Now, the problem in the Jewelry District is that we don't have any major buildings left to recycle. Dynamo House was the last big building available. The next development will require freeing land where cars [and parking lots] are or redevelopment of existing properties. When the highway embankment is moved and torn down, a whole new area for redevelopment will open up." - Ken Orenstein, on the role of the I-195 corridor in the redevelopment of the Jewelry District (April 19, 2007)

We were interested in studying the I-195 corridor because of the opportunity for redevelopment that the highway relocation project presents. The corridor occupies a key location that not only will connect the Jewelry District to Downtown Providence but also contains waterfront property. However, redevelopment plans may be complicated by the presence of contamination and brownfield sites. To understand the considerations associated with redevelopment, we conducted research about the corridor's past before the highway was constructed and interviewed several stake holders to learn about the current redevelopment progress and plans for the old I-195 corridor. This page presents an overview of the highway (I-Way) relocation project, stakeholder involvement, and recommendations for the corridor's redevelopment.

Overview | Stakeholders | Goals | Contaminantion | Recommendations | Interviews
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.The Project: Relocation of I-195

Source: Providence 2020 Plan

A combination of traffic problems and poor location has pushed the City of Providence to undergo a $600 million highway relocation project of I-195, which runs east to west across the Providence River. Currently, a series of construction projects will move the interchange of I-195 and I-95 one mile to the South and will create new I-95/I-195 ramps over Allen's Avenue. When the project is completed, the traffic entering I-195 will cross the Providence River on the new "I-way" bridge just South of the Providence Hurricane Barrier across from RI Hospitals. Demolition of the old I-195 embankments will open a 26-acre corridor in the heart of Downtown Providence that will be available for redevelopment and, ultimately, connect the Jewelry District to Downtown. The year 2012 is the target date for the reconstruction of city streets in the corridor (see below) and removal of the current highway. The resulting opportunities for new development have generated a lot of anticipation, resulting in a variety of plans for the future of the corridor.

Different parts of the I-way relocation project are implemented through different DOT contracts, including two key contracts, 14 and 12, to reconstruct roads through the corridor that will connect the Jewelry District to Downtown Providence.

Contract 14 will reconstruct roads that connect the Jewelry District to Downtown Providence, including Chestnut Street, Richmond Street, Claverick Street, Clifford Street, and Friendship Street.

Contract 12 will reconstruct and extend Dorrance Street and Memorial Boulevard into the Jewelry District.

To execute these contracts, DOT has engaged the Maguire Group, Inc. The Maguire Group's responsibilities include four major undertakings:

1) The investigation of historic uses and previous property owners of the land parcels before the corridor was acquired by eminent domain on behalf of DOT. (The Maguire group has begun this investigation by reviewing Sanborn Maps, DOT files and Plat maps. As an example, Plat 134 was the site of Gulf Oil.)
2) The creation of a database of landowners and uses, based on the historic investigation.
3) The investigation of environmental contaminations in the old corridor properties that DOT will acquire and sell after the demolition and removal of the current I-195 highway; then, the Maguire group plans to identify the highest risk areas based on historical uses for DOT and report information about possible contamination to DEM.
4) The synthesis of available information about the proposed development parcels.

Project plans assign the responsibility for more in-depth assessments and cleanup of contaminated sites to private developers. They will have access to the preliminary site investigation information from the Maguire Group, but will have to conduct their own Phase I and Phase II investigations if necessary, as well as develop, get approval for, and implement cleanup projects. Click here to learn more about Phase I and Phase II investigations.

For more information about the I-way project see the DOT webpage at http://www.dot.state.ri.us/projects/construction/195intro.htm.

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Key Players and Stakeholders

In evaluating the various environmental implications of redeveloping land which has an industrial history and/or has served as a highway for several decades, it is important to recognize that there are numerous players, both public and private. Recognizing and acknowledging the role and position of these various stakeholders is a necessary first step in understanding how this project fits into the larger context of brownfields redevelopment.

Rhode Island Department of Transportation

This state department is overseeing the cleanup of the old corridor – with the collaboration of DEM – as well as the sale of the lands in the corridor and the relocation of the highway to its new location.

First, DOT is responsible for the deconstruction of the current I-195 infrastructure, which will include the clean-up of materials of old highway and of the top layers of soil that may be contaminated from the highway uses. In addition, DOT will investigate what contamination may be present in the corridor from times before the highway was built. The Department will report information on contamination to DEM (see below). DOT and DEM meet regularly to coordinate efforts relating to contamination assessment and cleanup issues.

The process of investigating the lands for potential contamination typically involves not only historical research and record review, but also sampling and testing of soils and groundwater. While DOT is conducting the background investigations in the old corridor, the department does not plan on doing the more extensive testing or the cleanup that may be necessary in the corridor; instead, that will be the responsibility of prospective buyers and developers, working with, or under the oversight of, DEM.

Another major role of DOT is to establish redevelopment parcels and sell these land parcels to others, for example, private developers, institutions and the City of Providence. Currently, land parcels in the corridor are state property acquired by eminent domain when the highway was constructed. DOT will remain responsible, however, for any public parks, riverwalks, or greenways to be built as part of the redevelopment project. Click here to learn more about greenways.

The federal DOT is funding the I-way relocation project as well as the removal of the existing I-195 infrastructure.

(Interview with Ed Szymanski of DOT, 4/10.)

Click here to view maps, pictures, and more information on the progress of the relocation project.

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM)

This is the state department with regulatory authority over contaminated sites. It also has a targeted Brownfields Assessment Program which provides financial incentives for the assessment (and ultimately cleanup and redevelopment) of contaminated – or potentially contaminated – sites. Cleaning up a site necessarily involves working with DEM to go through a potentially lengthy process of assessment, testing, and if necessary, remediation. DEM must also approve land use restrictions proposed as elements of a remediation strategy on certain sites, and negotiates settlement agreements with developers that limits their liability after cleanup.

For further information, see http://www.dem.ri.gov/brownfields/default.htm.

City of Providence Planning Department

The responsibilities of the Planning Department include to conduct the necessary planning and stakeholder processes for redevelopment in the city; provide advice and guidance to prospective developers; review and approve plans for residential, commercial or industrial development, including new construction, historic restoration and neighborhood improvement; and directing federal dollars towards what it considers to be development that will contribute to urban revitalization..

The department is responsible for determining the location and type of development or open space in the corridor (including building heights, public areas and traffic circulation). Planning and zoning approvals are to be consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, an Interim version of which was recently adopted by the City. (Click here for more information.)

For more information, see the department’s webpage.

Brown University

The Strategic Growth Initiative is guiding the University's expansion into the Jewelry District and other areas of Providence. For more information, click here.

Johnson & Wales University

Johnson & Wales had state legislation passed several years ago which gave the university special rights to some of the lands in the I-195 corridor. The university will definitely, like Brown, be a future stakeholder in the corridor.

Maguire Group, Inc.

The Maguire Group is an Architectural, Engineering, Planning and Construction Management firm which has been hired by the Department of Transportation to evaluate potential historical contamination in the old corridor as well as in the new corridor. The Maguire Group is also responsible for reconstructing the former street design of the old corridor.

For more information, visit the Maguire Group website at http://www.maguiregroup.com/ri.htm.

Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse

Struever Bros. is a socially conscious development firm which values redevelopment, community collaboration, and urban vitality. It is currently working on the redevelopment of a former power plant that was operated by The Narragansett Electric Company (now National Grid). The project is called The Dynamo House at Providence Point, and will be transformed into a mixed-use waterfront development and home to the Heritage Harbor Museum. Struever Bros. interests go beyond just the Dynamo House project. The developer is interested in developing the adjacent, waterfront parcel that is currently vacant and should be considered as part of the corridor redevelopment. The developer is also participating with other stakeholders in discussions of zoning and other issues affecting the future of the Jewelry District as a whole.

For more information, visit http://www.sber.com/providence/dynamo_house.php.

Jewelry District Association

This is an association of historians and concerned community members who work to preserve the historic integrity of the Jewelry District, a neighborhood in Providence which is historically associated with jewelry manufacturing and a booming costume jewelry industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Association has played an active role in the planning process and also participates, with Brown University, the City and other stakeholders, in the discussions about zoning and other issues affecting the future of the district.

More information can be found at http://www.jewelrydistrict.org.

Providence Foundation

The Providence Foundation is a non-profit arm of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation promotes economic development in the downtown area. It has actively participated in the planning process and sponsored the Old Harbor forums, which generated both design principles and actual designs for the corridor. Click here to read more about the Old Harbor forums.

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Project Goals and Opportunities

The I-way project incorporates specific goals that are very relevant for the movement of people to and from the Jewelry District. The project aims to improve traffic flow and highway access, which will be achieved through the development of new ramps and service roads to move vehicles between downtown, the Jewelry District and the RI hospital district. In addition, the project's objectives include intermodal transportation improvements. These improvements will lead to important infrastructure changes in the Jewelry District and around the Providence River. One of the stated project goals is to create mutli-use paths for pedestrians and bicycles on both sides of the river, making the city more accessible. In terms of waterfront access and water transportation related improvements, the project aims to dredge the river to allow for larger vessels and develop new boat ramps, including a commuter boat dock.

Goals of Other Stakeholders

The Department of Planning’s vision for the old I-195 corridor land parcels 20 to 40 years from now is as "a mixed used, downtown-like area; [one] could say we are ‘expanding downtown.’ The other thing is that the corridor will hopefully be greener than what is there now. Ultimately, the vision of the corridor is as a greener, mixed-use, downtown-type area" (Dave Everett Interview 2007). I-195 The planning department also views contamination that exists and is possibly associated with those parcels " not [as] a constraint, but as an opportunity in terms of [prospects[ for sustainability." As Dave Everett of the Department of Planning stated in an interview, " [some redeveloping the site] already has conduct a site clean-up, why not keep going with it? [The Department of Planning] is looking at [I-195 land parcels] as a model. There have been a lot of success stories of [brownfields redevelopment].”

Furthermore, the revitalization of the old corridor will be a vital component to a larger urban revitalization the city of Providence, as outlined in the Providence 2020 Plans. Economic development of the I-195 parcels will benefit not only the Jewelry District but also Providence, expanding job opportunities and the city's tax revenues. The Providence Foundation encourages this economic development in the corridor; however, the Foundation has been a large proponent of sustainability and greenway spaces in the corridor. Click here to learn more about opportunities for sustainability and greenways in the Jewelry District.

Ken Orenstein, historian and member of the Jewelry District Association was asked in an interview if he has a preference about how the old corridor should be used. He responded,“my theory on redevelopment plans is that the redevelopment should be more concerned with appearances (form) and functionality at the street level than uses. Attractive forms will make the streets nice to walk down and 20-30 years from now the buildings will still be standing long after the owners have left and the building’s uses have changed. So, Providence should not lock into uses that have no market."

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Possible Highway-Related Contamination

In terms of contamination, the biggest challenge to the redevelopment of the I-195 corridor will involve historic contamination. However, in the process of remediation, DOT will also have to address the smaller issue of potential highway-related contamination. The I-195 highway was built in the 1950s, when there was little consideration of environmental contamination resulting from highway-related activities including construction, deicing, and road maintenance.
While a significant portion of contamination resulting from highways and road traffic generally ends up in water systems via runoff, whatever contamination remains in the soil and in the area surrounding a highway can pose a threat and may necessitate further investigation and testing. A 1996 EPA report on the environmental impacts of transportation reveals numerous potential sources of contamination from highways, which can include:

• Groundwater and soil contamination from deicing compounds (salt), leaking underground storage tanks (USTs), hazardous material spills, leaching lead paint from bridge infrastructure, vehicle fuel leaks (oils, grease and other chemicals), and various metals from the breakdown of vehicle-related debris.

• Nitrogen, Phosphate, Lead (from infrastructure paint), Copper, Cadmium, Nickel, Oil and grease, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Pesticides/Herbicides (used on roadside vegetation)

In general, any parkland or residential development in the corridor will necessitate higher standards of environmental site assessment and cleanup, because these kinds of development contain areas of exposed soil which open up a potential pathway for contamination to reach people. Below are some more examples of highway-related contamination:

• A 1993 telephone survey of 16 states:
Contamination encountered in highway operations and maintenance:
Lead paint – all states reported that lead paint residues from bridges were a problem
Solvents and pesticides – 4 states had significant problems with solvents and pesticides at maintenance yards and with solvents as laboratory wastes, from asphalts in particular.
Salt – 2 states had problems with salt runoff from maintenance stockpiles contaminating groundwater

• More examples:

“Approximately 90% of the steel bridges in the US are protected from corrosion with lead-based paints. Use of such paints can lead to significant containment and disposal problems” (“Indicators of the Environmental Impacts of Transportation” 46).

“Herbicides were used on 1.5 million roadside acres in the 35 states reporting. Acreage treated rose 57% from 1982 to 1986 while reported acreage of responsibility fell by 6% (“Indicators of the Environmental Impacts of Transportation” 46).

Source: “Indicators of the Environmental Impacts of Transportation.” Environmental Protection Agency. June 1996.

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Recommendations

The relocation of I-195 will generate many redevelopment opportunities for the City of Providence. However, environmental contamination from past uses of the corridor will influence redevelopment plans and outcomes. To ensure effective remediation that protects public health and the environment, and that optimizes redevelopment opportunities, DOT, DEM, the Maguire Group and the Planning Department should communicate and coordinate with each other on a regular basis. We also believe that these agencies should work with prospective developers on an area-wide approach to assessment, cleanup and redevelopment; compare to a parcel-by-parcel approach, this could result in lower costs, more effective cleanup and development projects that fit better into broader vision for the future of the District. Accordingly, we believe that DOT should assume a larger role in environmental investigations of the I-195 land parcels.

“The resale value of the land will depend on contamination. Developers are pushing for DOT to do more evaluation to allow for land value assessments and feasibility studies--to do some of the work for private developers." -Seth Handy, Streuver Brothers

Institutional stakeholders such as Johnson & Wales and Brown University should invest resources and work with other stakeholders to provide civic leadership and make sure that the cleanup and redevelopment of the corridor happens in a coordinated manner and becomes an example of cleaner and greener community redevelopment.

The City should use its planning and zoning authorities to ensure that the redevelopment of the corridor is consistent with requirements and strategies for the cleanup of contamination, and optimizes the available opportunities. These include restoring some of the historic neighborhood character of the area; reconnecting neighborhoods (i.e. the Jewelry District and Downtown, and perhaps the East Side); improving traffic flow in a way that reduces automobile congestion and improves walkability, balances buildings with open space, and improves waterfront access; and encouraging state of the art designs for sites and buildings that minimize future environmental impact. (For more detailed recommendations about sustainable redevelopment see the Future.)

As outlined by Seth Handy of Streuver Brothers, “[Sustainable development and greener designs] will depend on zoning and sense of environmental responsibility of developers and institutions who purchase the land. Zoning is one tool that can drive sustainable building. The other is market-driven considerations. Even though developers and institutions are not obligated to implement green designs (e.g. solar panels, green roofs), these designs may be more economical in the long-run term. In the long term, green buildings may result in reduced operating costs, even though there is an initial increase in expenditure.”

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Interviews with Stakeholders

To gather information and assess the involvement of relevant stakeholders, interviews were conducted. Interviews with Seth Handy, Dave Evertt and Ken Orenstein were compiled into the following Questions and Answers section.

Seth Handy

Q: After DOT caps and sells the land, does environmental clean-up becomes the private developer's responsibility?
A: The Current Legal Structure provides that the current owner can "go after" the past owner for contamination from historical uses, through remediation programs (LINK TO MY PAGE ON FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS) . This process is driven by the state or federal government (depending on the scale) and offers liability relief for current owners. An analysis of the properties occurs and the environmental condition is reported to the state. The government dictate remediation standards. Therefore, the [clean-up process] becomes a question of who implements the remediation and who pays for it. If the land is a blight to the city, the government will want redevelopment to occur so will try to make it feasible for developers and will limit the liability, which discourages redevelopment, by offering liability relief"

Q: Will Contamination impact future plans for the corridor?
A: The resale value of the land will depend on contamination. Developers are pushing for DOT to do more evaluation to allow for land value assessments and feasibility studies--to do some of the work for private developers; however, DOT dragging its feet."

Q: How do you envision the role of sustainability in the corridor?
A: "[Sustainable development and greener designs] will depend on zoning and sense of environmental responsibility of developers and institutions who purchase the land. Zoning is one tool that can drive sustainable building. The other is market-driven considerations. Even though developers and institutions are not obligated to implement green designs (e.g. solar panels, green roofs), these designs may be more economical in the long-run term. In the long term, green buildings may result in reduced operating costs, even though there is an initial increase in expenditure."

Q: Are there current zoning plans for the old I-195 corridor?
A: "Zoning for the corridor and a lot of the redevelopment has not been established yet. First, the city must pass an Interim Comprehensive Plan, and then Zoning is developed after the plan as an implementation tool to achieve the plan. The Plan generally addresses green and sustainability issues and goals and can potentially set the ground for zoning incentives in the footprint of the highway."

Interview with Ken Orenstein, historian and member of the Jewelry District Association:

Q: What considerations do you think are important for the redevelopment of the old I-195 corridor?
A: The regulatory framework (e.g. ordnances, city and state codes) needs to be made to encourage redevelopment and a market for [space and development] in the corridor.

Q: Do you have a preference about how the old corridor should be used?
A: My theory on redevelopment plans is that the redevelopment should be more concerned with appearances (form) and functionality at the street level than uses. Attractive forms will make the streets nice to walk down and 20-30 years from now the buildings will still be standing long after the owners have left and the building's uses have changed. So, Providence should not lock into uses that have no market

Interview with Dave Evertt, the Providence Department of Planning

Q: What is the Department of Planning's vision for the old corridor 20 to 40 years from now ?
A: A mixed used, downtown-like area is probably how we are envisioning the [development] of the I-195 parcels; [one] could say we are 'expanding downtown.' The other thing is that the corridor will hopefully be greener than what is there now. Ultimately, the vision of the corridor is as a greener, mixed-use, downtown-type area."

Q: How will potential environmental contamination associated with the old corridor serve as a challenge to sustainable redevelopment ?
A: "The contamination that exists and is possibly associated with those parcels is not a constraint, but an opportunity in terms of sustainability. You already have to clean it up, why not keep going with it? [The Department of Planning] is looking at those areas as a model. There have been a lot of success stories of [brownfields redevelopment]."