Location
Providence, Rhode Island
Size
24 acres
Project Type
Revitalization of automotive facilities and historic structures

Project Background
Cherokee’s project is located less than a mile west of downtown Providence, RI, along the Woonasquatucket River. The 17-acre former Rhode Island Locomotive Works campus and the 7-acre former Nicholson File campus, together comprise the 24-acre site. Former industrial activities, including locomotive and automobile manufacturing, began in the late 1880s and resulted in soil contamination and pollution. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes buildings erected as early as 1865.

The Cherokee Solution
Cherokee partnered with Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse (SBER), a renowned historic redeveloper, to clean up the property and redevelop the blighted area. The first phase of remediation is complete. The proposed development will create a vibrant, mixed-use community that will help revitalize the current neighborhood and work to preserve public green space along the river. Alco is part of a larger renaissance initiative underway by the city of Providence and is consistent with the city’s vision for neighborhood transformation and historic preservation.

Redevelopment Plan
Cherokee and SBER retained Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels, a leading architect and design firm, to prepare the master development plan. The community-focused design includes 500 residential units and 400,000 square feet of office and retail space. The first phase of development, known as Cityside Commercial, covers 9.5 acres and will include the historic rehabilitation of five existing buildings. The project will utilize a combination of new market tax credits and federal and state historic tax credits. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2007.

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