195 Providence Innovation & Design District

[kingofsheeba]

I'm not in love with this design and it is a little out of scale compared to the residential neighborhood adjacent to it. But it is on the edge of downtown and it's a vital parcel along the riverfront. So it deserves something significant. I'm just not convinced this particular design is "it."

This is the parcel, for anyone who is unsure of where it is: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.819...=341.6909&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192 - right next to Plant City.

Exactly. What is the opposition’s quarrel this time? Can’t be about the height.

 

[New England Born & Raised]

Exactly. What is the opposition’s quarrel this time? Can’t be about the height.

There will be no more giant sunflowers.

 

[kingofsheeba]

There will be no more giant sunflowers.

I have a friend in Lincoln, RI. He grows sunflowers on his family farm

 

[nicanbot]

I think it’s in scale with what’s going up around it and the plans for the other parcels not yet sold. I’m happy with it!

 

[nicanbot]

I’m fine with the design myself but there will be lots of changes during that phase with the commission I am sure.

 

[DBM]

I'm not in love with this design and it is a little out of scale compared to the residential neighborhood adjacent to it. But it is on the edge of downtown and it's a vital parcel along the riverfront. So it deserves something significant. I'm just not convinced this particular design is "it."

This is the parcel, for anyone who is unsure of where it is: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8194537,-71.4030617,3a,75y,346.38h,91.48t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgAC3oHKF7wbVDkJVZ-Xwqw!2e0!6shttps://streetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com/v1/thumbnail?panoid=gAC3oHKF7wbVDkJVZ-Xwqw&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&w=203&h=100&yaw=341.6909&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192 - right next to Plant City.

I get to Plant City about once every other month. That place is scorching. Always dozens and dozens of customers inside, and on the patio if the weather is reasonable. For its scale/location, it's as popular/successful as Eataly in the Pru, I have to think ... anyway, this corner of Downtown has so many assets/amenities going for it, right now, both new and perennial:

--Brown University economic/cultural spillover (perennial)
--Benefit Street tourism draw (RISD museum, etc.) (perennial)
--Plant City (relatively new)
--Lower Wickenden St. restaurant scene (perennial)
--India Point Park (perennial)
--Narragansett Brewing brewpub at India Point Park (relatively new--also scorching when the weather is reasonable)
--the Providence Pedestrian Bridge (relatively new--located immediately adjacent to Plant City, to the latter's immense benefit)

Point being: I hope this development is able to capitalize on and nicely reinforce all of the awesomeness inventoried above...

 

[Lrfox]

I get to Plant City about once every other month. That place is scorching. Always dozens and dozens of customers inside, and on the patio if the weather is reasonable. For its scale/location, it's as popular/successful as Eataly in the Pru, I have to think ... anyway, this corner of Downtown has so many assets/amenities going for it, right now, both new and perennial:

--Brown University economic/cultural spillover (perennial)
--Benefit Street tourism draw (RISD museum, etc.) (perennial)
--Plant City (relatively new)
--Lower Wickenden St. restaurant scene (perennial)
--India Point Park (perennial)
--Narragansett Brewing brewpub at India Point Park (relatively new--also scorching when the weather is reasonable)
--the Providence Pedestrian Bridge (relatively new--located immediately adjacent to Plant City, to the latter's immense benefit)

Point being: I hope this development is able to capitalize on and nicely reinforce all of the awesomeness inventoried above...

Agreed. This section is much smaller than the Jewelry District section, but it's vital for connecting the Wichendon St. restaurant corridor and the Fox Point waterfront club/restaurant area to downtown. Those two places have always felt so physically separated from the city center and the development on these parcels will be largely responsible for fixing that.

 

[MjolnirMan]

195 Commission Selects Boston Development Firm for Parcel 2 Despite Neighbors’ Opposition

https://www.golocalprov.com/busines...development-firm-for-parcel-2-despite-neighbo

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02...dence-river-pedestrian-bridge/?outputType=amp

Looks like someone copied their homework from the Viola (Mass Pike Parcel 13, Back Bay):

 

[RandomWalk]

It just migrated south for the winter…

 

[nicanbot]

A few more of Emblem from yesterday. Massive.

 

[New England Born & Raised]

Providence is planning a $4M food and drink pavilion next to the new pedestrian bridge

Providence is planning a $4M food and drink pavilion next to the new pedestrian bridge

Architects from New York and Boston are in the running to design the pavilion. The I-195 district is looking at parks in other cities for inspiration.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[nicanbot]

I’m glad they buried the quote from that lady about her bridge view. Mental.

 

[Tom Nevers]

A couple photos I took yesterday of construction occurring on parcel 6.

 

[nicanbot]

Here’s the website for the parcel 6 project: hellopvd.com

 

[DZH22]

Besides Fane, is there a single proposal for this area that eclipses 6 stories?

 

[nicanbot]

Besides Fane, is there a single proposal for this area that eclipses 6 stories?

Here are the guidelines developed from the public process if you’d like: https://www.195district.com/about/district-land/

 

[DZH22]

Here are the guidelines developed from the public process if you’d like: https://www.195district.com/about/district-land/

I have seen the guidelines. I'm talking about actual built, u/c, and concrete proposals for the area. Everything seems to be topped off around 6 floors, using the cheaper 5-over-1 construction methods. Just wondering if there's anything interesting worth paying attention to.

 

[nicanbot]

Yea the height is capped (theoretically) based on a desire/plan for a human scaled, realistic scheme for the area. I guess “interesting” is individual. I find what’s happening in the area interesting.

 

[DZH22]

I guess “interesting” is individual. I find what’s happening in the area interesting.

5 over 1's lose me at the massing no matter where they are built or how they end up. For a city like Providence, I'd say it takes 8-10+ floors to be interesting in terms of stand-out massing. These 6 story landscrapers are being built all across the US and I think it's a horrible trend that has permanently blighted our landscapes and continues to do so. It's extremely uninspiring, particularly in an urban setting.

 

[New England Born & Raised]

A couple photos I took yesterday of construction occurring on parcel 6.View attachment 25030

The one story structure to the left in your photo will be the urban market that is rumored to be Trader Joe's.