EDITORIAL: Maybe RI’s Downtowns Aren’t Doing So Badly After All

EDITORIAL: Maybe RI’s Downtowns Aren’t Doing So Badly After All

A recent trip to Washington, D.C., was a reminder of how beautiful our nation’s capital is and it instilled clarity that all cities are not bouncing back from COVID and the work-from-home syndrome equally. Maybe things aren't so bad in Rhode Island.

The affluent Georgetown neighborhood is littered with retail vacancies — a guesstimate is 20% are vacant today.

Homeless camps are visible on M Street between the Ritz Carlton and the Four Seasons and Georgetown.

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In downtown Washington, many storefronts are for lease — it appears to be about the same percentage as in Georgetown. Because so many employees are still working from home, the traffic and energy are muted.

In contrast, in Rhode Island, areas like Wayland Square on Providence's East Side have few if any vacancies. Hope Street's retail strip is bustling. Newport’s retail is getting close to returning to pre-COVID occupancies.

Bristol and Warren are humming along.

Garden City continues to be a retail marvel. Even Providence Place which was nearing life support before COVID hit, has added a major new restaurant and a number of new retailers in recent months.

Downtown Providence has its holes but continues to add new stores, businesses, and restaurants.  It has lost places like Yoleni's and Rory's Market, but that may have as much to do with Trader Joe's arrival as anything else. The prospect of a $ 20-plus million food hall is a potential boon to the city.

Perfection no, but Rhode Island’s retail areas are doing better than many in the country.