Planning & Development
Drive In?
The first sign of a pulse at the Park Cinema came in August with the opening of the Park Café and the 848 Club along the facade of the renovated structure. The Park Avenue landmark, built in 1924 by theater mogul Abraham A. Spitz, is emerging from a 5-year, and at times controversial, renovation process.
The completion of the project will provide the Auburn, Eden Park and Stadium neighborhoods with a theater within walking distance. It’s unclear what kind of effect the theater will have on Rolfe Square, but it can’t be anything but positive.
With the café only a coffee break away from city hall and the school administration building, the potential is there for success.
The theater’s completion will be punctuated by the topping of the bulb-studded “Park” sign that was dismantled during construction.
Comment
Monday November 23, 2009
Fixing Rolfe Square: Pimp Your Storefront Edition
Ruth’s Lingerie storefront during a sale last year Things are starting to look up for Rolfe Square. Soon they will be looking fabulous. The Artists’ Exchange has teamed up with students from Rhode Island School of Design to redesign six storefronts. Artists’ Exchange Director Elaine McKenna-Yeaw says “the idea is to... more
Saturday October 24, 2009
The Park Cinema Reopens for a Sequel
At 5 PM last night, the Park Cinema officially re-opened as the Rhode Island Center for Performing Arts. Rolfe Square took on a completely different feeling when the theater was illuminated and pods of people spilled out onto the neighboring streets. It was especially striking to see the Park sign... more
Monday October 19, 2009
Fung On Board With Transit Oriented Development
Cranston Mayor Allan Fung was recently selected to attend the Northeast Session of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. The two and a half day seminar was an opportunity for mayors to present urban development challenges to teams of city planning and design professionals. After each presentation, mayors and designers... more
Tuesday September 29, 2009
Drive In?
The first sign of a pulse at the Park Cinema came in August with the opening of the Park Café and the 848 Club along the facade of the renovated structure. The Park Avenue landmark, built in 1924 by theater mogul Abraham A. Spitz, is emerging from a 5-year, and... more
Thursday August 13, 2009
Stop & Shop Plan Questionable
At a special planning review meeting last week, area residents voiced concerns about a proposed Stop & Shop on Warwick Avenue, including lighting, noise, traffic and trash.
Besides the fact that this is a shallow use for this potentially great location, a bigger issue with this proposal is its impact on the city's recurring flood problems.
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Josh:
I’m very happy to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for the rebirth of the Park Cinema. Those of us who have been around Cranston long enough remember midnight “Rocky Horror Picture Show” performances in the waning months of its last iteration (this was after the Meadowbrook Cinema in Warwick had closed to make way for a CVS and Stop&Shop plaza).
The “old” Park closed in early 1999.
It’s been a long 10 years.
— Jesse from Cranston · Oct 5, 07:00 PM · #