Chutzpah (noun) — Clownish mayor attempting to shoehorn a single-bidder redevelopment project, to be financed with federal ARPA money(!), to drop a privately owned chicken shack in the middle of Providence’s centerpiece downtown park, two months before he finally and thankfully leaves office

Comments

degggendorf t1_isxenri wrote on October 19, 2022 at 12:21 PM

> Asked specifically about the pavilion project in a follow-up inquiry, Smiley again said he doesn’t believe in “designating critical dollars to a space that is about to undergo so much change over the next few years.

I see where Smiley is coming from - the plaza project seems kinda like replacing the flooring right before you paint a room - but where does Smiley want the ARPA dollars to go instead?

Also, I thought the Superman building renovation was going to be mostly interior renovations - is the exterior failing too? The article mentions demolition work starting, but it must be more extensive than just some debris chutes going to dumpsters if it's going to significantly affect the whole plaza. I can't find any further detail on what all is being demo'd.

But big picture, this all sounds like political posturing to appear fiscally responsible by harping on high-profile projects while missing the forest for the trees. $7m is a drop in the bucket, and it's use-it-or-lose-it federal funding besides. Even then, both the plaza and Superman building projects will net out to ~$0 cost to taxpayers in the long term anyway.

mdurg68 t1_it0nryc wrote on October 20, 2022 at 1:55 AM

The exterior is failing which is why the scaffolds are up on Fulton and Westminster sidewalks so you don’t get hit with anything. I wouldn’t think the extent of construction would extend over and across the street though.

I think it’s weird that they’ve given Kennedy plaza one maybe two makeovers since I’ve started working downtown 9 years ago. And now to do it again.

degggendorf t1_it0nzid wrote on October 20, 2022 at 1:57 AM

Neat, thanks for the update/setting me straight. I don't get downtown very often these days.

mdurg68 t1_it0pbfg wrote on October 20, 2022 at 2:07 AM

Failing is probably too harsh a word, maybe in need of maintenance is a better term. There are drone shots on YouTube by a RI guy that does a lot of drone movies and he points out what the weather has done to the stone.

degggendorf t1_it0t93s wrote on October 20, 2022 at 2:37 AM

Ooo neat, I'll go look for that. Thanks again!

The_Dream_of_Shadows t1_isyuhxq wrote on October 19, 2022 at 6:24 PM

Is Elorza ever not in conflict with somebody?

BMorris2526 t1_it02h4j wrote on October 19, 2022 at 11:14 PM

I think Smiley will do a good job as he isn't consumed with woke ideology. Elorza is a 🤡.

DankOverwood t1_isxchcu wrote on October 19, 2022 at 12:00 PM

What a piece of crap.