Planning & Development
The Wrong Foot for Cranston's Transit Oriented District
As the steel rises on a former Hostess Bakery site, our curiosity rises as well. Because this new project falls within the boundaries of the area targeted for a Transit-Oriented District, I’ve gotten some emails asking whether this project is the first phase of a commuter rail station. One commenter did some sleuthing and discovered that the new structure is just a self-storage facility. Jason Pezzullo, Principal Planner for the city, has confirmed our fears. The new structure at 604 Park Avenue is a three story self-storage facility.
Self-storage is an incompatible use in Transit-Oriented Districts. In fact, Massachusetts puts self-storage in its list of TOD prohibited uses as suggested in its TOD toolkit, along with auto sales, gasoline sales, golf courses, cemeteries, and warehouses among other things.
While Pezzullo didn’t sound pleased about location of the self-storage facility, he noted that the approval of the plan was given during a time when the land in question was slated for industrial use under the comprehensive plan.
Here’s an excerpt from the minutes of the Planning Commission Meeting minutes of May 6, 2008: 
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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