History
Beginnings to the 19th Century
Roger Williams founded Providence in 1636 as an agrarian community with fertile land, marine life, and a salt water cove. There would be little significant growth for about 150 years.
During the Revolutionary War, Providence became a major agrarian and maritime trading center, due to the partial destruction of Newport by the British. Heavy trade occurred with England, Asia, and the West Indies.
Early 19th Century
Providence began to lag behind other Eastern Seaboard cities during this time. However, as Providence lost its international maritime supremacy, the economy was refocused around manufacturing. At the turn of the 19th Century, the Downtown area became a regional center of commerce and industry.
Providence also began to serve the Blackstone and Pawtucket Valley Mills as a center of land transportation.
Mid 19th Century
During this time, Providence became a major railroad center. The Boston to Providence Railroad had a terminal at India Point and the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company was centered Downtown. Providence had joined the Industrial Age. Unfortunately, the environment began to suffer. The original Great Salt Cove was filled in and reduced to a small elliptical basin in order to build tracks and terminals.
Late 19th Century
In 1879, seven railroad companies served Providence. Within twenty years, one company remained. Mayor Doyle created a commission to deal with the city's economic growth (railroads) in relation to its natural resources (Great Salt Cove). The commission sided with the economy. The rest of the Cove Basin was filled in and Union Station was built (this is the current Union Station Brewery/Capital Grille complex).
Due to improved rail service from Downtown to the outer areas of the city (Olneyville, Elmwood, South Providence), residential and industrial development boomed in these areas but nearly halted in Downtown. Commercial and retail growth did continue in Downtown.
The Arcade, Shepard's, and the Outlet were the major stores in Downtown's retail center. Strong commercial and retail growth spurned the growth of civic, arts, and entertainment institutions such as the Narragansett and Biltmore Hotels, the Providence Opera House, and the Providence Public Library.
20th Century
Providence entered the 20th Century with still no comprehensive plan to guide its development. Rapid Downtown growth ended with the Great Depression. During the 1950's, mass clearance and demolition characterized Downtown development. Developers razed old buildings in order to create parking lots for commuters. This, and the completion of highways I-95, 195, and Route 10, led to the flight of Downtown retail and a barren, less-aesthetic landscape.
The major highways were built in order to accommodate the growing numbers of suburban commuters. Downtown was now surrounded by "urban walls." Local community access to Downtown was destroyed, as well as any integration with surrounding suburban areas. The openings of Midland (Rhode Island) and Warwick Malls (both results of the growing suburbia) brought to an end Downtown's core retail and economic base.
Downtown had a small resurgence in growth during the late 1960's and early 1970's with the construction of Old Stone Tower, the Providence Civic Center, and Hospital Trust Tower. Later projects were mostly concerned with restoration rather than demolition. Kennedy Plaza, the Arcade, the Strand, and Union Station were all renovated. The more recently completed projects include the Convention Center, Waterplace Park, Johnson and Wales's Downtown complex, and the Westin Hotel.
Urban Development Programs
In 1970, a committee under Providence Mayor Walter H. Reynolds proposed a master plan to renew Downtown. While some of the ideas have been implemented, others would have had a negative effect on Downtown's revitalization.
Proposals to change circulation of regional, intercity, and Downtown traffic included an east/west connector with Interstate 95 in Downtown and 2 one way "inner-loop" roads. These roads would have further broken up Downtown communities, which were already fragmented by Interstate 95 and Route 10. Changes in transportation included a proposal for a pedestrian walkway and a mall (Providence Place).
Other proposals that now exist include business developments put in the area vacated by Union Station, a convention center, and a major hotel (Westin).
Department of Planning and Development
Using his strong mayor powers, Mayor Cianci consolidated the four existing urban development committees into one: the Department of Planning and Development. Now in its twenty-third year, this committee has been responsible for the Capital Center/River Relocation Project, Providence Place Mall, and the Arts and Entertainment District.
Although the River Relocation Project was successful in opening up more land and making the landscape more beautiful, the historic core of Downtown (around Westminster Street) still suffered. There were no major Downtown retail stores and the Fleet building remained a large, glorified branch bank.
The Providence Place Mall will market to an out of town business. Customers will not even have to enter the city if developers build a covered walkway to the parking garage.
The Arts and Entertainment District is supposed to replace the core retail and financial base that Providence depended on for so long. The District is expected to reinvigorate Downtown by attracting large audiences to entertainment and arts organizations. According to the Arts and Entertainment District Task Force, "...if any one of these major arts organizations were to fail, it would be a blow not just to Downtown, but to the quality of life of the entire state." The revitalization of Downtown (and all of Providence) depends on a cooperation between Providence arts, business, and political communities.
The District would include the area from the Civic Center to the Providence Performing Arts Center (Washington Street to Weybosset Street) and centered around Matthewson and Empire Streets (basically from the Rhode Island School of Design Museum to AS 220).
While centered in Downtown, the District is intended to use the arts to integrate Downtown with Providence and the rest of Rhode Island. While not fully implemented , there has been some progress. Barnaby Evans' Waterfire and Providence Gallery Nights are intended to get people Downtown so they can experience arts and entertainment facilities. There are tax breaks for artists and consumers, along with many buildings being converted to artists' lofts.
Miami-based architect Andres Duany has worked with the Downcity Task Force to install better lighting and a Banner Trail that would highlight every Downtown arts and entertainment facility. Duany has also proposed to build a parking garage apart form the Providence Place Mall so people have to walk outside and hopefully enter the Downtown area.
Want to see what's happening Downtown?
Visit The Providence Phoenix ONLINE, Providence's weekly Arts and Entertainment newspaper:
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