Providence, RI; Woonasquatucket River Corridor; Development Analysis

Woonansquatucket River Corridor (images by Principle Group)

The Woonansquatucket River corridor was a historic mill district and now a brownfield area, that still includes industrial users and a well known arts community that once included Fort Thunder. The EPA supported development of a plan to reclaim access to the river, and support the existing community and neighborhood identity with affordable new uses. Kellogg (as Urban Advisors) worked with the consultant team through a public engagement Charrette to develop the vision plan.

Though the Charette process, Kellogg provided iterative economic and proforma analysis of development scenarios as they were being developed. With the design team, he helped formulate a building typology for “Maker Space” that would be inexpensive to construct but meet building codes. This flexible typology would provide new, code compliant space  for artists/artisans and business incubation.

Using GIS analysis, Kellogg evaluated the proposed scenarios for multiple sites and quantified the Economic Impact including public investments and benefits, and tax revenues. This helped establish priorities for implementation and a framework for evaluating necessary public investments.