Division Street Riverfront
Pawtucket has no greater natural resource than the historic Blackstone/Pawtucket River that runs through its downtown. The river provided the energy necessary to begin the American Industrial Revolution at Slater Mill. Today, the river provides an opportunity for recreation and attracting redevelopment.
Action Plan
The City of Pawtucket created an officially designated Growth Center in areas targeted for growth and redevelopment which includes the downtown and riverfront. While downtown Pawtucket is almost entirely built-out and made up of many small parcels, the riverfront in Pawtucket and Central Falls contains larger parcels that are vacant and appropriate for large-scale redevelopment.
To realize this potential and maximize the benefits of the riverfront redevelopment opportunities, the City of Pawtucket, in partnership with the City of Central Falls and the Pawtucket Foundation, have developed an action-oriented development plan from an economic, historic preservation, urban design, infrastructure and strategic development perspective.
River Corridor Development Plan
The Foundation estimates that continued riverfront investment could substantially increase the City's tax base while improving recreation and tourism.
From Our Executive Director
“Symbolically and functionally, the Blackstone (Pawtucket) River is the most important element of Pawtucket’s riverfront redevelopment strategy. The river and its historic canal systems offer a rare opportunity to reestablish the economic and physical connections to the waterway that powered the American Industrial Revolution and defined regional prosperity”.
“Today, the river represents a clear competitive advantage and serves as the organizing framework for redevelopment, mobility investments, and public-sector capital improvements”.
- Gaetan Kashala, Executive Director at The Pawtucket Foundation