Report recommends ways to revitalize Pawtucket’s downtown

PAWTUCKET – A new report aimed at revitalizing Pawtucket’s downtown recommends broad strategizing and concrete steps like rebuilding the downtown parking garage.
Dubbed “Strengthening Downtown,” the report calls for planning and marketing as well as specific steps like expanding the city’s arts festival.
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Economic Development Administration wrote the report, which was funded through a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Top recommendations include developing an economic development strategy, rethinking downtown in terms of attracting new markets, as well as promotion, developing partnerships and defining roles, and using tools like historic tax credits to advantage.
But the most dramatic recommendation, “signaling change,” would involve removing the “shabby” and “vacant” first floor retail storefronts in the parking garage and instead “enhancing this parking asset,” the report notes.
“While best practice would generally support wrapping a parking garage with first-floor retail, in this case it is not working,” report states. “The storefronts are shabby, vacant and have difficulty meeting code requirements. Most importantly, people do not feel safe there. The parking garage is a huge economic development asset for Pawtucket.”
Mayor Donald R. Grebien had met with the council’s team this past February, as well as with business owners, government officials and the financial and arts communities to discuss possible change.
Grebien and Aaron Hertzberg, executive director of the Pawtucket Foundation, welcomed the release of the report.
“We are eager to put these strategies into action,” said Grebien. “Pawtucket has had great success with the renovation of its historic mills and its 307-acre arts and entertainment district. We look to connect and bring that energy into the city’s downtown.”
To receive a final copy of the report or to submit comments, email Herb Weiss, Pawtucket’s economic and cultural affairs officer at hweiss@pawtucketri.com. The document is not yet online, but the public can request a copy through City Hall.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. What strategies are they talking about because from reading this I get just pablum and not a single innovative or original idea. In fact, they are moving away from ground floor retail in the garage because it is shabby and dangerous, so what is the new idea? Oh, I guess let’s just use it as a parking garage. Pawtucket needs a big, 10 year plan that is backed up with debt, maybe to the tune of $600 million, and approved by the voters, to fund infrastructure improvements all over the city and especially downtown. Private money is not coming through that door, so the city needs to catalyze a turnaround with public money. But are the officials and the citizens going to approve that kind of bold forward thinking, hell No!!! And that is why Pawtucket is sunk.

  2. The new Blackstone River Valley National Park parallels the Providence & Worcester (P&W) rail right of way from Worcester to East Providence and the Seekonk River Lift Bridge that connects this right of way to down town Providence via the old East Side Railroad Tunnel. A shuttle train commuter rail system using this P&W right of way could provide a private connection between Providence and Worcester. This shuttle commuter rail system would connect all parts of the new National Park and McCoy Stadium to Worcester and down town Providence. Commuter rails service would be the key to economic development in down town Pawtucket.