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Gov. Chafee Back at Quonset
for WWIS Groundbreaking
 | | L to R: Stephen Sangermano (WWIS), Steven J. King, P.E. (QDC), Sandra J. Pattie (BankNewport) and Gov. Lincoln Chafee. |
Gov. Lincoln Chafee was back at Quonset Business Park today to help break ground on a new Wide World of Indoor Sports (WWIS) complex. The most recent addition to the Quonset Gateway District, the facility will be 76,000 square feet and contain four non-boarded fields with top-of-the-line turf. It will also support between 80-85 full or part-time employees, adding to the more than 8,800 jobs and 168 companies already existing at the Quonset Business Park. "The Wide World of Indoor Sports will be a great addition to Quonset," Governor Chafee said. "This facility will bring more good jobs to the area while improving community health and wellbeing." Stephen Sangermano, owner of WWIS said they chose Quonset because of its new site-readiness options. "We wanted to find a place that would be easily accessible," Sangermano said. "When we learned about how much of the pre-permitting had already been done by the QDC - it was a no brainer. We could not be more excited to be here!" Chafee was joined by members of the WWIS, Quonset Development Corporation, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), R.I. Economic Development Corporation, BankNewport, Ocean State Business Development Authority and other leaders from business and government. To learn more about the ground breaking event, click here. |
Davisville's Mobile Harbor Crane Brings
Short Sea Shipping Closer to Reality
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Port Staff Has Been Pursuing Barge
Business for Five Years
Quonset Business Park took a major leap forward in 2010 when the park was awarded $22.3 million in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant funds through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD). The resources, secured through the efforts of U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and the rest of the state's Congressional delegation, have been invested in numerous port improvements and put to good use across the park.
Most of the projects associated with the TIGER grants are now complete or nearing completion. Later this year, one of the most important improvements from the grant, a new Gottwald 7608 Mobile Harbor Crane, is expected to arrive at Davisville. The crane, which will be based on Pier 2, is the last key component necessary for the Port to become active in the short sea shipping industry, something the team at the Port of Davisville has been pursuing for more than five years.
The Gottwald 7608 crane has the ability to lift more than 150 metric tons. It will allow the Port of Davisville to handle 100% of the annual container traffic projected for the port according to a recent legislative study. In advance of its arrival, additional beams were added to Pier 2 for strengthening, and a new base was built to support the crane.
"The crane will bring a new dimension to the Port and prove to be a huge asset in expanding our business here," said Evan Matthews, Director of the Port of Davisville. "It will allow us to stage activities for offshore wind construction and to handle cargo for short sea shipping activity as well as other break bulk cargo."
The crane is scheduled to arrive at the park this year. Click here to view photos of the crane.
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