DESTROYED: Providence Fruit & Produce Warehouse

[Frankie811]

I need to study this in more detail later, but at first blush, it appears brilliant.  I would seriously forward this feedback to the Prov 2020 group, Cotuit.  It's light years ahead of anything they have planned for the area.

- Garris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great designe, however I'm wondering if you have Holden St lined up right. If it wouldn't cut more into the Jefferson property.

[Cotuit]

Great designe, however I'm wondering if you have Holden St lined up right. If it wouldn't cut more into the Jefferson property.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I traced the map from a satellite image. The bridge from Holden to Harris is at a slight angle, if you draw a line straight from Holden, it does knick the corner of Jefferson.

[AriPVD]

Send that over to Thom Deller.

[anthonypolitelli]

http://www.projo.com/metro/content/projo_2...t.1313dbea.html

[Garris]

http://www.projo.com/metro/content/projo_2...t.1313dbea.html

Thanks for the link.

Check this out from the article: "In 1998, the DOT acquired the produce building and the last vendors moved out. The DOT paid $14 million for the parcel. The new owners, Carpionato, paid $4.3 million."

Yet another Cotuit plan comes to fruitition... I think a hotel tower addition on the highway side (see Cotuit's diagram a few messages up) would be great... They'll really need to solidify pedestrian connections between Waterplace and the Promenade for this to work, however...

- Garris

[Cotuit]

I went to see some units at the903 this afternoon, they were OK, I could imagine living there, maybe. We're heading back later to see it during the day with an actual sales agant (they aren't really set up yet, they start showing for sales on the 13th). I'll write more later after I go back in the 'the903' thread.

What I was really interested in though, was the rendering and map in the lobby regarding the Produce Warehouse. They had that lame ass ColecoVision rendering. They also had a map of the area looking very similar to mine above. Harris Ave. is cut off and turned to line up with Holden Street, and a new bridge connects the two. The difference is, where I put a 'new tower' they had a parking lot. Yes, that's right, a parking lot at the corner of Harris and Kinsley overlooking the river and sitting infront of the ColecoVision produce warehouse.

Jefferson was mandated to have a park weren't they? If that park is going to be supplanted by a relocated Harris Ave., Harris Ave. should not be being supplanted by a parking lot. If anyone hears about any public meetings about this, let the group know. And we should bring this up with Thom Deller if he comes to the forum meeting. Speaking of which... locations???

[PVDJack]

I went to see some units at the903 this afternoon, they were OK, I could imagine living there, maybe. We're heading back later to see it during the day with an actual sales agant (they aren't really set up yet, they start showing for sales on the 13th). I'll write more later after I go back in the 'the903' thread.

What I was really interested in though, was the rendering and map in the lobby regarding the Produce Warehouse. They had that lame ass ColecoVision rendering. They also had a map of the area looking very similar to mine above. Harris Ave. is cut off and turned to line up with Holden Street, and a new bridge connects the two. The difference is, where I put a 'new tower' they had a parking lot. Yes, that's right, a parking lot at the corner of Harris and Kinsley overlooking the river and sitting infront of the ColecoVision produce warehouse.

Jefferson was mandated to have a park weren't they? If that park is going to be supplanted by a relocated Harris Ave., Harris Ave. should not be being supplanted by a parking lot. If anyone hears about any public meetings about this, let the group know. And we should bring this up with Thom Deller if he comes to the forum meeting. Speaking of which... locations???

Hi Cotuit,

When you go back, any chance you could try to take a digital photo of the rendering/map?

Also do you know if Jefferson Place has a web site? Google isn't turning anything up for me.

Thanks!

Jack

[Cotuit]

When you go back, any chance you could try to take a digital photo of the rendering/map?

The rendering is this POS that ArtInRuins posted in this thread a while back.

The map looks like mine (though not as pretty and colorful) and with a parking lot where I've marked a "new tower."

[CtownMikey]

what is the status of this project?? Is there anything known that is keeping it just proposed?

[Recchia]

That rendering looks like a bad airport terminal.

[Cotuit]

what is the status of this project?? Is

there anything known that is keeping it just proposed?

I'm not sure, it's probably in design review and permitting.

That rendering looks like a bad airport terminal.

More like a carport terminal.

[brick]

As far as mass market retail in Providence proper, I think it is sorely needed. Personally I think that since North Main is already suburban and full of abandoned Big Boxes, there is no reason not to allow them to return there. Maybe thats being cynical, but there are almost no original buildings left on N main from University Heights to the pawtucket line.

This isn't a bad idea except that I can easily see this turning N. Main into another Washington St. (Attleboro) or Bald Hill Rd. It would have to be quite well planned and would require good public transport. the reason big boxes work in the city (like, say, the Best Buy in Landmark center near Fenway Park) is their proximity to easy public transport. North Main big boxes would require cars. And as long as you are doing that, you may as well let people drive to Attleboro, Seekonk, Smithfield, or Warwick. (IOW, I think we already have a good enough density of big box places in the suburbs)

As for the farmer's market idea, I think Cotuit has it right. The isolation of this area is going to make it hard to have it succeed. The Portland one is right off of downtown. I don't think you will get the high amount of traffic here that it will need to succeed, unless you charge them so little in taxes that it becomes a weekend only venture. during the week you need a lunchtime crowd to help these places survive.

[gregw]

This isn't a bad idea except that I can easily see this turning N. Main into another Washington St. (Attleboro) or Bald Hill Rd. It would have to be quite well planned and would require good public transport. the reason big boxes work in the city (like, say, the Best Buy in Landmark center near Fenway Park) is their proximity to easy public transport. North Main big boxes would require cars. And as long as you are doing that, you may as well let people drive to Attleboro, Seekonk, Smithfield, or Warwick. (IOW, I think we already have a good enough density of big box places in the suburbs)

I like the Landmark Center example better than the Bald Hill road one. The problem with the second example is that North Main, unlike Bald Hill Rd, is smack up against a residential area. The footprint of big box stores like Best Buy is considerably larger than the most of the existing small scale buildings there. To plop big box retail as it exists on Rt 2 on North Main would entail demolishing a lot of perfectly good housing stock in Summit on the east side of North Main. That's not going to happen.

There could be some larger scale development on the west side of North Main but again, as you point out, it would have to be like Landmark center and not like Route 2 because most of the lots are too small. It would be great if they could do something to the Sears bldg on No. Main like Landmark, which was also a Sears.

PS. We might all have different definitions of big box. I don't consider No Main to have much big box retail. Rather, it's full of nondescript, tired 1960s-era mini strip malls, which are much smaller than a WalMart, a Target, or a Home Depot. Those vast warehouse type stores represent big box for me.

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/metro/content/projo_2...5.17daab1e.html

[Recchia]

http://www.projo.com/metro/content/projo_2...5.17daab1e.html

Is Carpionato tryin to pull a Paolino?

[Frankie811]

Is Carpionato tryin to pull a Paolino?

Joe had nothin' to do with that fire. It was 4 young punks from the neighborhood. Although I did find out that they were all wearing new sneaks, clothes and cell phones the next week.

[Mij]

If any one happens to be driving to the PP mall from 95 north, take a look down at the Fruit & Produce warehouse, a small crew has been there for two days. I'm not sure what exactly is going on. No big equipment is evedent, but a large enough machine is present to provoke a glimps. Some sort of truck with a large pipe like apendage that sits on the vehicle in a up and down position.

[mental757]

If any one happens to be driving to the PP mall from 95 north, take a look down at the Fruit & Produce warehouse, a small crew has been there for two days. I'm not sure what exactly is going on. No big equipment is evedent, but a large enough machine is present to provoke a glimps. Some sort of truck with a large pipe like apendage that sits on the vehicle in a up and down position.

sounds like the description of a bore drilling rig. They might be taking bore samples to see what/how the sub-base is layered and made of. If it is, they'll use the results to design the support structure of whatever might get built there.

[KBagley]

Core samples being taken maybe...? maybe the tower might happen...

[LowellMass]

It's likely environmental sampling.

I was at a recent conference of retailers and brokers, and there was a firm representing this property, looking for potential retail tenants.

[Garris]

I was at a recent conference of retailers and brokers, and there was a firm representing this property, looking for potential retail tenants.

Excellent news. Thanks for the tip.

This is one of those projects that can't happen fast enough, along with Capitol Cove and the Intercontinental Hotel (remember that one?).

- Garris

[pdxstreetcar]

I heard there are some hotel towers involved with this project

[Frankie811]

I heard there are some hotel towers involved with this project

Yes, we had heard months ago about tower rumors,

[JimmyGreaves]

I heard there are some hotel towers involved with this project

Didn't the Business News do a story recently about Providence being highly under capacity regarding hotel occupancy rates? I know this is just a rumour, but, frankly, it seems to me all these hotel projects that are being proposed would add little value in light of the current economic landscape.

[Frankie811]

Didn't the Business News do a story recently about Providence being highly under capacity regarding hotel occupancy rates? I know this is just a rumour, but, frankly, it seems to me all these hotel projects that are being proposed would add little value in light of the current economic landscape.

The Providence area has one of the highest occupancy rates in the country, second to Las Vegas I believe. However, we also have one the highest room rates along with Hawaii. Staying in Providence costs more than lodging in lets say Hartford which works against us when trying to attract conventions. There are actually more hotel rooms in both Newport and Warwick than Providence, so yes, we do need more rooms which will be coming online soon.