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Smith Hill wants retail


Cotuit

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also interesting is that tidbit about PriceRite and eagle square. I cannot fathom for one instant how they will afford the lease on that property. I sure hope the city isn't subsidizing this in any way... an earlier quote on this issue said that they were not going to subdivide the space so...what's changed?
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Raze the old Price Rite.. A Park is a good idea for the spot.. Clean up the river there, open it up.. Keep the square intact as a hub, but toss a park behind it.. Its genius.. I admittedly have never been in the store.. What is it comparable to.. While it seems like a cheap crappy store, I think anything is better than a huge ghost big box in Eagle Square..

I have also noticed a bunch of retail vacancies lately.. Mildly concerning.. In between Staples and the mattress store.. Maybe it was HR Block and was only seasonal.. Not sure..

Also I am terrified of Cotuit's nutcrackhead picture... nightmares.. not even kidding.. Pure evil..

I have not driven down to Riverside Gateway yet.. Has anyone else? I think the swap meet type thing currently in the mill there actually works.. If they graded the parking lot and repaved it its really not that bad as a functioning wholesale/retail/compton & watts swap meet..

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Raze the old Price Rite.. A Park is a good idea for the spot.. Clean up the river there, open it up.. Keep the square intact as a hub, but toss a park behind it.. Its genius.. I admittedly have never been in the store.. What is it comparable to.. While it seems like a cheap crappy store, I think anything is better than a huge ghost big box in Eagle Square..
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Jerry2, well done.. I do think the layout is mix matched.. I don't share the same dire outlook though.. I think the fault of the project was trying to jump start gentrification.. They tried to skip steps.. For anyone who was familiar with the area before views the project as a boon... I would like to get the opinions of those who can or do view the project simply on aesthetics.. I cannot take this third party view, because regardless of the layout, I see it as positive..

As evil as this may sound to people, Staples and Shaws and the like may have been a few phases early.. There is positive going on for sure, but you can't force it.. You can't just toss a Capital Grille in the ghetto; you have to start with an Applebee's, then go to an Outback, etc, as the resident population "improves"..

A quick notice of the stores who are staying notes that these stores cater to current population; Cingular, Mad Rags, Pay/Half, Popeyes, laudromat, RadioShack Hair/nails, etc..

I think that the ALCO project and PUENTE/Calendar Mills will provide the missing piece, daytime working folk.. Rising Sun is nice, but the amount of workforce there isn't large..

I will agree with you that the space where Radio Shack and the mattress place are is undesirable.. The rest of the buildings are ok.. Coincidentally, the most undesirable space is the exact building that housed Fort Thunder if I am not mistaken.. So we agree on this point completely..

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the area still needs a businessman's organization to organize street trash pickup along that part of Smith Street and the intersection of Chalkstone Ave all the way to Orms Street. It alwaya looks a mess in that area. Litter flies all over the place, mostly from 7-11, and noone seems to care. GI Joes cleans in front of its store, but the abutters could care less. Patricks also does a good job.

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the area still needs a businessman's organization to organize street trash pickup along that part of Smith Street and the intersection of Chalkstone Ave all the way to Orms Street. It alwaya looks a mess in that area. Litter flies all over the place, mostly from 7-11, and noone seems to care. GI Joes cleans in front of its store, but the abutters could care less. Patricks also does a good job.
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Earthen Vessel was a godsend.. The few "replacements" are not up to par with EV.. I miss this more than anything.. I'd stop by there even when I didn't need stuff for units.. The couple that owned it were great, they were the genuine article.. Great for apartments, but also for retro stuff.. They had a few of those rachel ray stoves in there, not sure what they are called but I always wanted one..

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  • 3 months later...

I see that there is some activity @ the ALDI/Valueland site.. I wonder which goes up faster, this or Price-Rite.. Out of all the hoods I always thought Smith Hill was the most underutilized.. (Or least utilized..)

I know this is complete pie in the sky, but regarding the borderline unusable hill plats between The Promenade & Smith Hill upper core on Jewett Street and others.. There's this place in South Boston called Thomas Park where its very hilly, and the buildings on street level are 2-3 stories high, but are built down the hill for a total of 10 stories.. Its damn cool there.. It would be pretty pimped if built something like that on Smith Hill..

I am no architect, so my explanation stinks.. But if you click this link for google street view:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...9828584301,,0,5

you can see the buildings.. Damn cool.. So each floor off the back has decks with great ocean views.. And the roofdeck has great city views.. Nice park out your front door.. Borderline Utopia there, except for the fact that SB leads the country in Marshall Rule Melees over parking spots..

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Next to Chopsticks, right? Yeah, noticed that.. Amazingly no outrage.. I guess no one cares about historic buildings in THAT hood.. No artists there on that part of Smith St Rt 44 apparently..
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I think the Smith/Orm/Chalkstone convergence area is the most underutilized area in Providence.. Ripe for redevelopment.. So close to downtown...

lacks the retail necessary for a vibrant hood.. But its got boucoup potential..

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