Just back from buisiness incubator Betaspring's 2012 Spring Launch Day in their new, loft-space offices on Chestnut Street, right down the street from Phoenix HQ. And it was enough to give you some hope for the economic future of our fair city (full disclosure: one of Betaspring's principals, Owen Johnson, is my wife's cousin).

Advocates of maximizing public use for the India Point waterfront fear the state may be putting the former Shooters property off for sale, at a widly discounted price tomorrow morning:

From David P. Riley:

We need about 25 people to come to the State Properties Committee public meeting on Tuesday to show support for our Head of the Bay Gateway vision for public use of Shooters.

It has been a long and winding road in Rhode Island for Struever Brothers, the Baltimore-based developer, from the time when Bill Struever emerged as a potential white knight in the Eagle Square debacle about seven years ago. More recently, the company and its local efforts have come in for steady criticism from artists and foes of gentrification

While walking around Providence's Capitol Center some months back, I was struck by the sharp bifurcation between the beauty of the city's old buildings clustered downtown and the prosiac qualities of the newer structures increasingly filling the vacant space between Kennedy Plaza and the State House.

UPDATE: Comment from Durkee.

Steve Durkee e-mailed me a short time ago, saying he hadn't received my e-mail until recently due to an e-mail problem. Here's what he had to say in response to my question.

I am aware of this item on the CPC agenda. We are being asked to provide the CC with an opinion as to whether the proposed TIF, which will be primarily for the ALCO site and surrounding streets, conforms to the city’s Comp Plan.

Anyone who spends a little time around the far end (heading toward Pawtucket) of North Main Street in Providence can't help being struck by the contrast between cool, small businesses, like the Sandwich Hut and Javaspeed Scooters, and the sense of untapped potential in the area.

The good news is that a newish group, the North Main Street Project, hopes to reinvigorate the area, and it's got some useful programming, including a lively discussion set for tonight:

Today marks the start of the City of Providence's charette for the future of the waterfront along Allens Avenue. Dan Barbarisi offers coverage here. For my previous report on the clashing visions for the area, click here.

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance has released a study to coincide with the planning session.

Speaking of economic development, and I'm bit late in getting to this, but Jack Templin of the Providence Geeks sees a lot of promise in the ongoing I-195 relocation project:

For those interested in urban and economic development though, the much more exciting aspect of the I-195 relocation project is not what's going up, but rather what will be coming down - the old stretch of I-195.

Grow Smart RI does a lot of good work in helping to preserve the best of the state's distinctive character, so Scott Wolf and his crew want you to know about the group's May 2 Power of Place Summit, for which registration closes next Tuesday, April 29, at noon.

Our inaugural Power of Place Summit in 2006 drew nearly 500 opinion leaders, state and local officials, academics, development professionals, investors, journalists and citizen activists for the launch of Rhode Island’s new smart growth oriented state land-use plan.

Jef Nickerson of Greater City: Providence reports that there will a Zoning Board of Review hearing, at 7:30 tomorrow night, on the controversial tower proposed for Federal Hill. Here are the some of Jef's thoughts on the project:

I am writing on behalf of Greater City: Providence in regards to the petition to allow for zoning variances related to the development of a residential building which would be sited at #21 and #32 Federal Street in Federal Hill.

Things are heating up for the future of the land being made available by the I-195 relocation, as we saw with the announcement this week of a related partnership between the state and the city. In related news, David P. Riley and some other advocates have long called for maximizing public access to the land that will be available for fresh uses.

Proponents of maximizing public access to the waterfront around India Point Park in Providence are concerned about a City Hall meeting tonight (6 pm, council chambers) that could result in the rezoning of a key parcel in the area.

David P. Riley writes via e-mail:

The RI Transportation Dept. (RIDOT) is planning to sell the Shooters parcel -- right next to India Point Park -- to the highest bidder with no restrictions.

Jen Cole, the estimable "tree lady" of Providence, continues her victory lap tomorrow in what doubles as the rescheduled holiday part for the local faction of Urban Planet, the urban planning discussion group:

Join us for drinks (and maybe cake) and for lively discussion about the past year in Providence development and urban matters, and to bid Jen farewell:

I agree with those who call the historic tax credit something well worth preserving. Meanwhile, legislative leaders are set to announce plans to bring "a major film production studio" to Rhode Island.

From the State House:

The news conference is scheduled today, Thursday, Feb. 7, at 2:15 p.m. in the House Lounge on the second floor of the State House.

Via BeloBlog:

PAWTUCKET -- A New Hampshire developer said this morning his company will move forward with a $22-million project to build rental residences in a Pawtucket mill building, despite the slackening economy.

Arthur W. Sullivan, of Brady Sullivan Properties, said the project will succeed despite an economic downturn that has tightened credit markets and all but crushed the demand for condominiums.