Developers Propose Luxury Housing On Front Street In Pawtucket

PAWTUCKET, RI — A development team today unveiled a concept for a major mixed-use development on Front Street along the Blackstone River.

River Park would be the “Premier Residential Destination in Pawtucket” and provide dwelling units with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, river views, and amenities such as workout areas, rooftop terraces, electric vehicle charging stations, indoor parking, and a pet-grooming area, said representatives from the River Park Group.

Retail on the ground floor would feature a brewpub with outdoor seating, a bakery and cafe, a possible restaurant, and integration with an improved bike path, the developers told members of the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency during a noontime meeting.

Representatives from the for-profit River Park Development and from the non-profit Pawtucket Central Falls Development appeared before the PRA on Wednesday and won a unanimous vote of confidence for their joint proposal.

Pawtucket commerce director Jeanne Boyle said the city had issued an RFP seeking conceptual proposals for privately-owned parcels in the “Front Street Redevelopment Area.” She said only two parties responded to the RFP — River Park Group and Central Falls Development — and that her staff recommendation was that the two entities work together, with River Park Group acting as the lead developer.

Boyle said she was seeking a recommendation from the Pawtucket Redevelopment Authority that the RFP be awarded to the two developers.

The underlying land is owned by Collette Tours and Berger & Company Recycling, Boyle said. She said their role in the development has not yet been established, and there is a possibility that they might become equity partners, but that a number of other scenarios are possible.

Boyle described an "evolving partnership between the public sectors and private sectors to make this vision a reality."

The River Park Group consists of Davenport Companies, New England Construction, Sherborn Development Group LLC, Leshinsky Finance and LLB Architects, according to slides shown by developer representatives David Parrish and Bob Rinaldi.

An undetermined number of the units would be “workforce housing,” said Linda Weisinger, executive director of Pawtucket Central Falls Development. She said PCFD has years of experience assembling complex financing for affordable housing.

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Boyle said the project is in its early stages. "The next step is to reach out to the property owners," she said. "This is the beginning of the process." She said a zoning change would probably be necessary.

PRA chairman Lawrence J. Monastesse asked Boyle why members of the city agency were not provided with copies of the development proposal before being asked to vote on it. Boyle said that she wanted the agency to hear about the concept straight from the developers.

Parrish remarked that he would send documents to all members of the PRA.

Monastesse also asked why there were only two respondents to the RFP. Boyle said it's because not all developers "have the vision" to confront difficult development challenges. Boyle added that funding is available to help deal with any brownfields issues that might arise.

Update: Patch reached out to Boyle seeking copies of the RFP and the two development proposals. The city's planning department provided copies of those documents late Wednesday.