Planning & Development
Rivers Know No Bounds
Rivers are slippery folk. They refuse to adhere to political boundaries, as much as we’d like them to. (Pictured to the left, a river refusing to adhere to political boundaries).
Such is the case of the Pocasset. The river enjoys residency in both Cranston and Johnston, and has a reputation of flooding its banks.
A 115 acre development on the banks of the Pocasset in Johnston is making waves downstream in Cranston. Cranston residents are concerned about the increased risk of flooding due to the loss of 50 acres of permeable landscape in the what will be a Wall-Mart Super Store. In a 2001 report, the US Department of Agriculture stated that the flooding along the Pocasset has worsened in recent years, something that Cranston residents can attest to.
Cranston Citizens for Responsible Zoning & Development (CCRZD) is urging Cranston planning officials and lawmakers to attend the next Johnston Public Hearing on August 5th, at 7:00 PM. Ultimately, fate of the project will rely on the support from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Ironically, it was the DEM that granted Cullion the clearance to build the now infamous Concrete Plant – a project that the CCRZD has bitterly fought.
So far the worst flooding that has occurred is the flood of car dealerships and shopping mall projects in Johnston.
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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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