Today’s Providence Journal has an article about a waterfront tour given as part of a Rhode Island Sea Grant/Coastal Resources Center conference, “Creating Vibrant Waterfronts in Rhode Island.” As part of the tour, the group viewed Providence’s working waterfront area along Allens Ave. :

In the afternoon, the group sailed from Providence Piers, the waterfront complex battling with its neighbors, many of whom are heavy industries such as shipyards and oil terminals.

For more than a decade, Providence has touted plans to redevelop the area with hotels and restaurants. Austin Becker, a coastal planner at Sea Grant, said other heavy industries have wanted to come to Providence, but decided not to because of the city’s plans.