ULI’s Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) for East Providence consists of a diverse group of professionals, representing several disciplines connected with land use. Members are selected on the basis of the specific request for the particular area being assisted.
The City of East Providence has been home to a large vacant structure, directly across from East Providence City Hall for many years. The specific property in question, the Bomes Theatre, is currently owned by the Rose Realty Company. The theatre has been gutted and is essentially a building shell which has been vacant for as long as anyone can remember. Deliberations with the Rose family and the City of East Providence have gone in fits and spurts over the last decade, but the City has not been able to reach an agreement with the family over the final outcome of the property. The property, along with an adjacent home in the rear of the building have fallen into disrepair and have become a site for vandalism and neighborhood mischief.
The City contacted ULI to help establish what a viable use for the property would be and to see if bringing in an outside party could help reopen communications with the Rose family.