TONIGHT: Waterfront Symposium at Save The Bay HQ

Providence River from New Providence River Bridge.

Tonight at Save The Bay’s headquarters a group of RISD students will present their findings on recent research of waterfront cities.

From The Providence Journal:

A group of students from the Rhode Island School of Design have spent the past few months examining waterfronts around the world – from cities as varied as Le Havre, France; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Portland, Ore. - and culling what lessons they might hold for the future of the Providence waterfront. They will present their findings at a symposium – at the Save the Bay headquarters at Fields Point.

Of course, with everything concerning the waterfront lately, this event is unlikely to pass without some controversy:

But this has made the industrial businesses of the city’s waterfront wary. They are currently locked in a battle with the city over the future zoning designation of the upper Allens Avenue industrial corridor (the city wants to change it to mixed use, the businesses want it to remain industrial) and assurances have been given that much of this will be hashed out at a planning charette in late February.

…

The planning department specifically avoided asking the RISD team to come up with any proposals for Providence’s waterfront. Rather, as part of what Providence is calling the “Bay City” project, they are to look at places around the world with waterfront conditions and provide comparative information for locals to consider.

The symposium will take place tonight, at 7:00pm, at Save The Bay, 100 Save The Bay Drive.