It would be the biggest tower in Providence. And it's prompting a big debate.
PROVIDENCE — The clash over a proposed 46-story tower is spurring a larger debate over what Rhode Island is doing with its once-in-a-lifetime chance to redevelop a swath of former highway land in the heart of Providence.
The I-195 Redevelopment District Commission voted last week to grant key approvals for Hope Point Tower, a luxury residential tower that would become the state’s tallest building and house up to 900 people.
Sharon Steele, president of the Jewelry District Association, objected to the tower’s design, saying it does not comport with the commission’s own mission statement. “This land was supposed to create jobs — not housing and, in particular, not luxury housing,” she said in an interview.
But Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor said the era of having distinct business districts that essentially shut down at 5 p.m. is over.
Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/09/30/would-biggest-tower-providence-and-prompting-big-debate/gGXCDmJli2gLYhF9Gs3ypI/story.html