if you have a need to be there. I don't understand why Westminster isnt booming with new projects. Actually there are quite a few smaller projects going on, but still nothing major yet. I think that one of the benefits of Westminster is that it actually has a decent number of buildings that are kind of throw-aways, which would allow for some demos and new construction to mix in with the rehabs. Broadway on the other hand has so many Historic houses, that there reallly isnt much room for major new construction. I think the retail/condo building at the corner of harrison/westminster is the perfect example of the kind of new, hip buildings that will work wonderfully in this neighborhood. I would love to see someone buy up everything between harrison and dexter street and build a large new project. Condos and retail anyone? :D

West Fountain COULD be a gateway to the neighborhood with Washington Street running from Downcity into the area. It would give more of a visual appeal to newcomers and prospective residents. ( Welcome to the West Broadway Armory District) In many areas, including Smith Hill,where I live, there is signage @ multiple spots giving non-residents and visitors alike a sense of place.You're right! It's absolutely an isolated place now, but imagine a gateway from Downtown through Broadway, Washington, and Westminster. (if they tear apart Bishop Mcvinney) It guides visitors to the jewel that sits in the West Side. Now, without good directions, people could drive down Cranston St. or Elmwood and not know there's a great area blocks away. I think the area is one of the funkiest in Providence and the WBNA and the Armory Revival have done a lot of good things for the area.

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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West Fountain COULD be a gateway to the neighborhood with Washington Street running from Downcity into the area. It would give more of a visual appeal to newcomers and prospective residents. ( Welcome to the West Broadway Armory District) In many areas, including Smith Hill,where I live, there is signage @ multiple spots giving non-residents and visitors alike a sense of place.You're right! It's absolutely an isolated place now, but imagine a gateway from Downtown through Broadway, Washington, and Westminster. (if they tear apart Bishop Mcvinney) It guides visitors to the jewel that sits in the West Side. Now, without good directions, people could drive down Cranston St. or Elmwood and not know there's a great area blocks away. I think the area is one of the funkiest in Providence and the WBNA and the Armory Revival have done a lot of good things for the area.

Im still not sure if Im seeing the vision of west fountain, but I totally agree that crating gateways with signage, landscaping, etc is a great idea. People who come to my house for the first time are always amazed at how nice the neighborhood is once they get here. They generally think they have taken a wrong turn or something as they head down westminster past the projects and abandoned buildings, then you cross Bridgham and its totally different. Neighborhood signage is a great idea (even like what they do in Summit). It gives people a sense of place.

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runturtlerun Unincorporated Area

runturtlerun

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I got this picture off of the Providence Preservation Society web-site -- I think this is the building Armory Properties wants to take down.

http://local.provplan.org/pps//detail.asp?UID=CLCO

Personally, I think Armory Properties could make use of the facade in creative ways, but I don't think the building is really significant. I think what disappoints me most about the WBNA's opposition to the project is the fact that a couple of the business owners in the area (the ones on Westminster -- Abode, Classic Cafe) who attended the original neighborhood meeting were very supportive of the development. I'm not sure that the WBNA represented that perspective at the Planning Commission meeting.

But, sometimes, developers come in asking for more than they expect to get approved for, knowing that the project will get knocked down some -- in one way or another -- and when it does, it looks like they compromised. I'm hopeful that the WBNA can work with Armory Properties and the City to put together a better plan, generally I think the WBNA does great work for the neighborhood.

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basachs Burg

basachs

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Apologize in advance if this has been covered somewhere, could not find it...

Anyone know what they are building behind JKL Engineering on Westminster? They are moving quickly lately...

Wish they would move that quick on some of the other things on westminster...

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

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Apologize in advance if this has been covered somewhere, could not find it...

Anyone know what they are building behind JKL Engineering on Westminster? They are moving quickly lately...

Wish they would move that quick on some of the other things on westminster...

Its actually a part of their building...just an addition.

Noticed it myself the other day.

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basachs Burg

basachs

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Minor update:

Past three days work is being done on the funeral home conversion (park side one). They are working primarily on the back area. Finally!

The funeral home on the other side and Norma's still has had nothing done to it except some demo work...

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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Its actually a part of their building...just an addition.

Noticed it myself the other day.

That addition is so strange looking. It now has this weird widows watch kind of thing on the top of it. It looks like they lopped off the top of a house and just plopped it down on top of a cinderblock building. Weird.

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basachs Burg

basachs

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That addition is so strange looking. It now has this weird widows watch kind of thing on the top of it. It looks like they lopped off the top of a house and just plopped it down on top of a cinderblock building. Weird.

I saw that yesterday. I swear it loks like they stole your idea for garage condos and expanded their building to include condos on top. If anything, it is a nice alternative to the ugly, low slung industrial buildings in the area.

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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I saw that yesterday. I swear it loks like they stole your idea for garage condos and expanded their building to include condos on top. If anything, it is a nice alternative to the ugly, low slung industrial buildings in the area.

Totally!! That Balcony they are building is going to have awesome views of both the flat roof of the building AND the parking lots across the street. Scenic!

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Soren Whistle-Stop

Soren

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One quick comment on the WBNA. It has been around a long time and has involved a lot of different people, including developers, residents and people of differing agendas. I think it is simplistic to think that their voice or actions would be 100% consistent over the years, or that their mission and priorities stay 100% the same as the neighborhood changes and becomes more expensive. Any neighborhood group is usually the sum of its most vocal and active members, and those members change.

I am, in general, a big fan of the WBNA's work and I echo the wish that every neighborhood in Providence had as active a group with as grand a vision. Most neighborhood groups are simply there to preserve the status quo or address single issues.

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chemgeek Unincorporated Area

chemgeek

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Apologize in advance if this has been covered somewhere, could not find it...

Anyone know what they are building behind JKL Engineering on Westminster? They are moving quickly lately...

Wish they would move that quick on some of the other things on westminster...

My source tells me that the owner of JKL is actually building his own house on top of the building, which is why it looks like, well, a house on top of the building. So, not an expansion of the business, but at least it looks like the business plans to stay.

K.

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basachs Burg

basachs

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My source tells me that the owner of JKL is actually building his own house on top of the building, which is why it looks like, well, a house on top of the building. So, not an expansion of the business, but at least it looks like the business plans to stay.

K.

Well that answers that, the addition definitely did not look like it was all commercial. I think that is pretty cool actually, that an owner of a business on westminster is going to live there.

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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Well that answers that, the addition definitely did not look like it was all commercial. I think that is pretty cool actually, that an owner of a business on westminster is going to live there.

So I googled it a bit and I guess the owner of JKL was one of the main witnesses against Buddy. Im not sure I would want everyone knowing where I lived if I was him. :D

I noticed this weekend that more work is going on inside Mi Conuco - Anyone know what its going to be? Also, they were digging with a backhoe this morning behind the Beauty Parlor/Funeral Home. Oak, are you at liberty yet to shed any light on this?

Liam

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basachs Burg

basachs

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Liam, thats why he built his place higher than anything in that area...so he can see whats coming!

I noticed the backhoe on the park side funeral home contrcution, but not behind the Norma's diner car. Which one are you talking about? They have really been working hard on the parkside funeral home. In the mornings when it is still dark I can see the lights in there and look in as I walk by. Framing is all put in.

Wondering if the front part of that funeral home will be a restuarant? It would be cool to incorporate the funeral home/death theme a bit in a untacky way. I hope they keep the gold "Funeral Home" markings on the front.

Also, they finally are putting drywall in the vets office and were retarring the roof last week, moving along on that one.

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oak Unincorporated Area

oak

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Liam, I don't know anything new about progress at the former Norma's or the adjacent funeral home.

I have been watching the construction at the funeral home on the south side of Westminster and a back-hoe has been out there for a few weeks. You can see more of this site if you stand on Oak St and look at the rear of the property.

When I was out walking the dog between deluges on Saturday, I noticed that the paper in the windows at Mi Conuco was pretty wet and I wondered if the building was leaking.

I also noticed that New York System has building permits posted and there is a dumpster filled with debris parked in the front of the building. I took a closer look on my way to work this morning and the building underneath that awful facade may be decent. Does anyone know if this is getting a face lift like Classic Cafe? This would be a great improvement. (A menu makeover would be great too. Why do Rhode Islanders love hot weiners stacked up some guy's hairy arm?!)

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Liamlunchtray Burg

Liamlunchtray

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I also noticed that New York System has building permits posted and there is a dumpster filled with debris parked in the front of the building. I took a closer look on my way to work this morning and the building underneath that awful facade may be decent. Does anyone know if this is getting a face lift like Classic Cafe? This would be a great improvement. (A menu makeover would be great too. Why do Rhode Islanders love hot weiners stacked up some guy's hairy arm?!)

Man, I love that NYsystem. I would be completely bummed if they renovated. I loves me some weiners "up da ahm". Smith street was gutted in afire and renovated 10-15 years ago and it doesnt have the same charm. Keep it Tacky!!!

I noticed the backhoe on the park side funeral home contrcution, but not behind the Norma's diner car. Which one are you talking about? They have really been working hard on the parkside funeral home. In the mornings when it is still dark I can see the lights in there and look in as I walk by. Framing is all put in.

I actually meant right behind Normas. they were digging this morning.

the other Funeral Home is really coming along though. I had never noticed what a big building it is until they started working on it.

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