At a second Providence City Council Ordinance Committee meeting to discuss the Fane Organization‘s proposed Hope Point Tower, dozens of people testified both for and against the project. Those opposed were mostly Providence residents from neighborhood groups that see Fane’s design and the placement of the proposed building on the I-195 land instead of a more appropriate downtown location. Those in favor were mostly members of the Building Trades, or paid employees of the Fane Organization.

The meeting began with a presentation from Fane Organization President Jason Fane that, according to the Ordinance Committee Chair Terrance Hassett, was to last about five minutes. Local legal counsel for Fane is former Providence City Solicitor Jeff Padwa, who is also the treasurer of the Rhode Island Democratic Party.

Instead it lasted 70 minutes:

After the very long presentation, Providence residents and outside, interested parties began to testify. Some, like the first two to testify, Independent candidate for Mayor of Providence Diane “Dee Dee” Witman and Sam Bell, State Senator-elect for District 5 in Providence, urged compromise with Jason Fane, in an effort to change the project into something a greater majority of Providence residents could get behind.

Others, representing the interests of the Building Trades, testified about the importance of the project to bring jobs and housing to the state and to the City.

Lastly, there were those who testified against the project, mostly members of various neighborhood groups representing the East Side and Downtown areas of the City.

Below is all the testimony.

https://youtu.be/Bdr96EQ7RW4v

---

UpriseRI is entirely supported by donations and advertising. Every little bit helps:

Become a Patron!