A comprehensive urban design and financial plan for the I-195 District in Providence, RI.
This report represents the efforts and findings of a semester of work conducted during the Fall semester of 2023 for the Field Studies in Real Estate, Planning and Urban Planning course at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD). Our group was tasked with understanding and articulating a comprehensive urban design and financial plan for the I-195 District in Providence, RI.
The area of study was the Providence Innovation & Design District, which is actively managed by the I-195 Redevelopment District - 19 acres of developable land and 7 acres of open space between Downtown Providence and the Jewelry district that was made available by the removal of the I-195 freeway in the early 2010s. The land divides the historic downtown and the Jewelry District while linking to Fox Point, College Hill, and Upper South Providence.
Over a series of site visits and conversations, we became well familiarized with Providence and the I-195 district. Throughout the semester, we worked closely with the sponsor and local stakeholders including innovation district experts, architects, developers, real estate professions, and government officials. Their assistance was greatly appreciated.