New riverfront development proposed in Pawtucket

By Matt Blanchette
mblanchette@abc6.com

@mattblanchette

A new plan to transform the riverfront in Pawtucket was revealed to the public Tuesday. The mixed use project would add apartments, parking and businesses along the Seekonk River on what is now vacant land. The 40 to 50 million dollar project would have a walking path that runs to the newly rennovated festival pier.

The Mayor and developers say the project is transformational. The city could change if the new plan in place by East Providence development group Peregrine group comes to frutiion.

"This really when you look at today's economy, today's needs, are building a community," Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said.

The community would house commercial and office space, 214 apartments and 500 parking spaces with a garage. It comes after numerous failed attempts to build on the city owned land.

"It could have been a quick box store. This developer realized what the city's need were, what the city's wants were from public access to amenities, and they've built them in. This is more of what we have all been striving for," Grebien said.

Currently the site is an empty lot and is brownfield site which developer Colin Kane says he's dealt with before.

"Pretty much is you put a teaspoon in the dirt in most of our urban areas, you're going to hit something you don't want to eat," Kane said. The developers referenced another one of their recent projects, at Rumford Center, as an example of what they think Pawtucket can become.

"We need to activate this unbelievable river front. You can see Route 95 from here. You can walk to downtown from here," Kane said. Now the city and developers will work out the financial details, with Pawtucket likely providing tax incentives to get the project done. Mayor Grebien says this is the type of thing he believe PawSox owners thinks is missing from Pawtucket, and part of their decision to leave.

The project now heads to the city council which must give its approval for it to move forward.

(C) WLNE-TV 2015