Zoning Issuse discussion

The City of Providence is considering zoning changes. As laid out in Providence 2020 Plan and in draft changes to the city's Comprehensive Plan, the working  waterfront area along the Allens Avenue Corridor - north of Thurbers Avenue and south of the relocated I-195 -- would be rezoned for mixed uses such as residential condominiums, marinas, hotels, retail shops, and restaurants. Artist renderings in these planning document portray an idyllic waterfront filled with glitzy new condos, hotel, and boats moving about the port.

                                                     picture from google map


"This kind of changes have a great impact on the traditional local working waterfront industry. They are incompatible with the normal functioning of a vibrant working waterfront. "---Working Waterfront Alliance


Providence is a gifted coastal city. It's no doubt to use its gifted to improve city construction and income. No matter tourist industry or shipping and waterfront industry is the good choice to enhance the city's economy, but that change the working waterfront zone to the tourist zone will restain the working waterfront industry. At the mean time it will lead the government to pay more, because for this area government have to pay the fees for the rebuild to make it good looking and also pay fees for the working waterfront industry for the land.


Actually,  south main st area is a good choice instead of the this area. There is more nearby downcity and will contribute to consum. Meanwhile, there are a lot of plain land in this area which will reduce the government's cost.