Competitive advantage can take many forms. Innovation, for instance, is one of the strongest defenses against competitors and the hallmark of the successful, modern business.
But the physical world can provide an advantage that is just as powerful. Rhode Island once used its strongest asset – access to the sea – as a powerful fuel for its economic might. As the state looks for tools to activate its economy, that asset needs to be more fully engaged.
This week's cover story looks at the Port of Providence. The city long has had a working waterfront, but there is potential for even more economic activity in the zone that extends from Fields Point to the hurricane barrier.
ProvPort, the nonprofit that manages the largest single chunk of the industrial waterfront, has 10 tenants, with one more looking to build a facility there. But there is much more land toward the northern end of the waterfront that has potential for commercial use. As the city looks to responsibly develop its competitive advantages, it should become a much more active user of all its assets. •