Transit-oriented Development

(TOD)

Westerly, like many of the towns of Rhode Island, is a forward-looking town in terms of planning. By law, all towns must update their Comprehensive Plans every five years. Westerly is currently in the process of updating its comprehensive plan.

The town has conscientiously guided the downtown development; three major planning studies of the downtown were done in the last three decades. The latest development effort is a cooperative effort between Westerly and Pawcatuck, its Connecticut counterpart across the river. The Pawcatuck River Walk Enhancement Project will use a $1.1 million grant from the federal Main Streets Program to refocus commercial development back towards the river. This revitalization will include a greenbelt and a footbridge across the river to a granary site in Pawcatuck, as well as a plaza facing the river, depending on the property owner’s approval. The granary site is being considered as parking space. The town planners want to improve little-used surface parking – essentially wasted space – in lots 21 and 21A by building new structures on top of the parking space. An important caveat is that a few of the river lots are in FEMA-designated flood zones, so any construction would have to be elevated and therefore more costly.

This River Walk redevelopment is only a few blocks from the station. This is an area where distance decay is clearly visible – only a few blocks from downtown the clean, vibrant feel fades. The current River Walk plans, as well as future plans to extend the project further north along the river, enhance Westerly’s potential for TOD. By capturing wasted parking and building space, this and other redevelopments will allow for denser development. Plans to extend the River Walk north would also bolster any revitalization efforts for the area north of the station. This extension would require another $2 million (for developing lots 19, 20, 21, 21A, 21B, 22, 23, 61A, and 24).

Westerly’s redevelopment plans have a strong ally in Rhode Island Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere. He is pushing to turn a parcel of land north of the train station into an Enterprise Zone, with focused affordable housing in the area. He believes that the area north of the station would be bolstered with more own owner-occupied residential units, because this could lead to increased care for the property and the neighborhood. There is also talk in Westerly about moving the downtown police station to this same area, which could make the area feel safer while freeing up development space in the central downtown.

In addition to the River Walk redevelopment, there are plans for a $1.7 million renovation for Wilcox Park, the 14-acre greenspace, only a half mile from the train station. Many of the commercial and individual residents of the downtown are excited about the proposals, and in the case of the River Walk, the parcel owners of eight of the properties along the Pawcatuck corridor are eager to finalize the redevelopment plans. Outside of this difficulty, the town’s action on redevelopment is laying the groundwork for TOD when commuter rail comes. The land in question is well within the quarter-mile radius that makes TOD most effective. Also, as planners are extending the vitality of the downtown northwards, the issue of affordable housing is simultaneously being addressed. By focusing construction and renovation of units for affordable housing in the downtown, Westerly can meet the state-mandated 10% goal for affordable housing, protect open space, and give options to its residents.