195 District Park linked to Point Street with scenic walkway
Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, Rhode Island Energy, and the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony today marking the completion of the final section of the Providence Riverwalk from Point Street Bridge to 195 District Park, fulfilling a 20-year vision to complete Providence’s Urban Coastal Greenway.
“Completing the Providence Riverwalk is prime example of how we’re partnering with municipal leaders and organizations to create vibrant, walkable downtown cities in which to live and work,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Thank you to Wexford, the I-195 commission, the city, and neighborhood groups who have come together to finally get this done.”
“The completion of the Urban Coastal Greenway marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Providence’s future,” said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. “This project has achieved a decades long vision to transform our city, revitalize our greenspaces and make our beautiful waterfront accessible to all. It is collaborative projects like these that help make Providence the number one destination for people to live, work, and visit.”
“This stunning walkway is the final section of a vision for the Providence Riverwalk that has been in the making for more than 20 years,” said Marc Crisafulli, Chair of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission. “Many organizations have worked on this project for the last eight years, but we are particularly grateful to Wexford Science & Technology and Rhode Island Energy for their partnership and their significant investments in this project and in the 195 District.”
“Wexford is proud to help lead the completion of the final section of the Providence Riverwalk. An important part of our transformation of a former power plant brownfield site into a vibrant outdoor space for the residents of Providence is the completion of the last section of The Greenway connecting the 195 District to downtown and beyond,” said John Grady, senior vice president and northeast region executive for Wexford.
“The opening of the Greenway marks the culmination of our efforts to replace one of our most important electrical assets in downtown Providence, known as the South Street substation,” said Dave Bonenberger, president of Rhode Island Energy. “Not only is this state-of-the-art facility helping to improve reliability and powering much of the city, but our collaboration with state and city leaders, Wexford, the 195-Commission and others, shows our commitment to improving the communities we serve.”
“Congratulations to the 195 Commission, Rhode Island Energy, and Wexford on completing this portion of the Urban Coastal Greenway in Providence,” said CRMC Chair Raymond Coia. “This project will help connect other existing greenway projects along the Riverwalk as part of the Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan’s (SAMP) UCG program. This CRMC program offers a mechanism to redevelop the urban waterfront in a way that integrates economic development with expanded public shoreline access, as well as management, protection, and restoration of valuable coastal habitats.”
Wexford and the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission contributed $2.1M to the Urban Coastal Greenway project. In addition, Rhode Island Energy rebuilt the seawall as part of its recent infrastructure improvements in the area. The walkway is on Rhode Island Energy land but through a series of agreements, Wexford and the 195 District funded and managed the project to meet Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) requirements.
The 820-foot new addition to the Greenway connects 195 District Park to Point Street. The refurbished lit walkway includes a new 100-foot footbridge and 720-feet of a porous concrete path surrounded by more than 1,800 trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials.
Many entities collaborated on this project to bring it to fruition including Brown University, CV Properties, Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, Narragansett Bay Commission, the City of Providence, the State of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Energy, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Rhode Island Nursing Education Center (through University of Rhode Island & Rhode Island College), and Wexford Science & Technology.
The project was completed by BETA (Engineer & Landscape Architect), GZA (Structural Engineer), Halvorsen Design (Landscape Design), Manafort Brothers (Contractor), and Wexford (Construction Manager/Owner).
