Scott Avedisian, Mayor of Warwick

As we have mentioned, there are a number of commercial development and infrastructure improvements underway throughout the city. There are also several residential projects that will further our goals to ensure that our community offers an array of good housing choices to meet the diverse needs of households of all income levels and at various stages of life.

As the population continues to age and people live longer, the need for senior housing and/or assisted living and other facilities is becoming greater. In the southern part of the city, construction has begun on a 74-bed, four-story assisted living facility, with site improvements that include a new parking area and landscaping.

The new Brentwood facility, designed by Union Studio, will also feature space for exercise and community activity, a dining area and kitchen, as well as shared balcony and sitting areas and nurses’ stations on all three floors of residential space. Average rooms will range from 300 to 370 s/f. Space for an outdoor patio offering views of beautiful Greenwich Bay has also been incorporated into the building design. The facility will be located adjacent to the Brentwood Nursing Home and is expected to generate approximately 50 new jobs. 

Work has also begun on the Tollgate Hill Farm assisted living project, the first of a two-phase, mixed-use development on roughly 10 acres adjacent to Kent Hospital. A 58-unit, 112-bed assisted living facility is planned for the site, followed by, in phase two, construction of 54,000 s/f of office space. Reported project cost estimated between $9 and $10 million, with total project cost estimated at $25 million. Phase one is slated for completion in summer 2017.

And, in the northern corner of the city, House of Hope Community Development Corporation is restoring and repurposing a property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, into ten dwelling units for affordable and supportive housing uses. Five of the units will be housed in “Fair House,” with a new addition housing the remaining units. Fair House, constructed in 1820 as an exhibition hall by the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry, was converted into a single-family residence by R. Rhodes. The complete restoration of the Fair House and the construction of the 2,750 s/f addition, are both being performed in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The project has also received state historic tax credits, which has helped to make the preservation of this residence a reality.

We look forward to the completion of these projects and welcoming new residents to our community. If you are interested in development opportunities in our community, I encourage you to contact Karen Jedson, director of Tourism, Culture, and Development, at karen.jedson@warwickri.com.

Scott Avedisian is the mayor of Warwick and the chairman of the RIPTA board of directors.