IN PROGRESS: Royal Mills in West Warwick

[Dan]

As for the sign, I've noticed that SBER tends to have them on their buildings (like Rising Sun) so I wouldn't be too surprised if the old one is getting restored or if a new one shows up at some point.

The sign read Saybrooke Mfg. Co Royal Mills to correct my earlier post. I hope it is restored or replicated. It will be awesome to see that massive complex with lights in the windows and a brightly lit new sign shining from the roof of the mill.

That Syrian family should've held onto that convenience store across the street, in a few years they'd be making a killing!

[mental757]

http://www.projo.com/ri/westwarwick/conten...ll.17e3256.html

this project continues to move along...

[KBagley]

I love the Advertisements for Royal Mills on RIPTA buses, specifically the one that depicts a close up of the stone wall as a background and says simply, in big block letters across the whole thing, "Built 70 years before some jerk invented vinyl siding"!

[jencoleslaw]

i have loved royal mills for years before any of the mill development, but damn it is really out of the way in West Warwick. What are these things going for anyway?

[mental757]

"$1190 - $2795 per month depending on the size" - according to the article...

[Dan]

Main Street in nearby Arctic has no chic pub, health club or town green. --ProJo 7/6/06

No respect for Arctic. No respect at all!

There was an outdoor concert going on Wednesday afternoon at the Gazebo in Arctic, corner of Main and Washington. I always thought of this as a village green... I wouldn't go so far to say the Arctic Cafe is a chic pub though.

[Cotuit]

Well to be fair to Arctic, village greens aren't really a Rhode Island tradition thanks to the seperation of church and state championed by Roger Williams. While most New England villages had a green anchored by a church and municipal buildings, RI villages didn't give such prominent positions to houses of worship, and as such don't have village greens (at least most don't).

[Garris]

Main Street in nearby Arctic has no chic pub, health club or town green. --ProJo 7/6/06

No respect for Arctic. No respect at all!

There was an outdoor concert going on Wednesday afternoon at the Gazebo in Arctic, corner of Main and Washington. I always thought of this as a village green... I wouldn't go so far to say the Arctic Cafe is a chic pub though.

As I was saying in a different thread, I think Arctic has great potential. Great, old buildings preserved seemingly in amber, a nice green in the center, a seeming patron saint in the bank there (the name escapes me), a supermarket and pharmacy right in the center of town. It would seem, like downtown Pawtucket, Arctic is an urban center just awaiting people who want a walkable lifestyle to notice it.

Hopefully Royals Mills (which looks spectacular) will give it a boost, as everyone living there will be able to walk to the nearby supermarket and pharmacy if they choose... And it's not that out of the way, maybe 10 minutes from the highway and no farther from it than many popular RI suburban communities.

...village greens aren't really a Rhode Island tradition thanks to the seperation of church and state championed by Roger Williams. While most New England villages had a green anchored by a church and municipal buildings, RI villages didn't give such prominent positions to houses of worship, and as such don't have village greens (at least most don't).

Is this really true, really why RI doesn't have traditional style greens? I always wondered about this.

- Garris

[Cotuit]

Is this really true, really why RI doesn't have traditional style greens? I always wondered about this.

That's what I read somewhere, but I can't remember where. Maybe a Brussat column.

[seandburke]

Christ they want a Walmart in there too? Isn't there already one in Coventry? This place is an abomination. It's so damn big and out in the middle of nowhere.

In the middle of nowhere is where it belongs if at all. Would you rather they build a similar wasteland in Apponaug or Arctic Village - as has been proposed, and thankfully put to rest, for now...

[gregw]

While most New England villages had a green anchored by a church and municipal buildings, RI villages didn't give such prominent positions to houses of worship, and as such don't have village greens (at least most don't).

That's true. Newport's green (in front of Trinity church) was actually created in the 50s or 60s as part of an urban renewal project to give the area a more traditonal New England look.

[glassandsteel]

The one in West Warwick came at the expense of the Majestic building that once sat in that lot. It's destruction was a tremendous blow to the area in my opinion. West Warwick's collective suburban mentality leaves a total disregard for the gifts it has and once had. They're currently in the process of building a new CVS where there was church, despite the fact that there is already a CVS nearby. This will probably add a big parking lot to the intersection and further add to the destruction of the heart of town. You'd think it'd make sense to make Arctic walkable and safe, seeing how it's near three schools and could be a better place for kids to hang out at.

[mental757]

the church is already bordered by 2 (currently unused and deteriorating) parking lots. I'm sure the new CVS will replace the one down Main Street and will offer much more space (and products) than the 'old' one that has to be one of CVS' original RI storefronts. The Majestic destruction was a blow - but with the huge lack of investment and interest in WW in general - what else could they do? The building was literally falling onto the sidewalk! It's not all WW's fault that the malls were built on it's border with the next twon opver and most of the mills shut down. Having said that, it certainly hasn't been the best run town in the world!!!

Thats why Royal Mills is so important - it COULD be the start of modest 'comeback' for what was once RI's major shopping and employment centers...

[MapmanNo1]

That's true. Newport's green (in front of Trinity church) was actually created in the 50s or 60s as part of an urban renewal project to give the area a more traditonal New England look.

Queen Anne Square (in front of Trinity Church) was built by Doris Duke's Newport Restoration Foundation in 1977. It was dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II when she was in Newport that year. Several houses and parking lots were moved/removed to build the park. In my opinion, the park (though beautiful) is a mistake that misrepresents this state's strong tradition of religious freedom. The park was built not for civic tradition but because Doris Duke thought it was a good idea.

Newport's original central square is Washington Square, originally called The Parade. At its head is not a white church (as you will see in the rest of New England) but the Colony House, which served as one of Rhode Island's statehouses until 1900. Washington Square is currently undergoing a mildly controvertial long-term renovation. The points of contention are 1) reduced parking and new lane configuration and 2) installation of an historic horse trough.

[basachs]

Saw a great ad for this project on the back of a RIPTA bus this morning. Had the project in the background and the Royal Mills name/contact info on the bottom. In the middle, the text simply said "Built 70 years before some jerk invented vinyl siding"

Good way to start my morning.

[mental757]

I saw that add as well - made me laugh. They have a few radio spots that are well done too. I just like this whole project. I hope they will attract a little bit of walkable distance retail and amenity type development though. There is RIPTA service that (I'm guessing will stop there when open) recreational space (nearby bike path and riverpoint town recreational fields), an elementary school (right across the street), and a convenience store, but besides whatever they incorporate in the project itself, not much else in terms of day to day living stuff.

[Nolli]

I saw that add as well - made me laugh.

Made me laugh, too, but for a different reason: As far as I know, there is no such word as "uncomparable" (as in "Uncomparable Mill Living." Incomparable, sure.

Royal Mills also connects to the bike path that goes up to Cranston (you pick it up in that romantic location behind Katherine Gibbs and Lowe's. And to back up Cotuit: that is correct about the lack of village green tradition in RI. Bristol is one of the few towns in the state to have one, but when it was planned it was part of Massachusetts.

[foxpointer]

Actually, uncomparable is a word, just a rare form of incomparable. No idea why it was used, however. I heard first tenants have moved in.

[mental757]

I think this thread should be in the "Rhode Island" section...

[edgarmousha]

Does anyone live at Royal Mills on the forum? I'd like an insiders perspective. What's it like?

[lastvisiblerat]

Does anyone live at Royal Mills on the forum? I'd like an insiders perspective. What's it like?

[dgreco]

^ dont they have a third building across the street? I drove by not to long ago, it seems like it to going to be nice, but all the road contruction is ridiculous...

[lastvisiblerat]

^ dont they have a third building across the street?

[mental757]

yes, that was the fabric (lace) storage/staging building - it used to have it's own little spur back to the washington secondary line which is now the bike/walking path. I have some 'insiders' with the town that just told me that will be the sight of office/retail/resuarant space as part of one of the later (last??) overall mill conversion project. It is a 3 story structure will rather low ceilings (compared to the openness of the residential parts).

[dgreco]

thanks for all the info, one thing I didnt like about hte apartments is that it seems it is really easy to see inside, especially the size of the windows. I understand you would have some covering but unlerss you have vertical's or blinds which most people find dated and ugly you are exposing a lot of your space.