Senate President Ruggerio Says 195 District Opportunity "Has Not Been Fully Realized”
GoLocalProv News Team
Senate President Ruggerio Says 195 District Opportunity "Has Not Been Fully Realized”
On Friday, a GoLocal report capsulized how the land, created through moving I-195, was intended to be the launching point of a new economic future for Rhode Island.
It was supposed to be an opportunity to recruit and grow technology, biotech, and media companies, but now more than a decade later nearly all of the projects are upscale residential properties. Instead of creating high-income jobs for Rhode Islanders, the innovation district land is being gobbled up for high-priced apartments for those commuting to jobs in Boston and for college students.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Although there have been a number of significant projects in the I-195 district, I have certainly been frustrated at times over the years with the pace of development,” said Ruggerio who has been the leading voice in the legislature on the project.
“Approximately 9 acres remain available, and I continue to believe that this is a generational opportunity to attract innovative industries to our state. This opportunity has not been fully realized to this point,” said Ruggerio.
In 2009, then-Providence Mayor David Cicilline was one of the many elected officials and business leaders that hyped the critical importance of the potential of the 195 Innovation District to transform the city and the economy to high-income future-focused jobs.
“This is an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our city," Cicilline told the New York Times.
Lost Focus
By 2018, some were warning that the 195 Commission was losing focus.
Former Director of Administration for the State of Rhode Island Gary Sasse said the 195 land was intended to be redeveloped into an innovation hub to spark Rhode Island's long-term economy.
"I think the bigger issue is ten years ago when we talked about redeveloping the I-195 district and spent the money to take down bridges and move things high ways around -- all the [state leaders] in Rhode Island said that this is going to lead us out of the wilderness into an innovation, your 'high-tech economy,'" said Sasse three years ago.
"We built up these expectations that I-195 would make us an innovation center, it would have tremendous synergies in place...Wexford which is just hardly an innovation complex in terms of what's being located and housed in that building," said Sasse.
Sasse said while the Fane Tower may be a viable project, he sees it as the degradation of the purpose of the land.
Between the now proposed Fane Tower, completed, now-being-developed, and newly proposed apartment projects, the 195 Innovation District is becoming almost exclusively residential and rental complex projects. The apartments are upscale, with one-bedroom units fetching upwards of $2,000 a month.
Ruggerio did defend the need for additional housing.
“However, we also need housing at all price points, and mixed-use development can attract residents and varied industries to the district and help invigorate our Capital city," said Ruggerio.
Strategic Shift from Tech, Medical and Media to Housing
No one seems to be able to explain how the 195 Commission shifted -- or was allowed to shift -- from tech hub to apartment zone.
"Life sciences, information technology and digital media are currently the fastest-developing sectors in the state, with enormous potential for even more growth. Rhode Island offers business development assistance for these companies, including tax credits, as well as assistance with site selection, relocation, and workforce training," wrote the 195 Commission in 2014.
"The Slater Technology Fund and Science and Technology Advisory Council provide funding for tech-based ventures, implement programs supporting R&D, and promote collaboration across these innovative sectors," wrote the commission.
The 195 Commission refuses to answer that key question.
Ruggerio said, "The Senate staff monitors meetings and activities of the I-195 Commission."
"I expect the I-195 Commission to have been working collaboratively with the Commerce Corporation and the State to court knowledge-based industries to the district. The Senate has been and remains ready to work with them in any way we can," Ruggerio added.
When asked if he planned to introduce legislation to restrict the 195 Commission and refocus them on tech and biotech job-creating industries, Ruggerio said. "I do not have plans to introduce legislation at this time."