Homeless in RI: Blue light special for Providence from Crossroads RI – $685,000

Photo: E. W. Audet & Sons

Crossroads is the leading provider of housing and services to those experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island, according to their website. They also note that 84% of their expenditures are spent on direct program support such as shelter, housing, education and employment services.

Conversation about new blue LED lights on the Providence evening skyline sparked interest in learning more about this installation, how it came to be, the cost, the “donor”, if there was one, etc. The light installation wraps around the existing Crossroads RI building, the one set for renovation, diagonally across from the new Crossroads building under construction. The light is noticeable throughout the downtown Providence area at night – and also on the RI DOT traffic cameras – which is what drew the original attention to what was new on the skyline.

Crossroads provides no details to our questions

Several emails to get answers to our questions from this non-profit organization went unanswered by Crossroads. Traditionally, they do not respond to media inquiries from RINewsToday, but we eventually heard from Mike Raia, a communications consultant to Crossroads. Raia did provide several email answers to our continuing effort to get more detail, in the end saying that Crossroads could not determine how much it cost because it was part of other renovations and repairs. He said, “You’re asking for something that we don’t have.”

Raia went on: “The lighting component of the exterior renovation and maintenance project was put out for a competitive bid and the proposals we received were all lump-sum bids and included all aspects of the lighting work (wiring, installation, et cetera) and components (fixtures), including the safety lighting outside the building, signage, and the decorative LED lighting. Because of the comprehensive lump-sum nature of the bid, we do not have line-item costs for decorative lighting. The document you have shared with us is representative of the complete lighting work.

The exterior maintenance project – including the lighting – was paid for through private grants and contributions. Those capital funds were raised with a specific intention to offset construction costs for much needed maintenance and new housing development.

Once complete in 2027, the full renovation of 160 Broad Street – which includes the creation of 80+ new one bedroom and studio apartments – will improve client, staff and public safety; enhance the local neighborhood; and send an important message to our residents and the community that the individuals who live at 160 Broad Street are deserving of respect and dignity in their home.

We will have no further comments on this and we are moving on to other more pressing priorities.”

RINewsToday submitted a FOIA request to Crossroads – to which their response, through Raia, was: “Crossroads RI is a private nonprofit organization. FOIA and APRA (the state’s open records law) do not apply to private organizations.”

___

Building Permit – Broad Street Re-Imagined

A search for the building permit granted by the city of Providence to the contractor told the details, including basic description – and cost – of the work done on the roof by applicant Jeff Audet of E. W. Audet & Sons, well known for attractive LED and other lighting on Rhode Island fixtures. The permit, dated August of 2024, was granted for electrical work for the “Broad Street Re-Imagined Lighting Project” – and the price? $685,000.

We contacted E. W. Audet, assuming other costs were within this total, the company confirmed the project and the cost was for the blue LED lighting project, including building the frame, electrical components, and installation. Audet confirmed that the $685,000 was for the blue lighting project and did not include anything separate and apart from that. When asked about the cost for the work they provided more specifics about the work involved in producing, without question, a professional final product that lights up the sky. We did not inquire if other colors are within its capacity, as some other buildings have such as the RI State House, the Superman building (their latest downtown project), and others.

Building Permit issued for the work

If there are any details to be adjusted RINewsToday can do that, but Crossroads will not provide any specific answers to our questions about costs, sponsor or donors, and denies our FOIA attempt as not applying to them.

___

Other work done by E. W. Audet – – see others on their website: https://www.ewaudet.com/

___

Transparency? Coincidental timing with efforts to learn more about Echo Village pallet shelter costs

Notably, both Crossroads and House of Hope (Echo Village) utilize professional communications consultants to speak for them and to “handle the media”. Is this a good use of funds when homelessness is such a major concern – and administrative staff are in the office and capable?

Yesterday, Rep. Chippendale held a news conference out of his own frustration to get cost details on the pallet shelter village which has blossomed to an overwhelming cost of “$100,000 per bed” according to the Rep, with total costs reaching $10 Million or more. Here is a portion of that news conference, courtesy Pat Ford, journalist, Coalition News, and volunteer with the homeless community:

___

Crossroads Rhode Island Capital Campaign

Crossroads has been conducting a capital campaign “to meet the urgent need for more affordable housing in our state – thanks to public funding and a $15 million private philanthropy campaign, we will create/redevelop nearly 300 permanent supportive apartments in Providence.”

Projected to be completed by 2027, Roads to Home has three interconnected priorities: 371 Pine Street, the Summer Street Apartments, and 160 Broad Street.

This is how 160 Broad Street appears on the campaign pages:

More about the campaign (from Crossroads website):

“Constructed in 1915 as a YMCA, Crossroads’ iconic building at 160 Broad Street in Providence is a multi-faceted facility that not only serves as our headquarters, but also provides permanent supportive apartments for 192 formerly homeless adults and emergency shelter for up to 41 women. Crossroads’ Community Room, which provides 24/7 crisis response for people in need, is also sited at this location.

While the building continues to be paramount to our work, it is in dire need of renovation. Exterior improvements to 160 Broad Street include new lighting; a day client courtyard; safety walls, seating and landscaping along the Service Road entranced; new signage; and brick repointing and repair.

Additionally, the building’s small single-room occupancy units will be converted into 82 larger, one-bedroom and studio apartments each with a private kitchen, bath and living area, creating new capacity for more residents.

When complete, the renovation of 160 Broad Street will improve client, staff, and public safety, enhance the local neighborhood and serve as an important signal to our residents and to the community that the people who live at 160 Broad Street are deserving of respect and dignity in their home.

The building is set to be completed in 2027.

___

Gifts to the Crossroads campaign as published:

It’s not known if there was a specific donor for the blue lighting as Crossroads was resistant to answering any questions, lacking any concern for transparency or accountability to media questions.

Contributions over $100K toward the Capital Campaign – listed on their website:

Crossroads 2023 990

Crossroads 2023 990 may be accessed HERE. (To read the document either download it at the file image with an arrow at the right, or use the navigation bar along the right side of the document)