Category Archives: Development

Blast: CNU in Providence (2)

Posted on June 9, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is the second of those two columns: The New Urbanists in Providence II June 8, 2006  THE QUESTION most asked at last week’s 14th Congress for the New Urbanism was: If style doesn’t matter, why are we always discussing … Continue reading →

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Blast: CNU in Providence (1)

Posted on June 9, 2014 by David Brussat

The lengthy thread called “CNU is burning” began on the TradArch listserv with architect David Rau’s ringing expression of concern that the Congress of the New Urbanism, which recently met in Buffalo, is opening its doors too widely to modern … Continue reading →

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Blast from past: Casino at Waterplace

Posted on June 5, 2014 by David Brussat

Back when a casino was proposed for the Rhode Island town of West Greenwich, I wrote a column that bears rereading in light of the proposal to turn the Newport Grand slots shed into a genuine casino. By the way, … Continue reading →

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Column: Newport Grand: Guffaw or grandeur?

Posted on June 5, 2014 by David Brussat

  The appliqué of classical elements to the shed that once housed Newport’s jai alai fronton may take the cake in the sweepstakes for the world’s most ridiculous architectural renovation. Newport Grand, with its big red “S-L-O-T-S” sign emblazoned on … Continue reading →

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Union Studio enchantment

Posted on June 4, 2014 by David Brussat

The sketch above really threw me for a loop a while back, during the evolution of the 257 Thayer St. project, when Gilbane Properties (or Development) gave the flawed original design to Union Studio Architects in downtown Providence. I visited … Continue reading →

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Gilbane politely objects

Posted on June 3, 2014 by David Brussat

Robert V. Gilbane of Gilbane Properties is developer of residential apartments at 257 Thayer St., a new building that replaces nine old houses, which are gone. Construction has begun on the building. Bob objected to my portrayal, in last week’s … Continue reading →

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Romancing the Post Office

Posted on May 31, 2014 by David Brussat

The New York Times reports the finalization of Donald Trump’s agreement to renovate the old U.S. Post Office Building, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., as a hotel. This is one of my favorite buildings and I’m glad to hear … Continue reading →

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Blast from past: Fogarty

Posted on May 29, 2014 by David Brussat

Today’s column involves a plan to place an extraordinarily bland extended-stay hotel (luxury, of course, and well “branded,” on the site of the Brutalist Fogarty Building, which would be torn down. Haven’t we been here before? Yes, we have! Not … Continue reading →

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Don’t just shrug off horrid hotel plan

Posted on May 29, 2014 by David Brussat

What’s that word these days that articulates a shrug of the shoulders? Meh. The day after Memorial Day, The Journal reported a proposed 170-room “premium-branded upscale extended-stay” hotel for Fountain Street, in downtown Providence. To be razed was the Fogarty … Continue reading →

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Whoops oops in Warren

Posted on May 21, 2014 by David Brussat

I occasionally fail to make it to the bottom of the Journal’s version of my column, even though I link readers to it through this blog. My blog is not allowed to carry my Journal column in full – the … Continue reading →

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