Rhode Island Ready already has about a half-dozen applications in review following its initial launch in January.
Five sites from Johnston, Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick and Pawtucket are now in the review process, ranging from 10 to 28.5 acres. Four of these applications will be considered for official enrollment in RI Ready at the next Quonset Board of Directors meeting in April.
Interest in Rhode Island Ready continues to grow – over 40 attendees joined the first virtual information session to learn more about eligibility and take part in a question and answer period.
Program Director Chelsea Siefert was also featured on New England Real Estate Journal’s Feb. 15 Rhode Island State of the CRE Market panel to give an update on the initiative and its unique benefits for Rhode Island.
Outreach continues when Siefert presents at the R.I. League of Cities and Towns’ Annual Convention in April and continues smaller group sessions with municipal leaders across Rhode Island.
Do you know of an industrial parcel that could be made “Rhode Island Ready”? Find out at www.RIReady.org.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (left) is featured in the March edition of New England Real Estate Journal reflecting on the Rhode Island Ready ribbon cutting and looking forward to the economic boon it could be for the state.
McKee said that Rhode Island Ready, which creates an inventory of pre-permitted, pre-engineering industrial sites, is “making it easier to build businesses and create new jobs across Rhode Island.”
“RI Ready is designed to eliminate the uncertainty and red tape that often complicates and slows down new industrial development,” McKee wrote. “By working with communities and businesses, the permitting process will be streamlined and expedited so that businesses will open faster, creating job opportunities for Rhode Islanders faster and getting products made in Rhode Island to the market faster.”
McKee highlighted the success Quonset Business Park has enjoyed with its similar Site Readiness model, which led to more than 3,500 jobs and $664 million in private investment across 14 developed sites and 36 companies in the last decade.
The Governor said he is “enthusiastic” that Rhode Island Ready will rise to the occasion and help prepare more industrial sites for new and expanding businesses across the state.
“Quonset provides pre-permitted, pre-engineered sites to new businesses that are shovel ready within 90 days of the business signing a lease,” McKee said. “By adopting this blueprint and replicating it statewide, RI Ready will spur more industrial development and help to create jobs across the Ocean State.”
Quonset Chief: Gov. McKee’s $60M investment in Port of Davisville “an important step”
Steven King, QDC’s Managing Director, highlighted Gov. Dan McKee’s vital $60 million investment at the Port of Davisville (above) in New England Real Estate Journal’s February edition,
King said that the funds will preserve thousands of existing jobs at the port while also preparing Rhode Island for wind energy jobs of the future.
“Looking ahead, this $60 million investment proposed by Governor McKee will fund critical upgrades to our port facilities that will support a variety of off-shore wind logistics uses, including transportation of heavier cargo that off-shore wind projects require,” King wrote.
Almost every land-based wind turbine in Rhode Island has had its component parts shipped through the Port of Davisville. King added that the port will use the money to rehabilitate 80-year-old Pier 1 and build a new multipurpose pier at Terminal 5 that will add capacity to support offshore wind construction.
“Strategic investments in the Port of Davisville are investments in Rhode Island’s economic and environmental future,” King said. “Gov. McKee’s proposal is a targeted approach to keep moving Rhode Island forward.”
