Tag Archives: Downtown

The Downcity Plan, II

Posted on March 24, 2023 by David Brussat

*** Editor’s note: This is the bottom half of the 22nd and final chapter, “The Downcity Plan,” from Lost Providence. Chapter 22 concludes Part II of the book, whose final two chapters record the two major projects that sparked the … Continue reading →

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Authenticity in placemaking

Posted on August 31, 2022 by David Brussat

AS220’s “Unpacking Authentic Placemaking” at the Peerless Building. Left to right, standing and on panel: Marc Levitt, Lucie Searle, Rick Lowe, Myrna Breitbart, Umberto Crenca and Andres Duany. (This and first photo below by David Brussat) Here is a relatively … Continue reading →

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Still attacking Kennedy Plaza

Posted on August 31, 2020 by David Brussat

A sensible plan to renovate Kennedy Plaza attractively without evicting public transit from Providence’s central square – by far its most logical location – was submitted in 2013, designed by Union Studio. In 2015, this plan was frog-marched out of … Continue reading →

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The future of Providence

Posted on January 15, 2020 by David Brussat

Dire. That’s a good word for the bad future of Providence if the erosion of its historic character continues at its current pace. In “Say no to ugly buildings,” an Oct. 28 oped for the Providence Journal, I listed the … Continue reading →

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Shots of d’town living tour

Posted on June 11, 2017 by David Brussat

Yesterday’s tour of downtown apartments highlighted just how Providence is ramping up for an influx of new residents with money for relatively high rents. The sheer number of units coming on line now and in the near future suggests both … Continue reading →

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D’town PVDfest vids galore

Posted on June 3, 2017 by David Brussat

We – not the editorial we but the family we, as in me, Victoria and Billy – visited PVDfest in downtown Providence this afternoon – whoa, Nellie! a lot going on! Downtown was jamming. More different types of people than … Continue reading →

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Hope Point Tower(s) sliced?

Posted on December 12, 2016 by David Brussat

Tonight at 5 the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission meets. On top of its agenda is a picture of the recently proposed Hope Point Towers project, missing two of its projected three high-rises. But the project itself is not on the … Continue reading →

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Downtown’s apt. bandwagon

Posted on June 21, 2016 by David Brussat

The Case-Mead Building, erected in 1859 and one of my favorite buildings downtown, is joining downtown’s microloft bandwagon. The building is still fondly known by some as Paolino World Headquarters, though the Paolino family’s property development company moved out to … Continue reading →

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Rise and fall of Haverhill

Posted on January 9, 2016 by David Brussat

John Massengale sent to the Pro-Urb listserv a 45-minute documentary, “Woolworth’s: Remembering Haverhill’s Shopping District,” produced just last year by Historic New England. He said it was more than you might want to know about the northern Massachusetts shoe-manufacturing town … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Blast from past, Development, Preservation, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Love at Providence Place

Posted on January 3, 2016 by David Brussat

The evening of New Year’s Day, after seeing The Force Awakens at Providence Place with Victoria, Billy and friend Maria, all the shops were closed as we descended the escalator to the third level and strolled down the concourse, at … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment