Smith Hill News October, 2010
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Smith Hill Community Development Corporation is thrilled to announce that work is underway on our Visions II project as well as on a number of home ownership projects in our neighborhood.
As you drive around Smith Hill these days, you will see the hustle and bustle of construction renovation work going on on over 20 CDC properties. We are also pleased to announce the sale of 41 Pekin St. and to welcome its proud new owners to our community.
This newsletter's focus is on properties, but there is so much more going on in and around Smith Hill. Of particular note is a series of Library meetings designed to publicize the on-going building ownership crisis which prevents the PCL from perfomring the large-scale improvements needed to ensure the safety and viabiliity of the library buildings. Please come out for an hour TOMORROW, Wednesday, October 13th from 5-6 at the Smith Hill Library (31 Candace St). The condition of our building is about the worst in the city and we need community support!
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Visions II
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Though this picture may not appear to be progress at first glance, it is a clear indication of great things to come. Visions II is finally begun and this house, 9-11 Osborn, is one of the first buildings to experience the demo stage. As you can see, the exterior is being stripped and the interior demo is already complete. All the houses in Visions II will be completely "gutted" inside and out and will feature a new roof, new exterior cement-board siding, new electric, plumbing, etc... These houses will all remain affordable rentals for at least 45 years, so they are certainly being re-built to last!
In all, there will be nineteen houses renovated and one new-construction townhouse built which will result in 52 high-quality rental units being returned to the community. We say "returned" because these buildings have all been vacant for the last two+ years and represent some the most degraded housing stock in the entire neighborhood. For more information, click on the link above, and we will be sure to keep you updated about the progress.
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Community News & Events
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Davis Park Farmers' Market
Smith Hill CDC would like to make a special appeal to all our neighborhood residents to visit the Davis Park Farmers' Market and to bring a friend. It is understandable that with the proliferation of Farmers' Market lately, there are many choices. But, this one is the only one in our neighborhood and we need to support it, if it is to continue next year. Besides, the market now has the Providence Juice Truck. What's better than that on a Sunday afternoon?
The Market runs on Sundays until October 31, from 11:00am until 2:00 pm.
Davis Park is located at the corner of Raymond and Chalkstone, across the street from Nathaniel Greene Middle School.
Elmhurst Tree Planting
Anyone is welcome to help plant 50 trees in the Elmhurst neighborhood on Saturday, October 16, from 9:30am - 11:30am
People are meeting at 281 River Ave (near Pleasant Valley Parkway).
To sign up or for more information, please contact Val_Adamova@yahoo.com.
HousEART Update
In the last newsletter, we reported that Smith Hill artist and HousEART alum, Lydia Stein, received a grant from the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts to take HousEART city-wide. We are delighted to add that several other Providence CDC's have signed on to this project, which will provide stipends to artists and youth team members to work on a number of projects across the city.
This work pictured above, entitled,SoyaHaus, "explores the intersection of technology, art and destruction through painting an orange oversized QR Code over the facade of a house destined for demolition. QR Codes are designed to be read by SmartPhones and scanners in order to provide users with more information about the item on which they are printed." The really cool things is that is actually works! The house is on Kossuth St, if you want to try it.
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Home Ownership Opportunities
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Smith Hill CDC is working on several rehabilitation projects aimed at affordable home ownership in the neighborhood. One project is listed below and we have several more in various stages of development. Each month we will highlight a different project.
42 Violet St.
Rehabilitation of 42 Violet St. is moving along and on pace to be completed by November. This home is a large one-bedroom, one bath, cottage with laundry hook-ups in the second floor bathroom and a large eat-in kitchen. There is also a nice backyard with plenty of space.
Priced at 65,000, how could you go wrong?
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Library News
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Smith Hill Library and the PCL
Annual Meeting
The Providence Community Library Annual Meeting was held at City Hall on Monday, September 20th. This night was a celebration of a successful first year.
However, the issue of building ownership continues to prevent the PCL from borrowing the money to fix each building. There will be a series of informational meetings hosted by each Library Friends Group to discuss this critial issue.
Smith Hill Library's meeting will take place Wednesday, October 13, from 5 to 6 p.m. (31 Candace Street).
Wanskuck Library (233 Veazie Street), October 21, 6:00 p.m. Mount Pleasant Library (315 Academy Avenue), October 25, at 7 p.m. Fox Point Library (90 Ives Street), October 26, at 6:00 p.m. Knight Memorial Library (275 Elmwood Avenue), October 27, 6:00 p.m.
The Providence Community Libraries (all the neighborhood libraries except Central) are in the second year of new management under the PCL. The new organization is community-based and a truly democratic institution.
Please get involved!
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Smith Hill Community Development Corporation
47 Goddard St.
Providence, RI
521-0159
www.smithhillcdc.org
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