The proposal for a new skyscraper in Providence’s jewelry district is scheduled for a public hearing Wednesday. The city Ordinance Committee is the next group to take up the plan.
The proposal is designed for a vacant piece of land, where a highway used to cross downtown. The problem? The area is only zoned for buildings up to 100 feet tall.
The 46-story building in the proposal would be much higher than that. The New York based developer, the Fane Organization, is seeking a zoning change for up to 600 feet.
The Ordinance Committee scheduled a public hearing on the proposal and the zoning change, which could potentially be a packed house.
Soon after the project was announced potential neighbors began objecting. In May, the City Plan Comission voted against recommending approval of zoning changes for the controversial Hope Point Tower.
The commission’s vote came despite a planning staff report that found the project complied with the city’s comprehensive plan, which encourages mixed-use development downtown.
