The 269 Wickenden project has been given approval to proceed by the City Plan Commission (CPC) after two years of intense redesigns, legal action, and community opposition.
The proposal for a mixed-use, 74-unit apartment building on Wickenden Street has been mired in controversy since its master plan application in 2023. Many neighbors have decried the design, scale, and removal of street trees, while others have voiced excitement about increasing density on the commercial corridor.
The CPC approved the preliminary plan at its Feb. 18 meeting, with four commissioners voting in favor and one commissioner, Cyd McKenna, voting in opposition. The matter had been continued from Jan. 21, as the developers — Dustin Dezube and Kevin Diamond (who is also the architect of the project) — had not met all the conditions previously agreed upon for plan approval.
The remaining issues included reconfiguring the loading zone, revising the bicycle parking, and adding the plans for significant vegetation and landscaping around the building. CPC and planning department staff were satisfied with the updates the developers made for the most recent proposal.
Residents voiced many concerns with the project, despite public comment being limited only to the handful of changes to the proposal from the last meeting.
The lack of car parking was a persistent issue, with some residents voicing frustration that the developers had been allowed to forgo parking. Lots 10,000 square feet and fewer are exempt from parking requirements — but the 269 Wickenden lot is roughly 10,108 square feet. The developers recently received administrative permission from a zoning official to still be treated as a lot equal to or less than 10,000 square feet, allowing them to skip the parking requirement. The move is legal, according to the planning department, and was a small enough change that no public notice was legally required.
Other concerns included whether the loading zone to the structure would be sufficient, particularly for residents moving into the building.
Ward 1 Councilor John Goncalves testified, sharing his concerns about the building. “The deficiencies still look pretty glaring,” Goncalves said during public comment. He additionally objected to the bike parking in the public right of way (which does occur in various places throughout the city). He emphasized that the developer should be wary of the “corporatization of Wickenden Street,” and should try to maintain the thoroughfare’s distinctive, quirky character.
Commissioner Dave Caldwell said prior to the final vote that while he knows that this “building is not easy to love,” it will add housing, a need that is top of mind during such a cold time of year in Providence. “Perhaps you might not like the outcome tonight, but the process holds of how the city is conducting its affairs,” he said.
“I believe we can move forward here and embrace what is new and hold onto what is old,” Caldwell added.
By Katy Pickens / Planning & Preservation Writer / kpickens@ppsri.org