The Elizabeth Mill, in Warwick, R.I. (Providence Journal photo by Sandor Bodo)
The city of Warwick has made a big mistake permitting a developer to tear down the Elizabeth Mill near T.F. Green State Airport, in Warwick. Warwickers are always miffed that airline captains say “Welcome to Providence” upon landing in Warwick. But Warwick is very much a placeless place, at least compared to Providence, which is the state capital and the official destination for all flights coming into Rhode Island.
Proposed to rise over site of demolished mill is a mixed-use building near airport. (Integlia Development)
Warwick is trying to turn the area around the airport into a destination for intermodal mixed-use development, but in letting a developer who said he would save the Elizabeth Mill instead tear it down for something like the illustration at left, the city is getting off on the wrong foot. I’m not buying that the mill was not salvageable. Michael Integlia says he will market apartments in the new building for people who find its “funky” aesthetic appealing. But this is not funky, it is merely fucked up.
If Warwick wants pilots to say “Welcome to Warwick,” the city must do more to prevent places like the Elizabeth Mill from being torn down to make way for places that increase the city’s increasingly famous placelessness.
Developer Michael Integlia (holding illustration) and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. (Journal photo by Sandor Bodo)
Architecture Here and There 
Lol and it still a vacant lot. Warwick is as “placeless” as you could manage. One big traffic circle
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David Brussat’s take on this was praised on the blog site Greater City Providence http://www.gcpvd.org so I think its only fair to mention that site has a lively dscussion about this mill and the adjacent district. Check it out!
My comments include the idea that anywhereville design won’t necessarily work out for Rhode Island which may be better off promoting its traditional architecture which sets us apart from many other places. I also thought any tax breaks should require steps to reduce traffic by promoting use of the nearby train and bus facilities.
Other comments there include opposition to the skybridge walkway as it undermines attempts to build street life for pedestrians. Related, Jefferson Blvd needs a “road diet” to slow traffic if there is to be hope of a pedestrian friendly district.
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That factory was built in 1975? It’s much older than that. The replacement building is as unattractive as the so-called walkway to the multimillion dollar “intermodal” garage!
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Oops! Will fix pronto. Many thanks.
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David, Is that building the old Gorham Silver factory? I spent summers working there in college, if so. A classic that could easily be converted into lofts, so trending in Downtown Providence.
Russell
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Russell, the building went up in 1875, named for the wife of a guy named Hill. The airport was originally called Hillsgrove after him. Elizabeth Mill was a textile factory.
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Can you say bait and switch? Classic failure to recognize the better permanence of an old building. This glass and steel behemoth will be a maintenance nightmare.
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By then I assume Integlia will be gone, and probably Avedisian too.
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