Commercial design standards approved in 2006 in #MiddletownRI are paying major dividends, with projects by BankNewport and Gold's Wine & Spirits earning wide praise for improving the look and feel of commercial development.
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IMPROVING THE LOOK OF MIDDLETOWN, ONE BUILDING AT A TIME
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (OCTOBER 28, 2024) – When Middletown’s commercial design standards were implemented in 2006, Town Planner Ronald Wolanski said it was going to take awhile to see the impact.
That time appears to have arrived.
If you look across the community, town officials said it’s hard to argue that new commercial growth and rehabs in Middletown don’t look good — and are anything but cookie cutter.
The new BankNewport branch at Two-Mile Corner. The Gold’s Wine & Spirits store on Valley Road, the mini storage complex on Aquidneck Avenue and medical office down the street from the package store too.
Those are just a few of the recent projects cited benefiting from the standards, part of a concerted effort to upgrade the look and feel of the town and what a traditional New England beach town should look like.
“The standards are gradually improving the look of our commercial districts,” Wolanski said. “When they went into effect, we made it clear this wasn’t something that was going to happen overnight, but I think there’s no question it’s having a positive impact on Middletown.”
The way the standards work, they don’t apply to single and duplex residential construction. However, they come into play when new multi-family, commercial, office and institutional development is proposed along with re-development or exterior renovations are proposed.
Wolanski said dozens of properties have been impacted by the regulations over the close to 20 years they’ve been in place.
Under section 521, the regulations aim to “to establish and maintain a uniform set of standards that promote the use of high quality design, consistent with the traditional architectural styles of Aquidneck Island and New England.
“Buildings and their adjacent spaces, including parking, establish a design landscape rhythm,” the regulations read. “This rhythm of spaces and buildings should be considered when determining design compatibility, whether spaces between two building or between a building and the street.”
“Parking should be considered an integral part of site design and should be coordinated with overall site development. Site design shall encourage pedestrian activity through the placement of buildings close to the street, with off-street parking dispersed into small landscaped lots located to the rear or side of buildings and trees, foliage and grassy areas interspersed among buildings.
“In general, buildings shall be designed to include traditional New England architectural elements. This includes, but is not limited to, peaked roof, wood-frame, and other styles consistent with colonial through early twentieth-century period architecture.
“Facades of a building, particularly the front facade, should consist of or resemble traditional building materials such as clapboard, shingles, brick, or stone. Landscaping, including plantings, should be designed to define, soften or screen the appearance of the off-road parking areas and structures from the public right of way and abutting properties.”
Like Wolanski, Planning Board Vice Chair Arthur S. Weber said he was proud of what the standards have accomplished to date.
“I think they’ve made a positive difference overall,” Weber said. “I think Gold’s (package store) was a big win. That project looks absolutely fantastic.”
Weber said when it comes to development, the Planning Board tries to work with applicants as much as possible for buy in that each individual project is about more — all of Middletown.
“We try to appeal to building applicants to support creating the contemporary New England style to remember our past and blend it into what they’re proposing wherever possible,” Weber said.
Wolanski said residents, businesspeople and visitors should expect the look and feel of more properties to evolve too.
“The standards only come into play when new development, re-development or exterior renovations are proposed,” Wolanski said. “Otherwise, the standards don’t require a property owner to take action. Over the years dozens of properties have been reviewed under the requirements and it’s having a positive impact.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Look
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
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