Submitted by Ph886 t3_11nzf2m in providence
FunLife64 t1_jbqbqi9 wrote
Reply to comment by relbatnrut in Fane Tower project in Providence is dead by Ph886
Affordable housing is important, but downtown Providence on the river overlooking the most expensive stretch of Providence along Benefit Street….is not where affordable housing is found in any city.
It’s such a bad argument. It’s not this building OR affordable housing.
JoeFortune1 t1_jbqg88o wrote
Benefit street used to be a poor neighborhood before it became upscale as it is now. This is our city and we should be able to demand and create affordable housing anywhere we want.
Ok_Culture_3621 t1_jbqlto1 wrote
When was benefit street poor? And which end? That was were Buddy lived and the Brown family etc, etc, etc.
SuspiciousTelephone5 t1_jbqoiq1 wrote
Back in the mid 1880's
FunLife64 t1_jbqql8h wrote
I’m not sure what that has to do with developments starting now?
JoeFortune1 t1_jbr3huu wrote
Actually it was the 1970’s before Buddy lived there
Sarcofaygo t1_jbtlu58 wrote
50 years ago? That's a long ass time ago
JoeFortune1 t1_jbxcrck wrote
True. Things change and they can change now
relbatnrut t1_jbt1vm7 wrote
Many houses on it, particularly the north end, were almost razed in the '50s because they were in terrible shape and owned by slumlords. The Providence Preservation Society was formed to save them.
FunLife64 t1_jbqrii4 wrote
If Rhode Island had more development and jobs…the housing wouldn’t be so unaffordable….
The median household income in Mass compared to RI is a 22% difference.
We lack good jobs because we don’t have good economic development and chase everything out of town because of things like it’s too tall, it blocks the abandoned Superman building, it’s too modern.
People tried to push against a building next to the interstate and Trader Joe’s that was proposed to be a company’s headquarters….because of TRAFFIC. Are you joking? What 8 story office building next to highway on/off ramps creates widespread traffic problems.
FunLife64 t1_jbswhbd wrote
Also kudos to the people that downvote better jobs! Lol what in the world
Proof-Variation7005 t1_jbqlixe wrote
How? There isn't a huge plethora of underdeveloped land and the amount of tax money it'd cost to even add 1,000 units is going to have the net effect of property taxes (rent) going up for everyone else.
JoeFortune1 t1_jbr4l3k wrote
If there is land for luxury condos, that land can be used for other things as well. Supposedly some trickle-down effect from a project like Fane will eventually benefit the people who actually need affordable housing in Providence. I don’t think it benefits the people who need it
Proof-Variation7005 t1_jbt0voy wrote
I think building affordable housing at the scale needed to make a dent takes a lot more than one parcel of land. And the city and state definitely can not afford it.
The net result of this tower not happening is we’ll have the same increasing amount of people competing for an amount of housing that isn’t increasing proportionally. Realistically, we need to be adding thousands apartments at every price point. Prices will always be high if demand outpaces supply
JoeFortune1 t1_jbtkwvw wrote
I could be incorrect but from what I’ve seen there have been multiple towers and other luxury buildings opened to high end buyers/tenants that had a very difficult time filling up and with a lot of empty spaces. Building these high end towers might theoretically lower prices down the road a few years-maybe.
The state needs to be creative and make some budgetary changes in order to afford to build housing. The state can’t afford it and people can’t afford their rent. So the only solution I ever see proposed is to build luxury condos. It’s a stretch to say this will benefit the working class and poor
relbatnrut t1_jbqdrx1 wrote
>is not where affordable housing is found in any city.
That doesn't have to be true and also isn't true in many places
See: a little city you may be familiar with https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_E._Smith_Houses. If NYC can do it, Providence can do it).
FunLife64 t1_jbqei35 wrote
Yes because nowhere screams affordable like Manhattan. 🫠🫠🫠
relbatnrut t1_jbqh3ur wrote
That is affordable (public) housing on the water. The point is that it is on the water and surrounded by some of the most expensive housing in the world and is still affordable
FunLife64 t1_jbqq3f4 wrote
They were built 70 years ago in a neighborhood that wasn’t (and still isn’t) prime in Manhattan (relative). NYC is an interesting case in affordable housing but it’s also ridiculously competitive and certainly not the most fair….
Also, the Fane Tower’s location is prime. It’s like the equivalent of Upper West Side - walkable to midtown and Central Park views??not equivalent to the Lower East Side circa 1950s. NYC is a terrible example. Lol
lightningbolt1987 t1_jbr2hlq wrote
There’s actually a tremendous amount of affordable housing in Manhattan. It’s middle income housing that’s missing.
Proof-Variation7005 t1_jbqm995 wrote
> If NYC can do it, Providence can do it).
New York City is the economic capital of the western hemisphere. The tax base is incredibly strong and Manhattan, the smallest borough, is still about 10% larger than all of Providence.
It's absurd to assume we're capable of that and that's without getting into the reality that the early 1950s and and early 2020s aren't exactly the same landscape.
Even then, New York City and Manhattan itself still aren't cheap. The rent on that development is great for the 6,000 or so households living in them but it didn't do a damn thing for everyone else.
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments