Developer explains why his new plan is good for Bristol

By Scott Pickering
Posted 3/8/18

Despite opposition from an array of people who claim otherwise, Jim Roiter believes his Thames Street development proposal is good for Bristol. Opponents say it is too big, too tall, too grand, too …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Developer explains why his new plan is good for Bristol

Posted

Editor's note: This story has been changed from its original version because of a factual error. Developer Jim Roiter is not proposing to place any affordable apartments into this building. He has promised to create five affordable residential units elsewhere in Bristol.

Despite opposition from an array of people who claim otherwise, Jim Roiter believes his Thames Street development proposal is good for Bristol. Opponents say it is too big, too tall, too grand, too massive and too …any-other-word-they-can-think-of-to-convey ‘big.’ Mr. Roiter says it’s just what Bristol needs, for now and the future.

Mr. Roiter believes his four-story building will generate jobs, produce nearly $150,000 per year in new Bristol property taxes, bring desirable new residents and foot traffic to the downtown district, greatly improve an empty lot (and eyesore of his own making) at one of the town’s premier downtown intersections, and invest even more life into one of Bristol’s strongest attractions — great food. Providence Coal-Fired Pizza, with restaurants on the East Side of Providence and two other locations, would inhabit the first floor of the building, with open-air, rooftop dining on the fourth floor.

The second and third floors would house 20 apartments, along with a parking garage for residents. Alongside the rooftop dining, separated by a six-foot-tall screen, would be a private amenity deck with pool for the residents. Construction costs are estimated at somewhere between $10 million and $12 million, with rising interest rates a growing concern for the developer.

Mr. Roiter’s plan for the corner of State and Thames streets receives a second public hearing tonight, when the Bristol planning board and historic district commission hold a first-ever joint meeting to review the project. The historic district group reviewed the plans last week and continued their deliberations until tonight without making a decision.

Mr. Roiter recently has been making his case for this project to anyone who will listen. In meetings with town planners, neighbors, business owners, the Bristol Phoenix and the historic district commission, Mr. Roiter explained why he’s compelled to construct a building that consumes nearly all available space on his property.

He said new federal flood regulations make it “very difficult” to place new retail space at the street level along Thames Street. Because the property slopes down from State Street to Thames Street, he is proposing the pizza restaurant have an entrance off State Street, above the flood levels. The remainder of the Thames Street property would be accessed by a drive-under entrance to a parking lot.
Also because of flood regulations, Mr. Roiter said this will be a very expensive building, with footings pounded deep into the ground to support a large steel structure.

To make the project economically viable, he said there must be enough space to have those apartments. Anything less than the 20 apartments he’s proposing (and the corresponding 61 parking spaces for the restaurant and residents), and he says the numbers don’t add up. He’ll lose money on the project.

The apartments would be one- or two-bedroom units, 1,100 to 1,200 square feet, renting for around $2,500 per month.

Lastly, Mr. Roiter argues that you can’t have a viable restaurant sitting across the street from a place like Bristol Harbor, without having outside dining. Because all the space has been consumed, the only option is rooftop dining, Mr. Roiter said.
And that’s how he ended up with a four-story building that needs an array of variances from town codes — for height, density, parking spaces, lot coverage, etc.

‘It’s too big’

To the objectors, Mr. Roiter has counter-arguments. To those who say it’s too big, he says they are designing the building so it does not “feel” massive. Roof lines and facades are designed to make the building blend with its surroundings, without towering up above.

He also points to nearby buildings, like Judge Roy Bean, the Bristol Harbor Inn and the Stone Harbour condos, all of which are nearly as big, as big, or bigger than, his building.

‘Who will live there?’

To those who question the types of renters it will attract, Mr. Roiter is 100 percent confident they will be empty-nesters or young professionals, and probably both.

“People are willing to accept smaller residences to live where they want to be … We believe it will attract many retirees, but also young professionals, all of whom love the water … We believe this is a sweet spot of the market.”

Eleven years ago, Mr. Roiter purchased the Belvedere Hotel on Hope Street out of bankruptcy and eventually rehabilitated it into luxury condominiums. The steel parking deck for those residents now sits on the lot he hopes to improve. The deck would be torn down to make way for the new building.

Mr. Roiter said his experience selling the Belvedere condos has been overwhelmingly positive, as “really good people” have bought those homes and moved into downtown Bristol. He expects the same thing to happen on Thames Street, and he believes his residents are more beneficial to Bristol than some others living in downtown condos.

Mr. Roiter talked about the residents of the nearby Stone Harbour complex, where many of the wealthiest of owners are not year-round residents. “Many of those residents are not here part of the year. We believe most of our residents will be here throughout the year,” he said.

Why does that matter?

Because the best way to get people to come to Bristol — to get them shopping in the shops and eating in the restaurants — is to have them live there. “Between the restaurant and the residences, this project will generate significant foot traffic in downtown Bristol,” Mr. Roiter said.

‘It doesn’t fit’

To those who say the building just doesn’t fit with the neighborhood, Mr. Roiter urges a more global vision.

“In life, in governance, in all things, you have to have a vision for how you move forward,” he said. Mr. Roiter envisions a downtown Bristol with more people living, visiting and spending money — “something between Newport and what Bristol is today,” he said.

Tonight’s co-meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Bristol Town Hall.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.