KeepSpace Local Knowledge Report

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photos hours site visits maps people cities

keepspace community

local knowledge report

Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation November 2009

thurlow small architecture

TSA

Goals of the Report:

identify information that helps us create and locate projects that work in the pawtucket / central falls keepspace area

Topics of Study:

home / social space recreation / greenspace infrastructure / circulation economy / entrepreneurial activities social / community and cultural resources

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school

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topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play

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the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians

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food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce

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community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school

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recommended priorities for intervention

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home / social space

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school recommended priorities for intervention

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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Central Falls

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fast water edge

Pawtucket slow water edge

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residential areas developed away from the river water historically organized the development of Central Falls and Pawtucket. In early Native American and Colonial

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settlements, water was a source for human sustenance; during industrialization, water became a source for economic prowess. The speed and sectional drop of the riverbed determined the choice locations for early industry, thus the narrower parts of the river are sites of former or existing manufacturing industries. The edges near the slower wetland areas, specifically Valley Falls Pond, are exclusively residential.

Today, two effects remain:

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former or current industrial properties are directly adjacent to the river. Existing ones no

longer require proximity to the river for energy or cooling purposes and could be partners in creating community access. Abandoned properties could transition to mixed or residential uses, like recent projects along Roosevelt Avenue.

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residential areas, in an effort to avoid contact with the historically severely polluted river, are inset from the river and adjacent to an undeveloped buffer zone. This buffer zone, while close to

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one of the most dense urban areas in the United States, is unmanaged and rich with environmental and human potential.

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Now that the river is nearly back to health, the area has an opportunity organize a renewed healthy relationship between the city and the water.

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develop and manage the buffer zone between inset existing development and the river’s edge 7

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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Smithfield - Central Falls

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Pawtucket - North Providence

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urban areas developed back to back around the rail line 1

pawtucket developed out of north providence. central falls developed out of smithfield. These two cities, while

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now joined through linkages within the Barton Street neighborhood, originated from the growth of other centers and grew up back to back along the rail line. The rail line is then not only a significant physical boundary, but a development line and forms a social, perceptual and visual disconnect between the two, now economically interrelated, urban areas.

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To Pawtucket residents, Central Falls has become a place “across the tracks� and does not enter into planning or resource distribution thinking. To Central Falls residents, parts of their own city are considered more a part of Cumberland or Pawtucket.

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Now economic and social partners, the rail line can help reorient new development and should become an organizing source of seamless physical and infrastructural linkages.

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the rail line can reorient development and organize physical linkages 9

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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5 commercial corridors residential areas

industrial areas

mixed use areas

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the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods The commercial paths of dexter and broad street, the rail line, the river, natural topography and use zoning organize a set of microneighborhoods. They include:

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the residential areas north of hunt have higher income,

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later generation immigrant residents (many of Portuguese decent), and larger lots. This neighborhood looks more like Cumberland demographically and physically than like the rest of Central Falls.

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northeastern central falls which is a small, surprisingly rural residential area filled with big back yards and gardens. It is very disconnected from the commercial areas by the rail line.

southeastern central falls is a darker more shaded area of the city and is the one residential area that has slightly better access to the river’s edge. This area is distinguished by its many regional churches on High Street.

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the south central falls historic neighborhood near

Barton Street is filled with a mix of beautifully restored Victorian era houses, shade trees, active streets, and recently renovated PCDC properties. Once the home to overt illegal drug and prostitution traffic, its crime rates have dropped dramatically in the past decade.

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southwestern central falls industrial and commercial district, near the

former Conant Thread and Coats & Clark Mills, is a visibly open space populated mostly by box retail. While the area looks unkempt, it is actually a strong social center for shopping, buying food, and doing laundry.

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central central falls is centered on the high school. The school,

along with the fire and police departments, Jenks Park, City Hall and the nearby Central Falls library, create an institutional civic center that has no formal public space nor designation.

While people go to Dexter Street for social life, they go to this civic center to interface with public institutions.

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downtown pawtucket is a confusing mix of industrial, residential and commercial buildings. Since the downtown area of the city is divided into its many political districts, no one city councilor focuses on its development.

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microneighborhoods can celebrate a positive identity 11

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

satellite dishes: globalized, media culture

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foreclosures pre-foreclosures liens bankruptcies

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foreclosures are clustered near the high school Foreclosures are the most important issue immediately affecting the quality of life in Central Falls. There are three regions of foreclosure areas, two are distinctly absent of foreclosures and one is heavily populated with them. In many cases, the ones viewable on site do not match with the current online data. There are also several waves ahead, as many properties either have tax liens or owners going through bankruptcy or pre-foreclosure processes.

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the barton street area has almost no foreclosures.

This is due in a large part to the work of the Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation.

the area north of hunt street has almost no foreclosures. This area is more affluent and has higher

numbers of owner-occupied houses.

the area around central falls high school has a high density of foreclosures. These are especially prevalent on 2

Washington Street. As shown next to label 1, the entry to the high school is directly across from a boarded up house.

housing stock is deteriorating. Seventy-

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five percent of all houses in the Central Falls area were built before 1959. Not only is the financial crisis significant, but the bulk of the houses were not originally built with duration in mind. Many of these houses will need of significant renovation and their owners have little equity in their investment.

greening houses must be an important part of the renovation process. As well, the cost of

heating and cooling has escalated as housing integrity has declined.

Investment in energy efficient windows, insulation, weather stripping, new heating or cooling systems, and passive solar techniques could significantly reduce thermal loads and associated costs over time.

satellite dishes can be seen all over the Central Falls, This is not due to a lack of high speed internet or cable service, but rather because subscribing to the dish network does not require a credit check or deposit.

This is a specific pattern that results from people who are globally connected culturally, but not economically.

targeting the foreclosure crisis can begin on the area around the high school 13

recreation / greenspace

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school recommended priorities for intervention

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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100 feet

50 feet

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120 feet 2 1

60 feet 100 feet

high zone 10 foot heights

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topography creates a ridge between the city and the river the physical heights of the city discourage visual or physical connections to the blackstone river. The highest

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area in Central Falls is directly west of Broad Street and blocks views and linkages between the center of the Keepspace area and the river. This natural ridge reaches a height of 160 feet above sea level at Jenks Park and then diminishes rapidly to around 30 feet above sea level at the river surface. This rise physically separates the slightly lower basin that exists between the area of Lonsdale Avenue as it reaches Lincoln and the eastern side of Dexter Street and the river edge.

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Along the northern edge, the steep drop in topography leaves visitors at the height of the tree canopy and pedestrian access is very limited. From the urban side, it is almost impossible to see the Valley Falls Pond area during spring and summer. From the water, it is difficult to see almost any urban structures.

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created linkages must overcome the natural topography or use it to their advantage 17

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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wild greenspace exists The Keepspace area has three types of wilderness: wetlands along the edge of the Blackstone River, small forest groves with underbrush and grass meadows with small trees and shrubs, the latter mostly overgrown former parks.

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wetlands are an important part of the Blackstone River watershed and

contribute significantly to the improved water quality and wildlife habitat.

Because urban areas developed with their backs to the river and only in areas of fast water flow, the wetlands have soft edges of development that allow it to be natural and provide an unexpected overlap between a dense urban area. There are four major types of wetlands: open water, where surface water is visible, whether year-round or during high water seasons; emergent marshes, where cattails or other herbaceous plants grow; shrub swamps, where water willow, button bush, swamp rose and other species are found; and forested swamps, dominated by either red maple or white cedar with a variety of understory growth (cited from Natural Resources Inventory and Assessment, NHCC, February 1998).

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wildlife and vegetation has flourished in the past few decades as the water

quality has improved. Species includes: kingfishers, great blue herons, peregrine falcons, osprey, yellow perch, bluefish, striped bass, bass and pickerel. The number of fish species has rebounded to 20. There are 18 species of amphibians and 17 species of reptiles.

Birds number 114 species of nesting (resident) birds not including migratory species. Mammals total over 40 species, not including migratory bats,. There are a minimum of 1000 species of native plants in the Blackstone Corridor (cited from Natural Resources Inventory ad Assessment, NHCC, February 1998). This area of the Blackstone River is considered Class C rated, meaning it is available only for secondary contact recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and industrial processing and cooling. The corridor has a goal to move to Class B rating by 2015, which would be suitable for primary recreational activities, including for public water supply with proper treatment, agricultural use, bathing, and fish and wildlife habitat.

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protection & accessibility Protecting this resources

is very important as part of the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor for not only the nearby urban neighborhoods, but for the state and region as a whole environment. However, some soft accessibility, for hiking on solid ground or views from overhead, could foster a greater understanding and appreciation for natural systems and, in the long run, change social behaviors and attitudes about wetland protection.

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safety The separation between the residential areas and the wetlands also contributes to it being perceived as “unsafe� either through the fear of crime or hazardous waste (street termini are used for dumping). There is still debris from past industrial use, but it has already been cleaned up significantly since the Zap the Blackstone efforts nearly forty years ago.

light or adjacent access to these landscapes is beneficial both for education and recreation 19

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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private greenspace parks sports fields playgrounds

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cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery This diagram shows the locations of park, sports fields, cemeteries and playgrounds within the Keepspace area. Central Falls not only does not have enough parks and recreational facilities for the population of kids and adults, but the ones that are there are surprisingly inaccessible.

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river island community park is a great example of public

partnerships that transformed a former mill site, through brownfield remediation into a community resources with both wild and formal aspects for the public. Unfortunately, the linkages are outside of a walkable radius from the bulk of the city and through inadequate rail line connections.

jenks park is the most available park resource within walking distance to most people in Central Falls. While it appears to be a center for public recreation, it actually functions more like a place of solitude than of interaction.

The tower, infrequently inhabited, has become a place for teenagers to hang out away from adult eyes. This is due in part to its original design as a hill, thus in lieu of being a gateway for the public, it instead creates a visual and perceptual barrier between Broad Street and the neighborhood interior.

The park received a $200 K federal grant in 2008 for safety improvements after a fatal altercation.

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macomber stadium & high street ballfield, more used than any other resource

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in the community, is home to the local Panthers football and cheerleader leagues.

The organized football and baseball games stimulate many types of positive public interactions between parents, kids, the community as a whole, and mobile vendors. Two improvements would facilitate its use: better linkage to the city and greater support spaces adjacent to the parks for parking, drop-off, vending, and social space.

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illinois street playground developed from a set of local neighbors who found support from the City and community centers. This is a key location for public resources because it is close to residential areas and could be expanded. sacred heart avenue playground is a complete facility that includes play equipment and basketball courts, however is significantly under-used because it is hidden behind trees, tucked into the hillside, and remote to central residential areas.

open physical access, develop safe routes, and promote activity crossovers 21

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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private property commercial

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9 formal public space BV Bike Path Roger Williams Trail

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the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property Linkages between the city and the riverfront are poor because of the rail line; additionally, there are few publicly developed access points to the river. In this diagram, green areas are public property and all other colors, blue (institutional), red (commercial), orange (residential) and purple (industrial) areas are all privately owned or restricted.

the blackstone valley bike path will be the most significant

improvement in the city since the River Island Park and, most importantly, will help create regional linkages. Unfortunately the current path follows the rail line across the river to Pawtucket, cutting off about half of the riverfront area on the Central Falls side. One option open up the river edge for public use is to encourage the best use of the private property along the eastern side along Front Street, a property currently owned by Collette Travel. The other opportunity for linkages to, or at least through views, are the ends of the public streets along the northern and northwestern edges. These dead end streets could instead be local neighborhood points of access for walking on trails in areas left untouched or rehabilitated parks for outdoor events. Some properties of note: 1

lots 34, 35, 36 are wooded areas owned by

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lot 69 is a wooded area owned by the City of

Albert Vitale, 136,600 SF

Central Falls, 73,203 SF 3

lot 256 is a semi-paved parking lot owned

by Club Sport Unaio Madeirense, 18,145 SF

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lot 200 is a paved area owned by the City of Central Falls, 19,556 SF

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lot 111 is an overgrown park owned by the City of Central Falls, 16,250 SF

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lot 112 is undeveloped park area owned by the City of Central Falls, 13,280 SF

front street and roosevelt avenue lots are empty industrial areas owned by

Collette Travel, 164,000 SF 8

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broadway riverfront is a steep, wooded area owned by the City of Pawtucket

roosevelt avenue riverfront is a semi-wooded, narrow, fishing area under the bridge owned by the State of Rhode Island.

develop existing public property and partner with private land owners 23

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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garden zones garden spots

tree canopy

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big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center large private gardens can be found all over the Keepspace

area. Large, well manicured ornamental and productive gardens can be found on the northern area of the city above Hunt Street. These lots are bigger and many of these properties abut the natural buffer along the river’s edge.

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small ornamental or productive gardens can be found

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in backyards through the center of the city and range from organized rows to flower beds to single tomato plants.

While there is not an identifiable gardening culture here, it is clear of interest if people were given space, opportunity an resources. There is no identifiable commercial agriculture in the Keepspace area.

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Also shown in the left-hand page is the outline of the tree canopy and greenspace within the urban areas.

While on the ground it does not appear to be a wooded or vegetative area, except for the south Central Falls historic district and the west bank of the river, most of the vegetation is in the interior of the blocks, not on the street.

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the center of the keepspace area needs more public garden space 25

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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general play baseball soccer basketball football bicycles formal sports areas

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the keepspace area is full of play 1

Since the access to sports fields in the Keepspace area is limited, kids play in the streets, side and back yards and empty parking lots. This is within close proximity to home and the side or back yards become extended as spaces to the street.

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baseball, basketball, soccer, and football

are the only observed sports in the residential neighborhoods. Kids are generally playing in the late afternoon after school, in small groups of two to four. Occasionally, at street termini, people play ball directly in the street. These sports do not require much equipment or large numbers of kids, but simply a flat, available space.

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bicycles can bee seen everywhere in the city, used particularly by boys, young men and adult men, to cruise the neighborhoods or get to a local hangout. Bikes are used to casually move through the neighborhood, not to get speedily from one place to another. Several sport and commuting cyclists were also seen, however, this is uncommon perhaps due to the lack of bicycle paths and safe routes in major corridors such as Dexter and Broad Street. Since Dexter is common destination for those who are just cruising, it is very common to see bicycles being ridden on the sidewalks. wild areas are used for

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play too, including the edges of the wetland areas on the north edge of the river. These are hidden, unsupervised in even a peripheral way, and show signs of illicit activity and trash. These areas are not safe, but could be more overtly managed and better known to increase their use and thus create a more secure, yet wild, space.

games the only other forms of non-sport recreation that we found are dominos and a card game called high-low-jack.

target specific unused lots for open play space and redesign critical streets as slow routes 27

infrastructure / circulation

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school recommended priorities for intervention

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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major crossings raised area minor crossing track crossing tunnel bridge

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the rail line is a significant physical barrier There are three types of rail crossings in the Keepspace area:

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one on-grade crossing happens at the osram sylvania industrial area. It is public, but very unfriendly

to pedestrians because of the scale of the surrounding industrial facilities.

bridges cross over the rail line in seven locations.

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These include Sacred Heart Avenue, Broad Street, Cross Street, Jenks Street, Clay Street, Barton Street, Dexter Street, and soon to be on Conant Street. While this seems like a lot of connections, five of these are in one area centered on Broad Street and, because the former train station depot is in disrepair, it is an unappealing and discouraging gap in the urban fabric.

This area should be redeveloped less as a set of linear crossings, and more as a continuous mat of urban fabric.

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The other two bridges are the two most important linkages across the rail line. The bridge on Dexter Street will be a critical linkage to downtown Pawtucket from the future commuter rail stop. The Sacred Heart Avenue bridge offers an important connection between the center of Central Falls and Broad Street to the river, but is a significant hill. We observed many students moving over this bridge by foot and bicycle after school.

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three single lane tunnels provide no

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pedestrian walkways. These occur just off of Broad Street on High Street, on Blackstone Street near MacOmber Field and on High Street as it moves south to Charles Street. The access on Blackstone Street is probably the most important linkage to the center of the city, but it is very difficult to find and is surrounded by unappealing automotive repair and utility properties.

existing tunnel and bridge access points need to significantly improved for pedestrian access 31

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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Stop’n’Shop - Cumberland Kennedy Plaza (99) - Providence

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Lincoln Mall / Tech - Lincoln Transit Center - Pawtucket

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Kennedy Plaza - Providence Transit Center - Pawtucket

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42, 51, 73, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 99 bus stops bus lines

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Future MBTA Rail stop

only 2.7% of keepspace area commuters use public transit The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority runs three lines of bus service through the main Keepspace area and nine additional lines nearby in downtown Pawtucket.

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Even though car ownership per capital is low in Central Falls, the statistics for how many people take public transit to work is only 2.7% (according to the 2000 census). Only 5% of people walk to work. 89% of respondents either drive or carpool.

Below are the current transit rider statistic for the 71, 72, and 75 bus lines in the Central Falls area from RIPTA:

Route 71 Broad Street

Weekday Saturday Sunday 2

Total weekly

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1,305

Route 72 Dexter Street Weekday Saturday Sunday

525 45 20

Total Weekly

590

Route 75 Dexter Street 4

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1125 120 60

Weekday Saturday Sunday Total Weekly

Total Weekly

275 25 25 325 2220

closer study of the lack of public use of public transit is needed 33

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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major intersection routes

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cars are used both for movement and self-expression traffic generally moves easily through central falls except on dexter and broad streets during afternoon and early evening hours. The worst intersection in the Keepspace

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area is the five way crossings of Goff, Exchange, Broad and Summer streets. This has been exacerbated by the increase truck traffic due to the rerouting of the I-95 bridge damage. The intersection at Cross and Broad Streets is also problematic, as it is the main access from all points east of Central Falls including Pawtucket and the interstate highway ramps. Barton and Dexter Streets also can be congested depending on the traffic going in and out of the taco truck and Dunkin Donuts lots. While people and merchants perceive parking to be an issue on Broad Street, generally, people find Dexter, which is denser, as not problematic. There are typically spaces on the streets available for people to come and go.

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car are not only use for getting around, but as objects of personal expression. It is not uncommon to see an

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expensive car parking in front of a dilapidated house.

It is not uncommon to see inexpensive cars very highly detailed with expensive rims and added racing features. There are several automobile repair shops that seem to also act as social areas. There are also car washes, auto lots, and auto parts stores in several locations along Broad and Dexter Streets.

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improve parking signage and encourage events related to auto artistic expression 35

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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5 major activity zones minor activity zones morning activity noon activity afternoon activity weekend activity

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the street is both a public and a private space 1

Central Falls is a dense urban area with high numbers of people walking around. Public streets are used as pathways, hangout space, and for private cellphone conversations.

Some observations:

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it is rare to see more than three people walking together. it is common to see young women in pairs, often with a small child.

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it is common to see parents walking their children to or from school..

it is common to see people walking to church before 11 am on sunday mornings. it is common to see people, mostly men, talking on their cellphones while pacing or walking through the neighborhoods. Likely, due to the increased residential density, that it is harder to find privacy inside of the house than outside.

it is uncommon to see people waiting for the bus in bus shelters except for 5

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on the corner of Goff and Broad street and at the Pawtucket hub on Roosevelt avenue.

industrial areas get busy with pedestrians at four o’clock in the afternoon when factories let out.

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projects need to consider the use of public space for private experience 37

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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traffic flow pedestrian crossings

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cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians While the bulk of traffic and pedestrian congestion is on Dexter and Broad streets as people cross them frequently while shopping, the density of cars moves slowly allowing pedestrians to navigate between them fairly easily. The area on south Dexter is more problematic, because there are fewer cars, less on-street activity, wider streets that encourage speeding, and few crosswalks.

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perhaps the most dangerous traffic problem is when cars move across the neighborhood between dexter and broad because they are quiet residential areas and cars tend to speed. The public space

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of the sidewalks, and in some case the street itself, are used by kids playing and people walking. Cars move through these areas less aware of pedestrian movement.

Other on-street conflicts include children getting on and off school busses in the early morning and mid afternoon and garbage pick up which slows down traffic or encourages cars to move around the trucks into on coming traffic The two most dangerous intersections in downtown Pawtucket are:

the 5-way convergence of broad, exchange, summer and goff where

the walk signals does not work and the recently added I-95 truck traffic means that large trucks come up the Exchange Street hill quickly while pedestrians are negotiating the wide distance across it and

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the bus stop at main street and roosevelt avenue where

pedestrians cross in and around the large buses often putting themselves at risk to catch their connection. Cars often speed down Main Street from Broad and make crossing it challenging.

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crosswalks, signage and street flow need to be studied and redesigned in three areas 39

economy / entrepreneurial activities

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school recommended priorities for intervention

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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key corner markets

groceries

corner markets

drug stores

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food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations People purchase food in three ways in the Keepspace area. For higher quantities, many people travel outside of the city to largescale grocery stores. People who do not have cars buy from smaller local food markets many of which cater to latin culturebased cuisine. Corner markets provide the smallest scale of purchasing and are used like local bodegas, places to pick up small items and socialize.

grocery stores There are two larger markets that are smallscale grocery stores: C-Town and Bravo, both adjacent to Dexter Street. While they have a variety of common food supplies, they also specifically cater to South American cuisine.

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neighborhood corner markets are not only a place to pick up supplies like cigarettes, soda and snack foods, they are also centers for social activity, particularly for kids and adult men. There are often bikes left outside. Stock often include supplies or South and Central American food, but otherwise, the food is often low in nutritional value and high in calories. There are several markets that are the only commercial enterprises within the residential neighborhoods.

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commercial street markets populate

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Dexter and Broad Streets. There are similar ones to the residential markets, but there are also markets also for specific cuisines. These markets are often organized for a particular culture or community. Many of these markets are extensions to restaurant or have some food service capacity. In many cases as well, their windows are obscured and uninviting which is likely because they are well known within their cultural network and have less need to be transparent to other potential customers.

drug stores, specifically CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens on Broad Street, provide food and household items for people with limited mobility, especially those who live in nearby section 8 housing many of whom have medical problems that require access to a pharmacy. Larger box retail stores like Walmart and Target are only available via car.

encourage the access to healthy, fresh produce and food by adding to existing locations 43

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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fixed mobile vendor 5 periodic rack vending

illegal trade

mobile vending area

garage sale area

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mobile and micro-enterprise exist The Keepspace area includes many types of small-scale entrepreneurialism that happens directly on the streets, including food vending, ice cream trucks, garage sales, rack vending, and on street selling of bootleg media, illegal drugs, or household goods like luggage, blankets, and clothes.

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garage sales can be found on weekends in the Keepspace

area, particularly in the South Central Falls Historic District.

These are usually small and include used household goods.

Additionally, people bring out used goods they no longer want and leave them on the sidewalk for people to pick up for free. An exchange program or flea market might be successful, particularly due to the number of children per family.

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mobile units include ice cream trucks and Del’s lemonade.

These can be found in the South Central Falls Historic District or adjacent to sporting events at the ball fields near the river.

The Taco Truck at Dexter and Barton Streets technically does not relocate, but is on wheels and very popular.

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exterior rack vending can be found in front

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of the Shell service station along Broad Street.

This vending technique could be added in other locations along Broad and Dexter and would likely appeal to shoppers.

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temporary vending includes vending

on surface parking lots along Dexter Street and the very successful farmers market organized by Farm Fresh RI next to Slater Mill from June until late October. This market not just accepts but doubles the value of food stamps.

illegal activities exist visibly on the street.

When on the public sidewalk on Barton or BRoad Streets, on rare occasions one will be approached to purchase bootleg media.

encourage organized, simple, low-overhead, legal vending opportunities 45

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bars

hair salons

restaurants

laundromats

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key businesses are social centers 1

Daily activities are critical to understanding both the social and economic structure of the Keepspace area. These two systems are intertwined and mutually supporting. These are strong systems that are not as obvious to those who would view them from the outside, since many of these institutions function in specific ways with specific community groups.

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restaurants & bakeries are the most important economic

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driver for the city as food is not only necessary, but, in many of the communities in Central Falls, is a strong expression of culture and family identity. Restaurants are ethnically diverse and range from bakeries to fast food to sit down restaurants to hangouts. Restaurants commonly function in Central Falls more internally, because they are often family run and become an extension of the family community. It is not uncommon to see a restaurant say “closed� but to find a large group enjoying a family style meal within. While an important potential for development, many of these restaurants try intentionally to be less conspicuous because of regulations and employee status conditions as well as a desire to maintain a safe cultural zone. MacDonalds did not survive economically, but street food such as the Taco truck thrive. Events or festivals are often centered around food.

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bars function as hangouts for adult men.

There are only a few and they are dark and discouraging to people from the outside.

Central Falls has a higher percentage of women than men and a large percentage of children per family and it seems that this is a place for men to perhaps escape from the pressures of both.

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hair salons are a key social space for

young men and women, but separately, not together. True Stylez on Dexter is bright, loud and highly social and creative environment. Barbers style and cut other men’s hair as designs and wearable art.

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laundromats are the center of the social scene for women and children. Since the population density is high, many people have to do laundry at such facilities and there are several successful laundromats full of people waiting, chatting, and kids playing. This is a great opportunity to pair other activities nearby.

these are successful-- tend them and create adjacent endeavors that mutually support them 47

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gaps zones

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enterprise zones have historic infill properties 1

Broad and Dexter Streets are the commercial heart of the Keepspace area and define enterprise zones. Redeveloping historic infill properties could help reinforce these corridors. Here are a list of properties of interest:

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For sale

507 broad street, former police station and courthouse,

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owned by Antonio Barajas, two stories, 5,410 SF, Lot size: 10,099 SF & 6,166 SF, Zoned R-4. This property was most recently used for the Channel One Community Center but is currently vacant.

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464 broad street, owned by Joseph Porath, one story, 4067 SF, lot size: 5,724 SF Zoned C-2

664 - 666 dexter street, owner Han Kyong Cheol Etux, two stories, 9,200 SF, lot size: 4,573 SF Zoned C-D

Owned properties of interest 4 3

708 broad street, Cercle Jacques Cartier Building, owned by Maria Alzate, three stories, 15,000 SF, lot size: 550 SF, Zoned C-D

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753-755 broad street, Monast Building,

owned by Spartan Enterprises LLC, three stories, 12,228 SF, lot size: 4,370 SF, Zoned C-2 6

train depot site, 309 broad street,

owned by Warwick RICS LLC, 12,240 SF, lot size: 36,500 SF, Zoned C-2

historic preservation can help improve commercial zones 49

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undeveloped industrial use industrial use large scale industrial storage facilities

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manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce While Central Falls and Pawtucket are both known for their historical industrial prowess, unlike Pawtucket, there is still significant industry at work. Industry is both large and small scale.

Undeveloped or abandoned industrial properties still

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exist commonly in the Keepspace area. There are two primary locations for these spaces: the biggest area is west of Dexter Street and centered on Barton Street, home of the former Coates and Clark mill, the New England Paper Tube Company, Union Wadding and a variety of smaller buildings. The other areas is south of Cross Street on the Blackstone River. Many of these former industrial areas have been transformed into residential or mixed use buildings, but there are two large properties owned by Collette Travel that cover a large portion of the river’s edge.

Larger-scale manufacturing can be found in locations in the northeast corner of the Keepspace area centered around the Osram Sylvania factory where they make precision materials and components for lightbulbs. Factory flow sets certain rhythms of the work day, as manufacturing jobs tend to start and end earlier than white collar jobs. People leave work, both walking and driving home, at four o’clock, particularly on the eastern edge of the Keepspace area.

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scale manufacturing is an important component of the economy. Many of these factories do low volume work and are flexible in difficult economic times. Some of these businesses include Lixie Hammers, Stuart Manufacturing, Murdoch Webbing, New England Paint Manufacturing Company, Charisma Manufacturing, Dion Signs, Fuller Packaging, Wardwell Braiding, Safety Flag company, and Vac-Forming Unlimited. There is plentiful, inexpensive industrial space for lease.

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large storage facilities exist in two locations, Storage America at Charles and Roosevelt and Uhaul Storage on Dexter Street.

industrial space and employees are both plentiful for small-scale manufacturing 51

social / community and cultural resources

residential areas developed away from the river urban areas developed back to back around the rail line the keepspace area is a set of microneighborhoods foreclosures are clustered around the high school topography creates a ridge between the city and the river wild greenspace exists cultivated greenspace is on the urban periphery the riverfront is mostly private or undeveloped public property big gardens are on the edge; small gardens are in the center the keepspace area is full of play the rail line is a significant physical barrier only 2.7% of commuters use public transit cars are used both for movement and self-expression the street is both a public and a private space east-west cross routes are dangerous for pedestrians food markets and drug stores are active daily destinations mobile and micro-enterprise exist key businesses are social centers enterprise zones have available historic infill properties manufacturing employs 42% of the workforce community institutions are regional gateways social events are organized around cultural identity the civic center is around the high school recommended priorities for intervention

pawtucket central falls keepspace community local knowledge report

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6 church routes gateways churches community centers social clubs library / ywca schools

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community institutions are regional gateways The Keepspace area is full of schools, churches and community institutions which offer services to the entire regional area.

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schools act as city-wide draws, not localized landmarks, because the city is so small. There is one high school located in the heart of the city, directly adjacent to one of the hardest hit residential neighborhoods with many houses in foreclosure. Schools function not only for education, but as places of public space and events.

social clubs there is one primary social club in central

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falls, the Club Sport Unaio Madeirense, which was established nearly one hundred years ago for people from Madiera, a small island off the coast of Portugal.

The social club is a facility that members can use for family or important events. They hold festivals each year, and help people feel a sense of connection to one another in the larger context of the city through language, culture and history.

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churches are a critical part of the social

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fabric of the Keepspace area. Some churches draw from local parishes, but in many cases, they draw in people from all over the region. Churches programs and attendees tend to be organized by shared culture or country of origin even within the Catholic faith, for example, Cape Verdian, Dominican, Brazilian, Chinese and Polish. They offer services in a variety of sects, but all are either Christian or Catholic. There are no registered Muslim mosques or Jewish temples in the area.

community organizations consist of the Central Falls Library, the YWCA, the Ralph Holden Channel One Community Center and KidsFirst, a community center on Dexter Street. These organizations support primarily family services for child education and afterschool programs, indoor physical activity, adult learning, and other information resources.

enterprise zones could engage these regional networks 55

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social events are organized around cultural identity central falls is “the whole world in one square mile.” The diversity of country

of origin for the people who live in the Keepspace area is unique and special.

43.5 % of people are foreign born. 71% of these are from Latin America, but the individual nations represented is broad and the remainder represent a variety of cultures primarily from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The area contains tight knit and individuated cultural groups that not only have little crossover, but in some cases have established hierarchies of cultural rank.

As well, because people are globally linked to where they or their families are from, the internet and cable television are very important. In many cases, because of legal status issues, the phone is the only available link between people who may not be able to travel to see one another.

social networking sites like facebook have become increasingly

important as it allows people to grow a network of contacts that goes beyond physical boundaries. It is less common to find business or personal websites.

spanish language radio is also an important form of communication and information distribution and acts as a form of public space. recent events include the Polish Festival, Child Safety & Protection Festival,

Broad Street Winter Festival, Broad Street International Food Tours, Teen Drawing Club, Video Events, Fund-raising Car Wash, Colombian Festival, Portuguese Festival, Dominican Religious Parade, Hi-Low-Jack League, Auxiliary Ladies Dinner, Social Club Yard Sale, Progreso Latino Annual Gala, Progreso Latino family day picnic, Quinceañera Celebration Expo, Pawtucket Arts Festival, Cape Verdian Arts Festival.

central falls ancestries

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Puerto Rican - 12% Other Hispanic or Latino - 11% 3 South American - 11% 8 Colombian - 10% 5 Portuguese - 9% Central American: - 8% French (except Basque) - 7% French Canadian - 7% 2 Guatemalan - 6% Black or African American - 6% Subsaharan African - 6% Irish - 6% 1 Cape Verdean - 5% Mexican - 4% 4 Dominican Republic - 3% 6 Polish - 3% Italian - 3% English - 3% Arab - 1% 10 Spanish - 1% Salvadoran - 1% 9 Syrian - 1% 7 Chinese - Pawtucket residents

festivals centered around shared cultural themes could encourage interaction 57

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the civic center is near the high school The high school, police department, fire department, library, city hall, headquarters for Progreso Latino and KidsFirst Community Center are all located within the central zone of the City. This forms an unacknowledged civic center. This is also a major pedestrian route over the day as people move to and from school, or between Dexter and Broad Streets.

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This area could be more intentionally developed to provide a safe and beautiful institutional and residential heart of the city.

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create public space in this civic center zone to increase safety, appearance and institutional use 59

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recommended priorities for intervention Development 1

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partner on mixed development in the dexter barton commercial zone

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enhance a central falls civic center through green links, safe routes to schools, community gardens, and foreclosure mitigation.

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develop the train depot property not as a center, but so that it blends into the residential and commercial sides.

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develop historic properties as commercial infill on dexter and broad streets

Routes

create two green loops from the center to the river

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enhance the bike path plans to create an emerald necklace along the river

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create a boardwalk between the new commuter rail station and downtown pawtucket

improve all rail line crossings

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