Smack Down on the Blackstone

Guest Blog Post by Robert D. Billington, President

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

Former-Chair, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission

BVRI@aol.com (401) 724-2200

Art Installation at Slater Mill

Revolutions don’t happen accidentally.  There must be a catalyst: someone or something has to be so unique and so paradigm changing that it sets the normal world ajar.  One of America’s greatest revolutions took place here in the Blackstone River Valley.  In fact, the revolution that gave America its economic independence began on the banks of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket. 

This revolution changed the way Americans worked and lived, and it began our nation’s rise to super-power status.  In December of 1790 an 18 year-old ex-patriot from England, Samuel Slater, was able to reproduce on the Blackstone River what he had learned as an apprentice on the Derwent River in Belper, England.  It was this system of mills that garnered the attention of our founding fathers and launched America’s industrial revolution, transforming our nation’s economy. 

It’s not every day that a community gets a chance to tell the story of a revolution on a national scale.  We have that opportunity now.

In 1986, the US Congress established the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor to tell this fascinating American story.  A small group of Rhode Island and Massachusetts citizens were appointed to make up the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission.  Their charge was to work with state and local governments to preserve the Valley’s history, culture and environmental features, create plans and partnerships, and ensure the best possible return on federal investments in the Blackstone River Valley.

 Congress directed the National Park Service to support this effort.  To date, over $25 million has been spent on preserving historic buildings, creating museums, constructing visitor centers and building permanent exhibits to tell the story to the thousands that visit the Blackstone Valley each year.  At the same time, the Commission and its many partners worked to clean up the river, create public access, promote restoration and reuse of historic structures, protect the character of historic villages and downtowns, and get construction underway of the Blackstone River Bikeway, which will connect Providence to Worcester. The work of this Commission could not be more important to the past and future viability of the Blackstone Valley.

A specialized team made up of 6 U.S. history scholars and National Park Service planning staff spent the last three years preparing a Special Resource Study to help Congress decide if this story of industrialization in America should be told with a permanent national park in the Blackstone Valley.  After substantial research, meetings with residents, community historians and public officials, it was clear that the Blackstone Valley is a place that holds unique significance as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and that it should be transformed into a permanent unit of the National Park System. 

For the past 25 years, the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission has collaborated with a diverse range of community partners to protect the important industrial landscapes, enhance cultural resources and create a destination to tell this American story.   It is impossible to think that a region, which saw 200 years of industrialization and economic decline, could be regenerated in just 25 years.  The restorative work in the Valley has not been completed.   However, under current federal legislation, the work of the Corridor Commission could come to an end in October of this year, when its congressional authority expires.  Although our designation as a National Heritage Corridor will last in perpetuity, the federal funding and Park Service staff would no longer be available.   

Based on the Special Resource Study, new legislation is expected to be introduced this year to create a permanent national park.  We believe that this is an important next step in preserving the Valley’s history and strongly urge Congress to approve a national park in the Blackstone Valley.

The national park would include certain sites and districts in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts that the Study has identified as being of particular, national significance.  These include Slater Mill, a National Historic Landmark in Pawtucket, as well as the mill villages of Ashton and Slatersville, both listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  In addition, the Study recommends, and the legislation is likely to require, that the Park Service not only manage this Park but also forms a partnership with a Corridor-wide organization to make sure the regional efforts to protect the resources of the Valley can continue.

The National Park Service has been an important supporter of the communities between Providence and Worcester that make up the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor.  As we enter this period of transition, it is clear that the work of the National Park Service is not finished.  Fortunately, we have the opportunity to make sure we can continue telling our story, and doing it better than ever. We should not let this opportunity slip away.  To use a wrestling term: It’s Smack Down time.  Our congressional delegation is already very much involved and supportive. They need to hear from you.  For further information about what you can do, or to download a copy of the Special Resource Study when it is published for public comment, visit http://www.blackstonevalleycorridor.org/, where you can also sign up to express your support.

Cutting the City's expenses won't solve long-term problems

Last night, dozens of concerned Pawtucket citizens testified at the Council's budget hearing on the Mayor's new budget.  Front and center: a passionate debate about why the City should not cut services to the library, Daggett Farm and Blackstone Valley Visitor Center.  That was the thrust of the major concerns that surfaced.  Overwhelmingly, I think the community recognized the necessity and pragmatism of the proposed budget, and some even argued the budget doesn't go far enough to reduce the size of government.  The main topic last night revolved around short term solutions to cut expenses.  Virtually no discussion broached the real challenge:  how to grow municipal revenues without increasing property taxes.

Pawtucket, like many New England and Rhode Island cities, is facing continued deficits resulting from decreased revenues and all the usual "expensive" suspects:  pension funds, personnel, school budget, overburdened municipal services, etc.

Mayor Grebien and the City Council are faced with tough decisions on where to cut.  Clearly, cutting expenses appears to be the only immediate option to avoid a receivership situation like our one-square mile neighbor.  Cutting the budget is a necessity in the short term, but it won't solve the long term problem: a lack of sustainable revenue.

Skyline of Shanghai, China.  Photo by author.

Pawtucket's prime source of revenue is commercial and residential property tax.  Given that most of the buildable land in Pawtucket is taken up, most might make a short-sited observation that the City is "built out" and can't grow any more.  I always chuckle when I hear someone say an entire city (or state) is "built-out." It is the most ridiculous thing anyone could ever say about any place of scale...just visit China before you say Pawtucket is built out.

It is impossible to build out a City.  What?  You say?  There is a finite amount of land, but an infinite amount of air space.  Go vertical!  Let's put an end to inefficient, sprawl development.   Let's incentivize urban, mixed-use development.  Let's put a higher emphasis on better building bulk-standards and quality site-planning that maximizes existing infrastructure, transit and density.  I'm not suggesting Pawtucket try to be Shanghai, but we can start with replacing a few surface parking lots in the downtown with multi-story, mixed use buildings.

The City can increase its revenue by adopting policies to better utilize the downtown, industrial parks and riverfront.  Look at the tax revenues of mill buildings that have been redeveloped.  A snapshot of before and after tax rolls show an exponential increase in tax revenue after redevelopment.  Ironically, Pawtucket's most valuable land (greatest potential) is currently some of the most underutilized land in the entire City.  There is a real opportunity to expand the property tax base by better utilizing this land.

Dozens of buildings in the downtown have empty upper floors.  There are MILLIONS of square feet of empty buildings within walking distance of a proposed commuter rail station.  The riverfront zones slated for development in the City's comp plan are virtually a blank slate waiting for the right investment opportunity.

The Pawtucket Downtown Growth Center is not just a fancy planning map.  It's a real policy strategy to grow revenue and position the City in a fiercely competitive regional market.  To succeed, the City will need to invest in the neighborhood of $10M to $20M in public infrastructure investments (just within the growth center bounds and not counting cost for commuter rail) to catalyze the full potential of private development.  Perhaps a bond on the ballot is in order?

The Pawtucket Foundation's new strategic plan is based on the policy of growing revenues in the Pawtucket Downtown Growth Center.  Each district within the growth center has a distinctive neighborhood character with unique attributes on which to base economic development objectives.  Whether it's the river, the arts, tourism or attractive transit, all of these assets are part of a larger vision to rebuild the urban core into an attractive, sustainable quality place.

Pawtucket Downtown Growth Center

Over the past several months, The Pawtucket Foundation has carefully studied the potential for new real estate development in the Downtown.  We have suggested to the City Planning Department to align land development practices and economic priorities with the State's land use plan.  To this extent, the City of Pawtucket is exploring the potential to prepare the required documentation to create a state-designated urban "Growth Center".  

Growth Center designation will create the narrative support and strategic focus to guide economic development and infrastructure spending in the City.  This policy will focus new development growth in an area that has adequate infrastructure, existing transportation access and proximity to jobs and housing.  Mayor Grebien is on board with this strategy as evidenced by his support of a bill that would create incentives for urban development within the growth center.  Sadly, there are currently no state incentives to encourage or require the municipalities to direct more intense development in growth centers.

The Rhode Island State Guide Plan Element 121: Land Use 2010 encourages “development of new growth centers or villages that incorporate the concepts of the land use plan.  Those concepts include: encouraging compact, mixed-use development; preserving open space; conserving natural resources; fitting the type of development to the capability of the land to support development and to the availability of infrastructure; and promoting a sense of community.”

The historic downtown of Pawtucket far exceeds the minimum criteria to be designated as a state certified Growth Center.  The goals in the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan articulate a vision to rehabilitate this underutilized area by investing in a 21st century transportation system, designing a superior mulit-modal infrastructure network, investing in the riverfront and revitalizaing the many historic buildings and structures.  The historic land development pattern of the downtown was based on the fundamental primary and secondary pedestrian sheds; hence the entire growth area is a compact, walkable area primarily within a half-mile radius of the Old Slater Mill.