Coming to Your Neighborhood Next Week!
Neighborhood Planning Workshops for the Federal Hill, Reservoir and West End Neighborhoods will be held May 4-7, 2009 at the Federal Hill House, 9 Courtland Street.   In the meantime, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have any questions.

The following schedule outlines the planned topic discussions for the workshops. If you cannot make the scheduled time for a meeting, you are welcome to stop by the meeting space any time during the week to tell us your thoughts, issues and concerns.

Monday, May 4th

Historic Preservation Workshop (11:30 am -1:30 pm)
Your neighborhoods are home to the Armory Local Historic District and several National Register Districts.  Do they need to be expanded?  Are there vulnerable areas or properties that should be protected?  What does it mean to be in a historic district?

Mobility, Circulation and Parking (2:00 pm - 4:00 pm)
Come hear project updates on Westminster Street, Atwells Avenue, Broadway and Dean Street.  Learn about a new RIPTA hub in your neighborhood and the upcoming Residential Permit Parking Pilot.  Tell us about problem intersections and suggest improvements.

Charrette Kick-Off and Neighborhood Visioning (6:00 pm-8:00 pm)
Join your elected officials in an interactive visioning session and discussion on how to make your neighborhood a better place to live.  Hear about past planning efforts and current plans for projects in your neighborhood.  What areas are in transition, which are most likely to change?  How can we apply best planning practices to these three neighborhoods as they grow and change?

Tuesday, May 5th

Commercial Corridors (9:00 am-11:00 am)
Westminster Street, Atwells Avenue, Cranston Street and Broadway run through this area and add to its vitality.  What do businesses need to thrive?  What about the character of these areas-how can we ensure their vitality and protect residential areas from commercial creep?  Join us for a discussion on how commercial corridors can be improved for both residents and businesses.

Parks, Open Space and Recreation (11:30 am-1:30 pm)
Parks, gardens and other open spaces provide places for active and passive recreation for people of all ages and are critical community resources.  Come share your ideas on how to activate neighborhood parks, and improve safety, access and programming.  Dexter Training Ground, Mansion Park, Ellery Street Park and Ardoene Park are just a few of the many parks in your neighborhood-bring your ideas.

Neighborhood Youth (2:00 pm-4:00 pm)
Kids offer a fresh perspective in understanding a neighborhood's challenges and opportunities.  We'll have a lively discussion with kids of all ages on what their hopes are for the future of their neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Character and Land Use (6:00 pm-8:00 pm)
These neighborhoods have several areas that are in transition and will see significant development and redevelopment in the future.  These include edges along Downtown, the commercial corridors and industrial areas.  What is the right mix of uses for these areas?  What is the right height, scale and massing of new buildings?  What areas need zoning changes to reflect existing uses, or to encourage new uses?  Share your vision of what these areas should look like in the future and what uses you would like to see.

Wednesday, May 6th

Infrastructure (9:00 am-11 am)
Where are the problem areas?  Drainage, sidewalks, lighting-what areas need repair and improvement?  Where are street trees needed?  Join us for an interactive discussion about the nuts and bolts in your neighborhoods.

Housing (11:30 am-11:30 am)
Concerned with housing quality, availability and affordability in your neighborhood  Come tell us how we can continue to preserve and expand housing opportunities for every neighborhood resident.  Also come learn about what the City is doing to address foreclosures in your neighborhoods.

Open Studio (2:00 pm-4:00 pm)
Open Session:  Stop by the charrette stido and see what was discussed earlier in the week and tell us what we missed.

Schools (6:00 pm-8:00 pm)
There have been recent changes to the schools in your neighborhoods including new school construction, buildings changing uses and school renovations and expansions.  Join us for several presentations on local school issues, and hear the school department's plans for your neighborhood schools.

Thursday, May 7th

Team Work Day (9:00 am-4:00 pm)
Charrette Team Work Day-The studio will be open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Stop by and see the progress. It is not too late to offer your ideas and input.

Final Presentation (5:00 pm-7:00 pm)
Come and see how this week's sessions have been translated into guiding principles and an action plan for the future of these neighborhoods.  Tell us what is most important to you-help to prioritize the neighborhood actions into a plan.