Politics & Government

Frenchtown Commons Gets Master Plan Approval

In addition, the Planning Board approves a zone change for the property from farmland to commercial highway.

The development known as Frenchtown Commons straddles East Greenwich and, to a larger extent, North Kingstown, so both towns have had plenty to say about it. Wednesday night, the EG Planning Board granted Master Plan Approval and a zone change for the development. If a zone change is approved by the EG Town Council, the development will be in the same place with both communities. 

The development, which hopes to bring in an as-yet unnamed big box store, must now seek regional and state permits to proceed. 

"We have to work on getting state permits, sewer, water, all those things – DEM, RIDOT, Kent County Water, EG sewer," said John Revens, lawyer for the project. "When those are in place, we come back to East Greenwich and North Kingstown planning."

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Revens said it would take "months" to get state and regional approvals.

The development would include a big box store, an office building, smaller retail areas, and three stores with drive-thru lanes. The property wraps partially around the large former Brown and Sharpe building on Frenchtown Road west of Hunt River Commons (otherwise known as the Stop & Shop plaza).

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The big box store, the office building and all three stores with drive-thrus are on the North Kingstown part of the property. Only about 25 percent of the land falls in East Greenwich. 

At the hearing in East Greenwich in June, Revens said there were no tenants yet for the development. 

"We don’t have a contract with anyone at this point," he said. "And you can’t get a contract with anyone like Target until you have all your approvals. We’re a long way from having any tenants."

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