The Burrillville Town Council recently gave final passage of the redevelopment plan for the Village of Nasonville. The Town Council’s action was the culmination of several years of work by the Burrillville Redevelopment Agency and Town Manager and now officially designates the Village of Nasonville as a redevelopment district.
The Nasonville Redevelopment Plan was written by The Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island, which has recently been engaged by the Burrillville Redevelopment Agency to facilitate the redevelopment plan’s execution. The plan outlines various tasks including infrastructure improvements, modifications to the Town’s land use regulations, passive and active recreation planning, development incentives, and mechanisms for underwriting public improvements.
The Nasonville Redevelopment District has three major development nodes. The Burrillville Redevelopment Agency plans to be proactive with the property owners to support development consistent with the redevelopment vision. One of the nodes is the Nason Mill, an historic textile mill located on the bank of the Branch River. The Nason Mill was slated for residential development in the early 2000’s; however, development efforts were abandoned following the great recession of 2007 – 2009. The mill has experienced considerable physical decline, and its redevelopment is compromised by high construction costs and difficult capital markets.
The Town of Burrillville has been a statewide leader in using Rhode Island’s redevelopment district statutes to lead the redevelopment of its historic villages. Redevelopment districts have already been established in the villages of Harrisville and Pascoag with impressive results.
The Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island is a not-for-profit economic development consultancy and advisory organization. EDFRI provides cities and towns, economic development organizations, and private property owners with the outsourced flexibility to strategize and execute development projects. Contact EDFRI at 401-658-1050, or email sgibbs@edf-ri to discuss how we can assist your efforts.