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Cranston plan razes Legion Bowl, builds 4-story, multi-use development. Public site visit set.
The Cranston City Council and the City Plan Commission will hold a public site visit for a new proposed multi-use major land development in Cranston at Park and Doric Avenues. The development, referred to as Legion Development, will be built on the site of the Legion Bowl & Billiards and Pub on Park.
The site visit will be held Saturday February 19, starting at 9:30 AM. Parking is available behind the building. The meeting will begin in the parking lot.
The plan would be for existing structures to be razed, and a four-story building with approximately 80 residential units and first-floor commercial units built. The Major Land Development project requires an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map from “Neighborhood Commercial Services” to “Special Redevelopment Area” and a zone change from C-3 (General Business) to C-3 with conditions, to allow the requested density, building height, permitted uses, and potentially reduced off-street parking.
The 4 story building (their first zoning variance request) contains a total of approximately 75 apartments (10 2-bedrooms) on the upper 3 floors and the first floor would house commercial units for retail stores. A second variance would allow a reduction in the number of parking spaces required for a building this size.
Some commenters on the popular Next Door neighborhood group have said the total of 80 residential units, with a potential of two people per unit would be a total of 160 people. Assuming two vehicles per unit the minimum number of parking spaces required by zoning is two parking spaces per unit. Plus parking spaces for the employees in the commercial units and parking spaces for the people shopping in the commercial business units. The number of required parking spaces would be someplace in the neighborhood of 200 parking spaces. Writers on the blog note that there is not even 100 parking spots on their plan. Another blogger notes that if families with children move in, that could potentially overwhelm an already tight school system.
A Next Door post garnered dozens of comments, mostly expressing concern about height, density, traffic, and demand on services, from neighbors and area residents. Typical of the concerns: “The impact by a concentrated increase in population, vehicles and vehicle traffic, consumption of utilities and a potential influx of students for schools to cope with…”. Lack of a bus lane, and desirability with the building looking directly over Route 95 South were noted, as well as concern for safety of the majority of children who attend Dutemple (300+) who are walkers, and Park Avenue being a 2-lane road with narrow sidewalks and dense traffic, especially at school times.
Closest playground area would be down Doric Avenue, to Doric Park, with basketball areas. Multiple requests to the Mayor’s communications contact over the past few months to determine what improvements or construction project is being planned for Doric Park have gone unanswered as markings have been made all around the park area. During the Fung administration, neighbors were successful in turning around a city plan to lease the area for a private athletic program, putting in night lighting, and fencing, and eliminating the playground and walking track.
There are more 1-bedroom units with small, 700 sq. footage, suitable for one person or two. One or two cars per unit.
While affordable housing is a concerning issue for Cranston, as well as most cities and towns in Rhode Island, efforts to determine rent range were unsuccessful, assuming they are all apartments and not condo units. No “affordable housing” wording was seen on any of the development documents.
School density in Cranston is a concern in almost every building. Dutemple would serve the building as an elementary school. In the “Rhode Island Aspirational Capacity” study by the RI Department of Education (RIDE), it notes about Dutemple that 150 students would be an ideal capacity. At present there are over 300 students in the school, and Dutemple ranks in the lower 50% of Rhode Island schools, academically (math proficiency, 6-9%; reading, 35-39%).
The project will require public hearings before the Development Plan Review Committee, City Plan Commission, Ordinance Committee, and City Council. The Plan Commission says that no action will be taken at the Saturday event other than a call to order and adjournment.
Application materials are available at: https://www.cranstonri.gov/city-council-plan-commission-special-
meeting/.
Questions, comments, or concerns, can be submitted in writing to the Planning Director
Jason M. Pezzullo, AICP via email at [email protected] , or at 401-780-3222.
Cranston City Council members for the area are: Lammis Vargas, Ward 1, [email protected] and Aniece Germain, Ward 2, [email protected].
Legion Bowl & Billiards is a family recreation and entertainment center offering duckpin bowling and billiards, arcade, dining and sports bar/pub, and entertainment such as kareoke, open mike night, and comedy. The pub has been at this location for 7 years. For more than 60 years, Legion Bowl & Billiards describes itself as “an entertainment oasis for families”.
Anything for more money. Enough with the gentrification already!
Yes, do this yesterday. That area of the City is tired and needs a jolt. Enough of the “not in my back yard” stupidity!
Or my front yard!
Can’t make the Park Cinema property successful and you want to entertain that ?
The Legion Bowl area will have what looks like a restaurant and maybe another retail store on the first floor – all residences on top. Next week there will be a press conference about a new life for the Park Cinema.
In addition to what’s been mentioned there will also have to be new sewers put in to keep up with the new “residents”. At what cost to the us taxpayers?
Nice look but it sure does not fit in the “hood”…love how they have two Porches and a Ferreri in the artist’s rendering……hey folks…..this artist’s rendering did not happen overnight….this is in the works…it’s Cranston…..
I used to live behind the Legion but I’m still in the area. It doesn’t fit. The City needs to call it what it is – affordable housing. The Feds demand a certain % of housing be “affordable” and Cranston doesn’t meet the requirement. This is white-washing by the City and the owners. It is what it’s always been – residential. At no time was Legion’s parking lot ever filled to capacity – my parents’ house bordered the lot. It never disturbed the neighborhood – this will.
As mentioned, not only is Dutemple affected but Park View (it’s not far enough to bus) and Cranston East.
What happens if it snows? Not only will the streets need plowing but the lot as well. Where are those people going to park?
What I can see is too much traffic, lots of litter and disregard of personal property for long-time residents, most of whom live in single residential homes.
As to Doric park – it’s nice (since I’ve lived at that end) but try to use the basketball courts – you can’t! My 2 sons grew up there, were into b-ball but could never get on the courts. There were cars lined up on Doric – all from other cities i.e. Prov. It’s still like that since my son still lives there and I’m always going by it.
While Cranston is a city, I’ve lived here most of my 70 years and still consider it a suburb.
Should we let this pretty city become a dumping ground for Providence? It certainly looks that way!!!
I think this is a terrible idea. Park Ave is already highly travelled and this new building will add to that congestion. Many people I know go to the Pub on Park and bowl at the Legion. Where are all the cars going to park?
I hope this does not go forward !! My grandfather built a lot of the homes, as well as the funeral home, and the trees that used to line the sidewalks. You already tore down the original Auburn Library!
I used to live behind the Legion but I’m still in the area. It doesn’t fit. The City needs to call it what it is – affordable housing. The Feds demand a certain % of housing be “affordable” and Cranston doesn’t meet the requirement. This is white-washing by the City and the owners. It is what it’s always been – residential. At no time was Legion’s parking lot ever filled to capacity – my parents’ house bordered the lot. It never disturbed the neighborhood – this will.
As mentioned, not only is Dutemple affected but Park View (it’s not far enough to bus) and Cranston East.
What happens if it snows? Not only will the streets need plowing but the lot as well. Where are those people going to park?
What I can see is too much traffic, lots of litter and disregard of personal property for long-time residents.
As to Doric park – it’s nice (since I’ve lived at that end) but try to use the basketball courts – you can’t! My 2 sons grew up there, were into b-ball but could never get on the courts. There were cars lined up on Doric – all from other cities i.e. Prov. It’s still like that since my son still lives there and I’m always going by it.
While Cranston is a city, I’ve lived here most of my 70 years and still consider it a suburb.
Should we let this pretty city become a dumping ground for Providence? It certainly looks that way!!!
Supporters of the project have suggested that 1 bedroom apartments will likely have 1 occupant resulting in only one car per unit. I find this an unrealistic expectation. One bedroom apartments often have two occupants both of which work both of which have vehicles requiring two spaces per one bedroom apartment. It’s a variance for the number of parking spaces is granted realistically there will be the need for on street parking. What happens during a snow emergency when vehicles are banned from being parked on the streets for the purpose of snow removal. Where are those cars that have been forced to park on the street going to go. Where will they be part to cut them off the streets for snow removal?
What will happen to the bowling legion? A lot of families go there!
It will be taken down and replaced with this project.