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East Side Monthly June 2016
Brown University and a company called Insomnia Cookies. The plan here is for Brown to rehab the small building they own at 307 Thayer and bring in the cookie company which has some 87 locations scattered in 28 states, many of them on college campuses. In addition to selling their cookies, Insomnia Cookies also runs a delivery service as well. The potential problem is that the store wants to stay open until 3am. Current city regulations require closing no later than 2am. While the Board certainly can now officially attest to the quality of cookies (excellent) thanks to the presenters, we remain a little less enthusiastic about the precedent a 3am closing time would set for the street. The discussion continues. News From Thayer Street Two new businesses have just opened on the street. Growler’s Wing Bar Chicken offers terrific wings and a full bar at 165 Angell Street above the English Cellar Alehouse (PS, they also offer wings delivered). Also opening is Greycork, which will sell essential furniture for the home and is located at 286 Thayer Street on the second floor above Kartabar. Welcome to the neighborhood. The Thayer Street District is proud to be sponsoring two important community projects. The first is a new educational program at the Lippitt House Museum called “Lippitt Lab.” Through activities, demonstrations, discussions and first person interpretations, the Museum will be transformed into a living laboratory where visitors will have the opportunity to experience first hand the Victorian era in Providence and learn about the lives of the Lippitt family. The Lab will run on the third Saturday of every month through the end of the year from 2-4pm. To learn more about the project contact www.PreserveRI.org/Lippitt-Visit. In addition Thayer Street will be a sponsor this year of the Providence Preservation Society’s 60th Festival of Historic houses on June 11. For additional information or to buy tickets go to www.ProvidenceHouseTour.com. We welcome all residents of College Hill to join the association and help us in our efforts to improve and protect our neighborhood. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and be contacted on issues of importance to our community. College Hill Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906. 633-5230, www.CollegeHillNA.com, CHNA@CollegeHillNA.com –Barry Fain
Fox Point Neighborhood Association Events this Month FPNA Board Meeting, 7pm, Monday, June 10 at the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Community Room, 455 Wickenden Street. City Presents Alternative Parking Plan Providence’s Parking Administrator Leo Perrotta offered some alternatives to the installation of parking meters at a meeting with the Wickenden Area Merchants Association, according to WAMA President Vincent Scorziello. The parking changes, included installation of signage at the intersection of Brook and Wickenden streets, which would direct motorists to the parking lot behind Coffee Exchange, Sakura, Zog and Adler’s, Scorziello reports. “They also expanded two-hour parking zones by converting some of the “loading zone” parking designations along Wickenden Street.” Perrotta also pledged to renew enforcement of the two-hour parking zones, by increasing patrols of parking personnel. “We have no definite answer, yet, regarding parking meters on Wickenden Street,” Scorziello adds. “But, it appears the City is working with us towards a mutually agreeable solution.” Major Park Improvements Begin On the Providence River, Lambri Zerva, supervising engineer, said the Pedestrian Bridge’s design phase is “at 100%, near final submission,” followed with advertising bids by mid-summer. “There could be some site development in the fall, but there are other components, like steel manufactured elements,” that could push the project towards a completion date in 2017 or early 2018, Zerva adds. Described as having an “elegant” design, the new Providence River Pedestrian Bridge will connect the city’s two new riverside parks. On Fox Point’s eastern border, construction of the long-awaited extension of the Blackstone Bikeway means planned improvements in Gano Park are on the horizon, as well. Those two elements – the bikeway and the park – anchor the emerging Fox Point Greenway, according the Providence Department of Planning and Development. Zerva said RIDOT would be clearing the proposed site of the new Gano
Dog Park, so that the Providence Department of Parks could install the necessary fencing. The new location, adjacent to the Crooks Point Bridge, will mean removal of the fencing to the existing park. Currently, the existing dog park blocks a connection of Gano Park with its Boat Launch. Back in 2014, FPNA and the planning department hosted a stakeholders meeting, which was attended by about 25 City and State governmental professionals, environmentalists, historic preservation advocates and residents of the neighborhood. The stakeholders met to develop a comprehensive plan for the greenway to connect major bikeways and waterways with many destinations along the way. For a complete look at the route and destinations, go to www.FPNA. net and click on the pdf at the bottom of landing page. Community Outreach This Spring FPNA sent out about 350 membership solicitations from its database of members and former members, according to Daisy Schnepel, FPNA vice president. “We rely very heavily on these contributions to keep the membership informed, host bi-annual membership meetings, advocate for quality-of-life issues and fund neighborhood improvements.” FPNA also reached out by sending its second informational packet to new residents, who have moved to the neighborhood during the last six months, according to board member Alissa Peterson. “We sent a mailing out to 60 potential new members, which included a welcome letter, membership solicitation and certificates from the Wickenden Area Merchants Association, WAMA.” For older Fox Pointers, FPNA recommends that they get in touch with the Providence Village, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping seniors remain in their homes and communities as they age. Located in Hamilton House, 276 Angell Street, Providence Village has volunteers and a small staff to answer all residents’ questions, according to the group’s director, Ann W. Connor. To learn more about the village movement, visit www.VTVNetwork.org, Connor said, adding the Providence Village can be reached at 401-441-5240 or Office@ ProvidenceVillageRI.org. Fox Point Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 603177, Providence, RI 02906. 2707121, www.fpna.net, fpna@cox.net –John Rousseau