The historical land uses of Providence continue to define the present redevelopment opportunities and thus affect the vision for the future of the city.  One of these land uses, the location of highways 95 and I-195, segmented the city into districts. Over time these districts adopted their own characters, each unique and yet complementary to each other.

Today, I-195 is in the process of being relocated further south. In its current location, I-195 serves as a physical barrier separating the downtown district of Providence from the Jewelry District (even though City maps may indicate that the latter is part of “downtown.”)  The relocation of I-195 offers an opportunity to “open up” the Jewelry District, reestablish connections between city neighborhoods, and create benefits for these neighborhoods and the larger Providence area.

A section of the new I-195 under construction.

 

There has been a recent trend of rehabilitation and redevelopment activity in the Jewelry District.  A tour around the Jewelry District will not reveal expansive areas of fenced off fields filled with debris, as is consistent with the stereotypes of brownfields. Instead, the Jewelry District offers buildings in a variety of architectural styles, many remaining from the once thriving industrial area.  Additionally, parking lots comprise large portions of the district.  The opportunity for redevelopment and potential is clear, whether it be utilizing existing buildings or creating a new developments.  Brown University has recently entered into the district as well expanding its medical and research facilities. The level of attention in the Providence community for redevelopment options of the Jewelry District has increasingly grown to be a significant public interest in recent years.  The present time offers ideal circumstances for translating the redevelopment potential of this area into reality.

A complicating factor impacting the future redevelopment of this district is the potential contamination of properties from their historical uses. The jewelry district in particular contains many brownfield sites. Brownfields are abandoned, idle, and under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

From Providence 2020 Report, p. 8.

 

The goal of our research was to apply what we learned about brownfields to the redevelopment of the Jewelry District.  By linking the past with the present and future, i.e. by identifying the historical uses of the properties in the Jewelry District (using fire insurance maps for 1889, 1920 and 1950) and linking these known uses with potential contaminants associated with them, we hope to provide useful information to various interested parties involved in the redevelopment process.

In addition to contamination issues, we explored the cultural history of the area, the regulatory and economic processes that impact redevelopment, experiences with brownfields redevelopment elsewhere, and “best practices” in urban redevelopment, including design principles and practices aimed at sustainability.  We believe it is important to ensure that future development does not leave behind a similar footprint of contamination or other environmental degradation that previous industrial uses have left for us to deal with in the present day.  Based on our research, we present suggestions on sustainable neighborhood, site and building design, including low impact development and green design principles and techniques.  

We hope you find this information not only useful, but also more importantly inspiring and encouraging to pursue and implement a vision for the Jewelry District that will reconnect it to the larger Providence community in a manner that truly meets the needs of this city and enhances its cultural, economic and environmental assets.