Mayor Scott Avedisian, governor Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) director Michael Lewis, and representatives from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation joined Michael Integlia, Jr., president of Michael Integlia & Company, to announce the developer's purchase of and future plans for an 86-acre parcel that was home to the former Leviton Manufacturing company. In September, Integlia sought and received approval from the Warwick planning board to subdivide the property into five parcels and simultaneously finalized the purchase and sales agreement - a process, Integlia said, that "required lots of heavy lifting and was a private/public effort to achieve a common goal." The purchase was finalized on October 1. "Thank you to mayor Avedisian and the planning department, most particularly Bill DePasquale and Trish Reynolds, for their dedicated efforts working with us to achieve an important goal within a very aggressive time schedule. We are very excited about the various opportunities that this purchase will present, and look forward to continuing to expand our interest in the future of the city of Warwick," said Integlia. The reuse and re-development of the property is particularly significant, Avedisian noted, because it is located in the "business innovation district" directly adjacent to the Warwick Station Development District. The station district's master plan capitalizes on the multi-modal transportation options in the area and will guide mixed-use redevelopment and revitalization of 95 acres surrounding T.F. Green Airport and the InterLink station into a commerce center. Redevelopment in the business innovation district will greatly enhance efforts to spur job creation and economic development, making the entire area a commercial, residential, and retail hub as well as a destination for residents and tourists alike, Avedisian said. All told, the station and innovation districts offer up to 3 million s/f for redevelopment, with the potential of creating up to 3,000 new jobs. "Rhode Island is grateful to Michael Integlia and his company for their perseverance to ensure the preservation of a historic mill building and city landmark," governor Chafee said. "State, private and city partnerships such as this one reflect the many innovative economic development projects currently occurring in the Warwick Station District and are vital to Rhode Island's recovery." One of the three parcels has been purchased by Dean Warehousing Corp., which was a former tenant of Leviton. Dean, Integlia said, will consolidate their current operations from Cumberland and Lincoln into Warwick. The main warehouse, assembly, and corporate headquarters will be located in a 500,000 s/f industrial building. Significant improvements at the facility are presently underway. Another, consisting of approximately 25 acres that fronts the Airport Connector, Kilvert St. and Metro Center Boulevard, was purchased by a nature conservation group from Nevada and will be held as open space in perpetuity. The remaining three parcels are held by Integlia's company. One is a seven-acre parcel that faces Metro Center Boulevard to the west, Kilvert Street to the north and the Airport Connector to the south. Integlia plans to maximize the site's potential by constructing 125,000 to 150,000 s/f of class A office space. This facility, he said, will be the opposite bookend of their Metro East Office Park, which features three buildings and 200,000 s/f of class A offices space and is home to DiSanto & Priest, Atrion, and Mass Mutual, among others. A six-acre parcel that fronts Kilvert St. would be ideal for office and industrial uses. The final piece is a five-acre parcel that includes the Elizabeth Mill, a 100,000 s/f, three story, brick building that dates to 1875 and is a centerpiece of the property. Recognizing the strong support of local and state officials to preserve the building, Integlia said he plans to identify an adaptive reuse for it that could include office, retail, residential, hotel - all within 150 feet to the commuter rail and a short walk to the airport. "The successful re-use of these 86 acres will be critical to our overall efforts to revitalize the area," Avedisian said. "Mike Integlia and his team are known for creating attractive, environmentally-friendly and successful developments. The city looks forward to working with them as they redevelop the property. The Elizabeth Mill stands not only as a symbol of our state's manufacturing history and the strong work ethic of our residents, but also as a reminder of the individuals who worked here and helped to shape our community. I thank Mike for recognizing this and being willing to preserve the building." The city of Warwick has been working closely with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to identify selective improvements to enhance pedestrian connectivity, establish a stronger sense of place, improve quality of life and reinvigorate economic vitality in the area of the Interlink intermodal facility. Lewis outlined RIDOT's investment in the area. The department and city are presently in final design for $1.1 million in infrastructure and streetscape improvements, primarily funded through a U.S. Federal Highway grant. The improvements will continue implementation of the City's primary vision for the area - namely, a pedestrian-friendly environment that fosters mixed-use development opportunities. "Throughout history, economic growth has occurred at centers of transportation," Lewis said. "This is a perfect example of how investment in infrastructure can drive economic development; the improvements being made to this district will help us succeed as a state and better compete in a global market."