Urban Development in Providence has been occurring since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The development of Providence at first was very vigorous, however during the Great Depression, urbanization in Providence stopped in the aspects of physical and economic growth. In the 1940's and 1950's urban resurgence occurred. The background of a strong mayor system has helped to push urbanization in the city. Urban renewal before the 1970's dealt mostly with wiping out urban decay by rebuilding in those areas. Renewal in the urban areas changed dramatically when HUD (Housing and Urban Development) began issuing block grants that were used to preserve the "old" urban aspect. With the current Mayor Cianci, his idea of urban development is not to have fragmentation in city planning and to revitalize Providence, so it can return to its former glory as an international economic center. It will be shown that Downtown is the dominant area that receives the majority of the funding, whereas Smith Hill and College Hill get less recognition and funding.
DOWNTOWN
The development of Downtown Providence as a planned project began in the 1920's with the City Planning Commission. Efforts were concentrated in what is now the Downtown area because it was a regional center of commerce and industry. The City Planning Commission had no real powers and no final word on projects because of Providence's "strong-mayor" system.
After World War II, the Providence Redevelopment Agency was created and was able to use federal funds. This agency proposed and completed projects such as the Old Stone Tower (1969), the Providence Civic Center (1972), and the Hospital Trust Tower (1973).
Approximately ten years ago, Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci combined the four development agencies (the Providence Redevelopment Agency, the City Planning Commission, the Mayor's Office of Community Development, and the Office of Economic Development) into the Department of Planning and Development.
The largest projects are still located downtown. Funding now comes from private investment, federal grants, and city funding. The Capital Center\River Relocation Project has been the major project for the past fifteen years. The new railroad station, Waterplace Park, and sixty-five acres of new land are the results of this project.
The latest projects are the Providence Place Mall (just west of Waterplace) and the Arts and Entertainment District.
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College Hill
College Hill is located in the east side of Providence and is home to many of the cities best facilities and attractions. There is an extensive collection of historical architecture, such as John Brown's House(1786) and the Old State House. College Hill also has commercial appeal, with its many restaurants and stores located on Thayer Street, North and South Main Street, Waterman and Angell Streets. In addition, College Hill is the location of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design.
The College Hill neighborhood is mainly reserved for middle to upper class citizens. Many of the cities most prominent and affluent citizens reside in and around the College Hill area.
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Smith Hill
Smith Hill encompasses the area between Main Street and Oakland Avenue, stretches from Promenade Street to Route 146, and from Providence College to the State House. It is a major east-west heavily traveled thoroughfare leading from downtown Providence to North Providence.
This area of Providence is primarily residential with small businesses encompasses with in it. Half of these businesses are retail stores, 2/3 of the stores are independent small corporations, and 3/4 of the owners of the stores do not live on Smith Hill. 80 percent of the businesses on the average are profitable and have been in operation for eighteen years. Smith Hill also contains Providence College in its area, this college is a major part of the economy.
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