IN PROGRESS: Parkis Avenue / North Elmwood Revitalization

[eltron]

[Cotuit]

Preservation with an eye on affordable housing. The Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Services plans to transform Parkis Avenue into 106 affordable condominiums and apartments. [ProJo.com]

[Jerry2]

Preservation with an eye on affordable housing. The Greater Elmwood Neighborhood Services plans to transform Parkis Avenue into 106 affordable condominiums and apartments. [ProJo.com]

This is quite arguably the worst block in Providence. Overall, the concept is great, but I think the money could be allocated better to other corners of the South Side. They are going to increase the density on this street ten-fold....cutting down trees and the like...Are you out there Jen? Increased density will not work on this block...esp. when corners like Potters and Public, Broad @ multiple corners, and Eddy St. all have huge developable spots...

[KRC]

This is quite arguably the worst block in Providence. Overall, the concept is great, but I think the money could be allocated better to other corners of the South Side. They are going to increase the density on this street ten-fold....cutting down trees and the like...Are you out there Jen? Increased density will not work on this block...esp. when corners like Potters and Public, Broad @ multiple corners, and Eddy St. all have huge developable spots...

What makes you say that?

[eltron]

This is quite arguably the worst block in Providence. Overall, the concept is great, but I think the money could be allocated better to other corners of the South Side. They are going to increase the density on this street ten-fold....cutting down trees and the like...Are you out there Jen? Increased density will not work on this block...esp. when corners like Potters and Public, Broad @ multiple corners, and Eddy St. all have huge developable spots...

And how do you figure the density increase? There are currently 106 units existing in deplorable condition. They will be replaced with 96 units of high-quality, safe housing (10 units will be off-site at vacant lots on Stanwood St. and Congress Ave.) We will not be removing any significant trees, and we will be replacing each and every tree that is removed to accomodate construction, both on the street and other locations.

If you would like more accurate information about this project, please PM me.

If anyone is interested, I can post photos and drawings for the project, and otherwise answer any questions about this development, or affordable housing development in general.

[jencoleslaw]

i am NOT worried about trees when Eltron is on the job. And, i might add that i believe there are worse blocks than this one. While El can probably speak more on this than I can, those corners mentioned are probably all zoned commercial so they might not be the best areas for housing.

I was not able to go to the thingy the other day but the picture in the paper today certainly made it look very well attended! I'm sure a lot of peeps are very excited about this.

[Cotuit]

Overall, the concept is great, but I think the money could be allocated better to other corners of the South Side.

We've been over this before though. It would be great if we could direct development to the specific lots where it seems most needed, if we could turn the city into a SimCity game. It came up with Sierra Suites and how most of us would rather see the surface parking that already exists on Washington developed rather than having to tear down an existing building (regardless of what the quality or condition of that building may be). But the reality is that developers can only develop properties that they own. Hopefully, redevelopment of this area will lead to more property owners redeveloping other parcels in the area.

[KBagley]

And how do you figure the density increase? There are currently 106 units existing in deplorable condition. They will be replaced with 96 units of high-quality, safe housing (10 units will be off-site at vacant lots on Stanwood St. and Congress Ave.) We will not be removing any significant trees, and we will be replacing each and every tree that is removed to accomodate construction, both on the street and other locations.

If you would like more accurate information about this project, please PM me.

If anyone is interested, I can post photos and drawings for the project, and otherwise answer any questions about this development, or affordable housing development in general.

Eltron, I would love to see any renderings and more information about this project. Second Empire is my favorite architectural form and Parkis Ave has always been my favorite street for a "fix". I did not know about the gates as mentioned in the article, has there been any thought given to restoring this feature in someway, albeit making them permanently open? Or they could be functional and closed for street festivals block parties, etc by the proper authorities. I don't see them as creating a "Gated-Community" as some might cry foul about, but rather having their presence there to create a sense of place, or sense of arrival, that could really add to the character of the street as a residential community.

[AriPVD]

Cotuit, what ward do you live in? I think you should run for City Council. Not joking at all.

[Jerry2]

And how do you figure the density increase? There are currently 106 units existing in deplorable condition. They will be replaced with 96 units of high-quality, safe housing (10 units will be off-site at vacant lots on Stanwood St. and Congress Ave.) We will not be removing any significant trees, and we will be replacing each and every tree that is removed to accomodate construction, both on the street and other locations.

If you would like more accurate information about this project, please PM me.

If anyone is interested, I can post photos and drawings for the project, and otherwise answer any questions about this development, or affordable housing development in general.

Ok..If this project encompasses several streets, that's a different story. Parkis ( between Elmwood and Broad) has only about 8-10 3-deckers besides the elderly building. A render would be great. I used to live @ the corner of Hanover and Elmwood and Parkis was not a street to walk down ever....Hopefully, this project changes that.

[Cotuit]

Cotuit, what ward do you live in? I think you should run for City Council. Not joking at all.

I don't what number, Lombardi's.

I just wrote a huge email to some people about a not having the emotional energy to be fully vested in a particular political struggle. I don't think I'll be running for office anytime soon. If anyone needs a puppet master though, I'll pull the strings behind the scenes.

(Just looked it up, I live in lucky ward number 13)

[AriPVD]

Perfect. I'll write you in.

[eltron]

Here are few tidbits - more to come...

This is the corner of Parkis Avenue and Elmwood Avenue. It is currently a hot spot for hookers, mostly from out-of-towners picking up girls (and boys).

The first floor will be a property management office and get some "eyes-on-the-street" effect; the second and third floor will be four nicely appointed efficiency apartments. We anticipate that this one building will make a big impact on both Elmwood and Parkis.

before

after

[Recchia]

Love that house. Whats with the white building on the corner, is that gonna be knocked down?

How much these gonna rent for?

[eltron]

Love that house. Whats with the white building on the corner, is that gonna be knocked down?

How much these gonna rent for?

Yep, the white decapitated building will be demolished and replaced with the yellow storefront building.

Condos will sell from a low of about $90k to $198k. All very nice with lots of historic details. Completely rehabbed.

Apartments will rent from a low of $189 per month (highly subsidized) to about $900.

[basachs]

hey eltron, i love that rendering looks great.

Is the cementitious siding only going on the new buildings? Or are the outsides of the historic buildings being rehabbed with that siding as well?

Admittedly I have never driven down that street. This thread has made me want to and I guess thats the whole point.

[Recchia]

Yep, the white decapitated building will be demolished and replaced with the yellow storefront building.

Condos will sell from a low of about $90k to $198k. All very nice with lots of historic details. Completely rehabbed.

Apartments will rent from a low of $189 per month (highly subsidized) to about $900.

I get it now, at first I thought the reddish house next to the white building was going to become the yellow house in the rendering.

So how many buildings total will be rehabbed/constructed? And what kind of requirements, if any, as far as income goes do people have to meet in order to purchase condos?

[eltron]

I get it now, at first I thought the reddish house next to the white building was going to become the yellow house in the rendering.

So how many buildings total will be rehabbed/constructed? And what kind of requirements, if any, as far as income goes do people have to meet in order to purchase condos?

The first phase will rehab 3 of the old victorians. These buildings are currently 42 very run-down rooming house units (though there are some fantastic details remaining, even from when they were converted from single-family to apartment houses). They will become 16 condo units, 12 of which are first-time buyers.

They are priced according to income. I don't have the exact figures in hand, but roughly the $90k condo can be purchased by someone making up to $28k a year. There will be really great units available in the $130-$140k range, and those are available to people up to $40k a year. There are additional programs available to help people purchase all of these.

(Anyone can PM if they are interested in homebuying, I'll point you in the right direction.) [this is informational only - I am NOT trying to sell; I'll help out whoever wants info on buying any affordable place]

Phase 2 is 42 rental units in 7 buildings - 1 rehab and 6 new.

Phase 3 is rehab of an additional 6 buildings in 2007-2008.

[eltron]

hey eltron, i love that rendering looks great.

Is the cementitious siding only going on the new buildings? Or are the outsides of the historic buildings being rehabbed with that siding as well?

Admittedly I have never driven down that street. This thread has made me want to and I guess thats the whole point.

Hmmm, its taken me awhile to get back to this...anyway:

the cemetitious siding will only be going on the new buildings. We are pretty big fans of the Hardie Plank right now - looks good, environmentally friendly, and has a 15 year paint warranty. You are able to do very nice detailing with it as well, and get a historic appearance.

The older buildings will either have exterior scraped, sanded and painted as is, or replaced with cedar clapboards as necessary.

[Garris]

News from the zoning board meeting on this project this evening:

Apparently, there's a long running back and forth process regarding the transformation of the following intersection at Elmwood and Parkis:

Before

After new construction...

Apparently, the zoning board is concerned that if they allow the mixed use retail/residential building to go forward with retail (cafe?) on the bottom and the four planned single person units above, it'll require ignoring almost every zoning board regulation and rule.

They apparently have already forced the developers to remove the quite nice roof here in exchange for a flat surface because of "concerns over height."

Quite depressingly, zoning board members talked about reducing this to a single floor building only and one suggested removing it entirely and replacing it with a lawn for the neighboring home, almost like a personal pocket park for the residents of the building it borders.

This looks like one area to me where zoning rules are strangling an otherwise very urban, very cool, very innovative, and very attractive development.

The developers suggested that Phase II of this project for all of Parkis Street is very financially dependent upon getting the number of retail units planned overall, and that this building contributes significantly. They said that if they don't get them from this building, they may need to reconfigure the project's other properties or drop the project altogether...

Hopefully, Zoning will realize that this is one place where urban friendly development should trump arbitrary rules of tree canopy coverage and square footage per unit that is, on average, just fine for the project as a whole encompassing Parkis St.

- Garris

[somad]

Garris: I can't believe they're so idiotic. I guess they'd rather have that deteriorating eyesore than that giant monstrosity of a building that has been proposed....

I actually think that building is quite conservative in design and see no reason why an urban neighborhood would reject that for being too tall. We need to see more proposals like this... These people who are blocking this just need to go away. They're just giving NIMBYs a bad name (well... most NIMBYs are bad)...

[jencoleslaw]

since i was at my own meeting last night i wasn't at Zoning but i can tell you that its pretty easy to meet the landscaping requirements by just tree banking, ie., planting street trees on Parkis Ave around in the vicinity of the building even if not on the property (unless there is surface parking). I don't know what is so arbitarary, or impossible about that. And that neighborhood could certainly use some street trees.

what kind of retail are they proposing? I thought it was going to be a management office?

[Garris]

i can tell you that its pretty easy to meet the landscaping requirements by just tree banking

I believe they said they thought they would be able to meet landscaping requirements, "but it will be really tight."

what kind of retail are they proposing? I thought it was going to be a management office?

Again, it was tough to hear, but I thought they said, "initially a management office" and the render they showed last night I thought said "Cafe" on the window.

- Garris

[JimmyGreaves]

I would hate to see this project scaled back due to the current zoning ordinance only to potentially have the revised zoning ordinance revised post-project to allow more dwelling units per area.

[ruchele]

Apparently, the zoning board is concerned that if they allow the mixed use retail/residential building to go forward with retail (cafe?) on the bottom and the four planned single person units above, it'll require ignoring almost every zoning board regulation and rule.

Quite depressingly, zoning board members talked about reducing this to a single floor building only and one suggested removing it entirely and replacing it with a lawn for the neighboring home, almost like a personal pocket park for the residents of the building it borders.

This looks like one area to me where zoning rules are strangling an otherwise very urban, very cool, very innovative, and very attractive development.

Are they serious? That is just disgraceful. If anything should get variances, it should be forward-thinking projects like this, that reflect where the city wants to go in terms of development. If I had known there was contention about this site, I definitely would have shown up to voice my support of the design (sorry if I just missed the announcement). Eltron, please let us know the next time there is an opportunity for some public comment to the zoning board on the Parkis plans!