Greene Street Cottages
Developer 620 Main Street Associates hopes to start construction in September on a cluster of cottages that architect Donald Powers sees as a model of how new urbanists can operate at a time when financing is hard to obtain. For an approximately 180-by-200-foot infill site in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Powers is creating units of just over 800 sq. ft. each. The “Greene Street Cottages” will have small private outdoor spaces plus a shared landscape using natural drainage techniques.
In addition to one existing building that will be renovated, the cluster will have 14 units in new one-, two-, and three-unit structures, designed in a scale and style that Powers says have been well received so far “in a town that is defensive about density.” Designed to be built in a modular system, the cottages are expected to sell for $240,000 to $275,000 and to capitalize on what Powers sees as popular demand for small homes that make a minimal impact on the environment. The local housing authority will subsidize a few of the units for purchase for $205,000.
Powers, principal of Donald Powers Architects in Providence, sees this mode of development as making an acceptable transition between downtown and existing residential neighborhoods. See commentary on page 2 for more on the project.