Links

The Urban Planet discussion about this project
Our page for the Talk of the Town Bar which closed at the end of October, 2007.

Current Events

Downcity buildings razed for a Sierra Suites

This came as a surprise to almost everyone we talked to. The folks over at Urban Planet are very good at finding out about projects way before everyone else, but no one over there knew about it before we did. A message from Thom Deller at Planning confirmed that this project was on the table. After a few rounds of design review by the Downcity Design Review Board, we have a better hotel design than previously thought... but the issue is larger than that. Why did this charming merchantile block have to suffer?

The Merchantile Block was demolished Jan to Feb 2008, and the businesses inside that we lost were Cuban Revolution (now on Aborn Street), Talk of the Town (now on Atwells Ave) and New Japan (closed). The MacDonald’s on Fountain Street will also get razed for a Fountain Street exit for the hotel’s parking garage.

The architecture started as something that you might see out near the airport. No set-back from the street, no interface with pedestrians, no interesting surface. Luckily, the Downcity Desgn Review pushed the developer and the architect through three or four rounds of design review before approving the application. Some might argue that they did not go far enough, but others can easily argue that the process worked, and Providence got a much better design (albeit at the cost of some historic architecture).

Still to be considered are these questions: will a Sierra Suites Extended Stay hotel be a good thing for Washington Street and AS220’s artist-centric Dreyfus Hotel redevelopment? Why two parking garage entrances right next to eachother? What will the Fountain Street streetscape look like with the back of a large, tall hotel right next to the Sportsman’s Inn? Will the Sportsman’s Inn finally be forced to move?

Anecdotes

IdahoFan Mar 16, 2008 They should name it the Pepto-Dismal Building.

marcberm Notably omitted from the above is “Talk of the Town” – the small hole-in-the-wall bar that sits right next to Cuban Revolution. I will be sad to see it go. It was a friendly little place with a pool table and nothing more. Always a pleasure to drop in for a beer or two and a game of pool.

Kurt  Agreed. This proposed building is bland-o-rama. The composite photo (of the Mercantile Block with Hotel on top), looks a little more interesting though and would at least provide a space for the Cuban Revolution and New Japan to stay at.I think that providing accomadations for established businesses is particularly important as most were there when times weren’t good. They provided the good food, entertainment, and services that helped back up the city’s “Providence Renaissance” campaign in the 90s when people were looking for more evidence of it beyond the hype of the new mall and relocated rivers, as good as they have been. What would be the motivator of an established business to stay or a new business to stay long term if there was always an easy threat of displacement? Why not just take up residence in Cranston, Warwick, Johnston, where that threat would not be easily realized.

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