Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has vetoed a zoning change that would have enabled New York developer Jason Fane to build a controversial 46-story residential tower in the I-195 District.
In a veto message to the council on Friday, Elorza said Fane was unwilling to cede control of the tower’s design to the city, and that was a fatal obstacle.
“While the developer was amenable to giving some assurances on the timeline and open to some level of public benefit contribution, we were not able to reach agreement on the first and most important point,” Elorza wrote. “Given that this project would reshape our skyline and dramatically impact our streetscape, I made it clear both privately and publicly that the design of the building was my top priority. The developer has been unwilling to provide assurances that the city’s design recommendations would not be disregarded. As such, I have decided to veto this zoning change.”
In a statement, the developer said, “Jason Fane is disappointed in the Mayor’s action today. We have endeavored to compromise in good faith in an effort to get an agreement done that best serves the interest of all the citizens of Providence. His veto is an extraordinarily punitive action against this specific project and the economic development Hope Point represents. We will have more to say next week.”
It remains unclear if the City Council will override Elorza’s veto.
In October, State Senate President Dominick Ruggerio told a meeting of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council that he intended to introduce legislation to remove potential impediments to building Fane Tower. (“The Fane Tower proposal in Providence is another proposal that should warrant our enthusiastic support,” he said at the time. “You might think that we would welcome a developer wanting to invest a quarter billion dollars in our capital city … but we have done all we can to chase him away.”)
Sources confirm Ruggerio is moving ahead with plans for the legislation.
Supporters say Fane’s envisioned 46-story tower would mark an investment of more than $300 million in Providence. Opponents say the project is too big and would mark a triumph of spot zoning over a more deliberate planning process.
In a statement, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Ruggerio lambasted Elorza: “The proposed Hope Point Tower represents a major private investment in our capital city. It would not only change our skyline, it would send a signal to developers far and wide that Providence is a worthwhile place to invest. We are extremely disappointed that Mayor Elorza has chosen to stand in the way of progress for our capital city, and we encourage the City Council to override this veto as soon as possible.”
But critics like Brent Runyon of the Providence Preservation Society lauded Elorza.
“The Providence Preservation Society and all of the coalition members that have been speaking out against this short-sighted and destructive zoning change wholeheartedly thank Mayor Elorza for putting the city’s interests above the interest of one developer,” Runyon said. “Mayor Elorza has exercised great leadership throughout this process, and the people of Providence thank him for doing the right thing to protect the character and reputation of our great city. He respected the plan that is in place and the thorough community process. Standing strong, the mayor has shown that he respects, values and believes in community members’ input. With so many questions still left for Fane to answer, we call on the City Council now to uphold the Mayor’s veto and reject this questionable proposal that would have significant long-term negative impacts on Providence and our state.”
