Our Focus: Downtown
Land Development Policy: Pawtucket Downtown Growth Center
Suggested Pawtucket Downtown Growth CenterOver the past several months, The Pawtucket Foundation has studied the progress of existing and potential for new real estate development in the Downtown. We have suggested to the City Planning Department to align land devleopment practices and priority following the State's land use plan. To this extent, the City of Pawtucket is exploring the potential to prepare the required documentation to create a state-designated urban "Growth Center". This will create the narrative support and strategic focus to guide economic development and infrastructure spending in the City. This policy will focus new development growth in an area that has adequate infrastructure, existing transportation access and proximity to jobs and housing.
The Rhode Island State Guide Plan Element 121: Land Use 2010 encourages “development of new growth centers or villages that incorporate the concepts of the land use plan. Those concepts include: encouraging compact, mixed-use development; preserving open space; conserving natural resources; fitting the type of development to the capability of the land to support development and to the availability of infrastructure; and promoting a sense of community.”
The historic downtown of Pawtucket exceeds the minimum criteria to be designated as a state certified Growth Center. The goals in the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan articulate a vision to rehabilitate this underutilized area by investing in a 21st century transportation system, designing a superior mulit-modal infrastructure network, investing in the riverfront and revitalizaing the many historic buildings and structures. The historic land development pattern of the downtown was based on the fundamental primary and secondary pedestrian sheds; hence the entire growth area is a compact, walkable area primarily within a half-mile radius of the Old Slater Mill.
