Providence City Council holds hearing over proposed Fane tower

By News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – The Providence City Council held a public hearing Wednesday evening on what could b thee tallest building in the entire state.

New York developer Jason Fane wants to build the 46–story "Hope Point Tower" on the old 195 land.

Before the hearing, protestors and union members gathered outside.

Many union members are in favor of the project because it’ll create jobs, while protestors say the city needs to focus on affordable housing and not another luxury high rise.

"If we want the people who are going to be working at Wexford and the area down there, they’re not going to live in this building."

"We’re for progress, we want to build the tower,” Said Osmond Weekes from the Regional Council of Carpenters. “There’s people that need work. We have lots of members out of Local 330 here in Providence. Everybody wants to work. This is a great for us to do it."

Plans call for the building to be 600 feet tall– over six times over the city’s zoning cap.

The providence journal reports after nearly two hours of testimony, a subcommittee voted to recommend the full council deny the zoning change.

It’s not clear at this time when the full council would take that up.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2018