By Michael Pare

This is about second chances - and making the most of them.

The East Providence waterfront - for the balance of the 20th century - has been defined not so much by sandy beaches or waterfront villas, but by petroleum storage tanks and old line manufacturing facilities. Whether it be along Pawtucket Avenue toward Riverside or Roger Williams Avenue, nearer to Rumford, the waterfront is decidedly more gritty than grand.

It never really looked nice, but those industries provided steady jobs to thousands of East Providence families. That was then. This is now. And right now East Providence has an opportunity to reclaim a 28-acre parcel of waterfront land. City leaders are jumping at the chance.

GeoNova Development Company - a developing conglomerate that specializes in the acquisition and redevelopment of Brownfield sites -- announced earlier this month that it was proceeding with the redevelopment of the former Washburn Wire site off Roger Williams Avenue.

The 28 acres form a ledge along the Seekonk River, with a portion of it abutting Omega Pond.

The idea is to create a mixed-use "New England Village" called East Pointe.

The development will include office and retail components -- and hundreds of pricey condominiums and townhouses. There are promises of public parks, as well as public access to the waterfront. Architects and planners are said to be designing the project to include as much as one-third open space.

"This is a truly spectacular parcel of land that is currently suffering from the blight of abandoned industrial buildings," said Robert Everton, a spokesman for the developers.

All of the existing structures on the property are scheduled to be demolished. The site will be re-graded. An entirely new infrastructure will be put in place. It is exactly what was meant to happen when federal Brownfield laws were put in place.

"This is the perfect example of the importance of Brownfield legislation," said Sharon Steele, president of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors. "Without that legislation, these kinds of projects absolutely could not happen."

Rhode Island, with so many aging and in many cases abandoned properties, is one of those states that stands to benefit greatly from Brownfield redevelopment. And East Providence looks poised to capitalize quickly with this East Pointe proposal.

East Providence City Manager Paul Lemont could not be happier with the prospects of waterfront development. He sees this development, and others that could come on its heels, as an opportunity for the city to set the course for what the city will look like over future decades.

"If you look at the waterfront of East Providence...since 1910, it has been dotted with petroleum storage tanks," he said. "But that type of industry now, is long gone. We have got an opportunity to redo East Providence so we can set the tone for the next century."

Lemont said that since word of the development proposal broke, his telephone has been ringing. Developers from around the country have their attention piqued when waterfront property is in play.

"They're not making waterfront like this anymore," said Lemont.

In addition to luxurious townhouses and green waterfront parks, Lemont sees a tremendous benefit to the city in the form of a tax base expanding by at least 12 percent. He estimates the proposed development could generate more than $4 million per year in added tax revenues.

To truly appreciate the scope of this proposal, you probably need to drive along Roger Williams Avenue and get a good look at the urban blight that the land in question has become.

With your eyes open you see decaying buildings and overgrown weeds breaking through the asphalt of a bumpy parking lot. There is a badly damaged chain-link fence. Look close and see not only an eyesore, but also an area that poses a very real danger to adventurous teenagers.

But close your eyes and you can see the townhouses and the park area and the sweeping views of the waterfront.

The best part of this is that none of it is far-fetched.

The Brownfield legislation and the vision of city leaders make it a very real possibility. And if it can happen in East Providence, it can happen along waterfront parcels in so many other cities and towns. If only they too could be given a second chance.

Published 7/15/2002