70 Acres of Land for the Old Police Station? Take It.

by Floating Deer Head Tuesday September 23, 2008

Paolino Properties is offering 70 acres of undeveloped land on the west side of Cranston, close to Curran State Park, in exchange for the old police station on Atwood Avenue.

If you apply the rudimentary math I used in Planning Myth #1: Open Space Costs Money, the city could earn back the value of the police station in 3-4 years. To do the math, consider that the land could accommodate 27 units with 4.5 beds each. That’s a significant influx of students into the school system – not to mention the additional strain on city services and support that the new residences would incur. Every year that the property remains open space equals $700,000 of savings. Add to this the redevelopment and eventual tax revenue from the old police station and the city comes away with what amounts to a generous gift of land to protect from the encroaching sprawl on the west side.

After all, Cranston is truly on the front lines when it comes to the clash between sprawl and the dwindling farmlands and tracts of forest in the state. Unless we take action now, those rural lands that make the state so attractive will disappear.

This deal is very favorable for the city, and has the support of many groups, including Save Cranston’s Open Space, the Cranston Conservation Commission, and the West Bay Land Trust. And some council members, including Emilio Navarro, have indicated support for the deal. An opportunity like this doesn’t come along very often.

I urge you to contact your local council people in support of the land swap. If I had a council person, I would. But being a deer head, I don’t.

Councilman Anthony J. Lupino
Council City-Wide
Phone: 944-9856
E-mail: TLUPINO@cox.net

Councilman Aram G. Garabedian
City Council President
Phone: 641-5855
E-mail: aram@blissproperties.net

Councilman Emilio L. Navarro
Council Ward 2
Phone: 781-9866
E-mail: navarro_emilio@hotmail.com

Councilman Jeffrey P. Barone
Council Ward 6
Phone: 463-3305
E-mail: jeffreyb22@cox.net

Councilman John E. Lanni, Jr.
Council City-Wide
Phone: 946-7373

Councilwoman Maria Bucci
Council Ward 4
Fax: (401) 943-2456
E-mail: MARbc4@aol.com

Councilwoman Paula B. McFarland
City Council Vice President – Council Ward 3
Phone: (401) 944-5802
E-mail: pmcfarland@cranstonri.org

Councilman Richard D. Santamaria, Jr.
Council Ward 5
Phone: 946-6709
E-mail: ritatj10@yahoo.com

Councilman Terence Livingston
Council Ward 1
Phone: (401) 785-2955
E-mail: Terry@livingstonlaw.us

[where: 02910]

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