[Summit] Rochambeau, Blackstone lot

Ellen Darling ellendarling at gmail.com
Sun Nov 9 20:13:37 UTC 2014


As a reminder, this area is NOT zoned for apartments and apartments could
never be built as zoning currently stands.

What's coming would ONLY be single family residences-- crammed together
into tiny lots. *As the current subdivision stands, the stone wall built in
1849 has NO protection and could also come down.*

What could be coming down the pike, unless we petition PPS to intervene, is
clear cutting of all the old growth trees, the loss of the stone wall, and
a tight row of new poorly designed cheap houses. I can't imagine this would
make anyone in the neighborhood very happy...







On Sun, Nov 9, 2014 at 3:04 PM, Jeffrey Cavanaugh <jeff at cavanaugh.org>
wrote:

> Agreed!
>
> On Sun, Nov 9, 2014 at 3:02 PM, Andrew Nosal <andy at mapcenter.com> wrote:
>
>> The largest stretch of open and wooded space in the city, From Swan Point
>> to Butler campus and Blackstone Park, plus the boulevard median are all
>> across the street, safely preserved.   If Rhode Island needs another dozen
>> big houses for rich people, those 6000 foot lots are a much less tragic
>> place for them than another expansion of the sprawly suburbs.
>>
>> That said, I do hope the new buildings are not a row of blank
>> garage-front eyesores that seem to be all the fashion.  One big, reasonably
>> handsome apartment block would be better than that.
>>
>> On Nov 9, 2014, at 1:22 PM, Monique wrote:
>>
>> > Would Brown, or other educational institutions be interested...Making
>> it a conservatory/ nature area.
>> >
>> > I think of this vast amount of land, when    I drive by the Arnold
>> Arboretum, Boston, several times a week.
>> >
>> > Building up this area would be  so tragic.
>> >
>> > M Doherty
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> >
>> > On Nov 9, 2014, at 1:00 PM, summit-request at sna.providence.ri.us wrote:
>> >
>> >> Send Summit mailing list submissions to
>> >>   summit at sna.providence.ri.us
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>> >>
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>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Today's Topics:
>> >>
>> >>  1. plumber (Karen Klingon)
>> >>  2. Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate pending:
>> >>     please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >>     (Ellen Darling)
>> >>  3. Re: Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate pending:
>> >>     please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >>     (Jeffrey Cavanaugh)
>> >>  4. Re: Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate pending:
>> >>     please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >>     (Emlyn Addison)
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> Message: 1
>> >> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2014 13:33:59 -0500
>> >> From: Karen Klingon <kklingon at earthlink.net>
>> >> To: summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >> Subject: [Summit] plumber
>> >> Message-ID: <7FFC6DC3-4C2A-4839-B4A5-CF5C9C17E055 at earthlink.net>
>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> We too use Mike Fiore and recommend him without hesitation to anyone
>> looking for a skilled, reliable, personable, and reasonably priced plumber.
>> >>
>> >> Karen K.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> Message: 2
>> >> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2014 16:03:50 -0500
>> >> From: Ellen Darling <ellendarling at gmail.com>
>> >> To: Summit Neighborhood <Summit at sna.providence.ri.us>
>> >> Subject: [Summit] Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate
>> >>   pending: please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >> Message-ID:
>> >>   <CAECj-yhMwfvFnOGhmLRgSRf0kthy3hs6MBJrDe9a7ELOdsPtnA at mail.gmail.com>
>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>> >>
>> >> Dear Neighbors,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> As some of you are aware, the historic Bridgam estate on the corner of
>> >> Rochamebau and Blackstone will be subdivided into 12 lots for real
>> estate
>> >> development unless we can engage the Providence Preservation Society on
>> >> this issue.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> The currently proposed subdivision would add 10 single-family lots,
>> each
>> >> between 6000 and 6500 square feet, along Rochambeau Avenue and
>> Blackstone
>> >> Boulevard. A new ordinance, *instituted specifically for this
>> neighborhood* to
>> >> keep development consistent with the current infrastructure, is to be
>> >> enacted next month increasing the minimum lot size to 7500 square
>> feet. By
>> >> filing their application now, the owners effectively circumvent the new
>> >> minimum lot size requirement.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> *Further, the integrity of the stone wall encircling the property,
>> which
>> >> bears the date 1849, is at jeopardy. The subdivision, as currently
>> drawn,
>> >> allows for this wall to be breached at multiple points, or entirely
>> >> demolished, to accommodate the new lots. *
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> *Our concerns about insensitive development are not unfounded*: in
>> February
>> >> 2014 the owners presented a previous proposal to the City Plan
>> Commission
>> >> for this site, *which featured a four-story, high-density 110 unit
>> >> residential condominium complex with multi-level parking for 132 cars*.
>> >> While the City Plan Commission did not support the proposal, we are
>> >> strongly concerned that the kind of development the owners find to be
>> >> appropriate is not in the neighborhood?s best interest.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> We have been informed by the Executive Director of the Providence
>> >> Preservation Society (PPS) that if there are enough signatures on the
>> >> attached petition, he will bring this issue to the Wednesday PPS Board
>> &
>> >> Trustee Meeting.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Please support our neighborhood and sign the petition to PPS by
>> clicking on
>> >> this link:
>> >> *
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition*
>> >> <
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Also, please consider attending this *Monday?s community meeting to
>> address
>> >> this issue at 6:30pm at the Central Church on 296 Angell St.* You can
>> sign
>> >> a pen and paper petition if you prefer there.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Thank you for your support!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Sincerely,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Ellen Darling, on behalf of the Blackstone Neighborhood Organization
>> >> -------------- next part --------------
>> >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
>> >> URL: <
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20141108/60182908/attachment-0001.html
>> >
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> Message: 3
>> >> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2014 19:33:14 -0500
>> >> From: Jeffrey Cavanaugh <jeff at cavanaugh.org>
>> >> To: Ellen Darling <ellendarling at gmail.com>
>> >> Cc: Summit Neighborhood <Summit at sna.providence.ri.us>
>> >> Subject: Re: [Summit] Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate
>> >>   pending: please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >> Message-ID:
>> >>   <CAEd3KU3vOBnWYPOEdJJ4bF-7L6mZLgyAiHSDffkA+Ux=CQJOHg at mail.gmail.com>
>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>> >>
>> >> http://providenceri.com/efile/2157
>> >>
>> >> Shows the plat map that includes these parcels.  There are existing
>> lots in
>> >> the adjacent blocks as small as 5000 sq. feet, and many quite a bit
>> >> larter.  I would say, from a quick eyeballing of the map, that 7,500
>> sq.
>> >> feet seems more typical and 6000-6500 sq. ft. would be on the small
>> side.
>> >>
>> >> Is it 10 new parcels or 12?  The e-mail is a bit confusing.
>> >>
>> >> What would this petition do?  Try to squash any subdivision? Or try to
>> >> negotiate lotsize and/or architectural standards so that the
>> subdivision
>> >> leads to the best possible outcome?  Once such item may be to preserve
>> most
>> >> of the wall, less driveway cuts, for example.
>> >>
>> >> I ask because I don't see the owner's being denied some sort of
>> >> subdivision.  It is a huge estate for an urban area, and It's not
>> >> surprising that no one will buy it as is, the taxes must be insane.
>> Unless
>> >> some community group wants to buy it, it will probably be developed
>> >> eventually.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Sat, Nov 8, 2014 at 4:03 PM, Ellen Darling <ellendarling at gmail.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> Dear Neighbors,
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> As some of you are aware, the historic Bridgam estate on the corner of
>> >>> Rochamebau and Blackstone will be subdivided into 12 lots for real
>> estate
>> >>> development unless we can engage the Providence Preservation Society
>> on
>> >>> this issue.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> The currently proposed subdivision would add 10 single-family lots,
>> each
>> >>> between 6000 and 6500 square feet, along Rochambeau Avenue and
>> Blackstone
>> >>> Boulevard. A new ordinance, *instituted specifically for this
>> >>> neighborhood* to keep development consistent with the current
>> >>> infrastructure, is to be enacted next month increasing the minimum
>> lot size
>> >>> to 7500 square feet. By filing their application now, the owners
>> >>> effectively circumvent the new minimum lot size requirement.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> *Further, the integrity of the stone wall encircling the property,
>> which
>> >>> bears the date 1849, is at jeopardy. The subdivision, as currently
>> drawn,
>> >>> allows for this wall to be breached at multiple points, or entirely
>> >>> demolished, to accommodate the new lots. *
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> *Our concerns about insensitive development are not unfounded*: in
>> >>> February 2014 the owners presented a previous proposal to the City
>> Plan
>> >>> Commission for this site, *which featured a four-story, high-density
>> 110
>> >>> unit residential condominium complex with multi-level parking for 132
>> cars*.
>> >>> While the City Plan Commission did not support the proposal, we are
>> >>> strongly concerned that the kind of development the owners find to be
>> >>> appropriate is not in the neighborhood?s best interest.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> We have been informed by the Executive Director of the Providence
>> >>> Preservation Society (PPS) that if there are enough signatures on the
>> >>> attached petition, he will bring this issue to the Wednesday PPS
>> Board &
>> >>> Trustee Meeting.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Please support our neighborhood and sign the petition to PPS by
>> clicking
>> >>> on this link:
>> >>> *
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition*
>> >>> <
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
>> >
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Also, please consider attending this *Monday?s community meeting to
>> >>> address this issue at 6:30pm at the Central Church on 296 Angell St.*
>> You
>> >>> can sign a pen and paper petition if you prefer there.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Thank you for your support!
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Sincerely,
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Ellen Darling, on behalf of the Blackstone Neighborhood Organization
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> Summit mailing list
>> >>> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>>
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>> >>>
>> >> -------------- next part --------------
>> >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
>> >> URL: <
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20141108/5dcc9f85/attachment-0001.html
>> >
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> Message: 4
>> >> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2014 19:53:08 -0500
>> >> From: Emlyn Addison <noisyblocks at gmail.com>
>> >> To: Jeffrey Cavanaugh <jeff at cavanaugh.org>
>> >> Cc: summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >> Subject: Re: [Summit] Major subdivision of historic Rochambeau estate
>> >>   pending: please sign petition to Providence Preservation Society
>> >> Message-ID:
>> >>   <CAEAT3MEiTxw4LnQfKTtiaiZvfnrd+m6XE-Kr0PS=fp3WfrwVbA at mail.gmail.com>
>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>> >>
>> >> Agreed.
>> >> On Nov 8, 2014 7:33 PM, "Jeffrey Cavanaugh" <jeff at cavanaugh.org>
>> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> http://providenceri.com/efile/2157
>> >>>
>> >>> Shows the plat map that includes these parcels.  There are existing
>> lots
>> >>> in the adjacent blocks as small as 5000 sq. feet, and many quite a bit
>> >>> larter.  I would say, from a quick eyeballing of the map, that 7,500
>> sq.
>> >>> feet seems more typical and 6000-6500 sq. ft. would be on the small
>> side.
>> >>>
>> >>> Is it 10 new parcels or 12?  The e-mail is a bit confusing.
>> >>>
>> >>> What would this petition do?  Try to squash any subdivision? Or try to
>> >>> negotiate lotsize and/or architectural standards so that the
>> subdivision
>> >>> leads to the best possible outcome?  Once such item may be to
>> preserve most
>> >>> of the wall, less driveway cuts, for example.
>> >>>
>> >>> I ask because I don't see the owner's being denied some sort of
>> >>> subdivision.  It is a huge estate for an urban area, and It's not
>> >>> surprising that no one will buy it as is, the taxes must be insane.
>> Unless
>> >>> some community group wants to buy it, it will probably be developed
>> >>> eventually.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> On Sat, Nov 8, 2014 at 4:03 PM, Ellen Darling <ellendarling at gmail.com
>> >
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>> Dear Neighbors,
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> As some of you are aware, the historic Bridgam estate on the corner
>> of
>> >>>> Rochamebau and Blackstone will be subdivided into 12 lots for real
>> estate
>> >>>> development unless we can engage the Providence Preservation Society
>> on
>> >>>> this issue.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> The currently proposed subdivision would add 10 single-family lots,
>> each
>> >>>> between 6000 and 6500 square feet, along Rochambeau Avenue and
>> Blackstone
>> >>>> Boulevard. A new ordinance, *instituted specifically for this
>> >>>> neighborhood* to keep development consistent with the current
>> >>>> infrastructure, is to be enacted next month increasing the minimum
>> lot size
>> >>>> to 7500 square feet. By filing their application now, the owners
>> >>>> effectively circumvent the new minimum lot size requirement.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> *Further, the integrity of the stone wall encircling the property,
>> which
>> >>>> bears the date 1849, is at jeopardy. The subdivision, as currently
>> drawn,
>> >>>> allows for this wall to be breached at multiple points, or entirely
>> >>>> demolished, to accommodate the new lots. *
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> *Our concerns about insensitive development are not unfounded*: in
>> >>>> February 2014 the owners presented a previous proposal to the City
>> Plan
>> >>>> Commission for this site, *which featured a four-story, high-density
>> 110
>> >>>> unit residential condominium complex with multi-level parking for
>> 132 cars*.
>> >>>> While the City Plan Commission did not support the proposal, we are
>> >>>> strongly concerned that the kind of development the owners find to be
>> >>>> appropriate is not in the neighborhood?s best interest.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> We have been informed by the Executive Director of the Providence
>> >>>> Preservation Society (PPS) that if there are enough signatures on the
>> >>>> attached petition, he will bring this issue to the Wednesday PPS
>> Board &
>> >>>> Trustee Meeting.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Please support our neighborhood and sign the petition to PPS by
>> clicking
>> >>>> on this link:
>> >>>> *
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition*
>> >>>> <
>> https://www.change.org/p/brent-runyon-preserve-our-community-support-our-neighborhood?recruiter=176272164&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
>> >
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Also, please consider attending this *Monday?s community meeting to
>> >>>> address this issue at 6:30pm at the Central Church on 296 Angell
>> St.* You
>> >>>> can sign a pen and paper petition if you prefer there.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Thank you for your support!
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Sincerely,
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Ellen Darling, on behalf of the Blackstone Neighborhood Organization
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> Summit mailing list
>> >>>> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>>>
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>>> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> _______________________________________________
>> >>> Summit mailing list
>> >>> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>>
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>> >>>
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>> >> ------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> Subject: Digest Footer
>> >>
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>> >> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >>
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>> >>
>> >>
>> >> ------------------------------
>> >>
>> >> End of Summit Digest, Vol 116, Issue 9
>> >> **************************************
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Summit mailing list
>> > Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> >
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
>> > SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Summit mailing list
>> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
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>>
>
>
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