Revitalization | deindustrialization

Photo of Quonset Point. Photo by quonset.com

Revitalizing Rhode Island

By Kyla O'Donnell

Manufacturing in Rhode Island has vastly changed over the last fifty years. Industrial revitalization has changed the state economy in particularly consequential ways, like at Quonset Point. The state of Rhode Island has issued bonds to upgrade the Quonset Business Park because of the 3,160 acres of available land, but also because it is easily accessible by air, sea, railroad and highway.

The Quonset Development Corporation, the state agency which oversees and manages the industrial park, is also responsible for the economic development of the park which places heavy emphasis on attracting new businesses to the area. The park has developed into one of the premiere business parks in New England and is home to almost 200 companies, employing more than 10,000 people in full and part time jobs.

The continued success of the business park it quite obviously its highest priority. Over 3.8 million dollars of federal grants were awarded to the development of Quonset with infrastructure plan upgrades to help make the facility grow. Upgrades to in the near future include improvements to the drinking water system, wastewater collection treatment facility and the storm water drainage system.

Quonset Business Park is one of the largest in the northeast. The park currently has world-class transportation and utility infrastructure and is rich in amenities while also possessing an excellent location. Several parcels are available for lease, ranging from 1.3 to 53 acres. On top of all of this, facilities in the park have a variety of different uses including manufacturing, distribution and office and commercial use. It also has direct highway access, sea access over 13 acres of terminal storage and 46 acres of laydown.

Due to investments made to the park, the state is better able to do major construction, which has led to economic growth and job creation. Over the last five years alone, more than142 million dollars in private investments have been made to the park.

In 2015 the business park plans to expand. The largest manufacturer in the Quonset Point industrial Park, General Dynamics has plans to expand their workplace so that they may build a new class submarines. They also expect to add three thousand manufacturing jobs by 2020 and add twelve hundred manufacturing jobs by 2018, quite the contrast to recent Rhode Island economic history.

The Quonset Business Park offers an extensive mix of transportation opportunities:

Sea Access:

• Quonset Business Park is the premiere business park in New England

o One of the largest in the Northeast

• Quonset Business Park has world-class transportation and utility infrastructure

• It is rich in amenities, location and history

• Several parcels available for lease, ranging from 1.3 to 53 acres

• Variety of uses include manufacturing, distribution, office and commercial use

Rail Access:

Over 14 Miles of Track Across the Park

• Quonset Business Park offers tenants and shippers the ability to utilize the rail infrastructure

• Completed rail infrastructure upgrades in 2002 at $2.1M

• Direct connection to the State of Rhode Island’s Freight on the Northeast Corridor

• Quonset’s rail lines handle over 5,000 carloads a year

• The designated operator of the Quonset Business Park’s rail lines is the Seaview Transportation Company

Highway Access:

Highway access makes business faster, easier at Quonset

• Opened October 23, 2008

• Direct highway access to the Quonset Business Park

• $130 million dollar highway upgrade project

• This project removed business park traffic from local streets

Air Access:

Quonset State Airport: A civil-Military Public Airport and General Aviation Airport

• Quonset State Airport is a public use facility located within the Quonset Business Park

• Completed runway and terminal facility upgrades in 2005 at $3.2M

• It is home to both the Air and Army National Guard

• The airport facility is used for training and aviation operations

• The airport is managed by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation

HIS 393 student Kyla O'Donnell sat down with her father, a former mill worker, to discuss the deindustrialization of Rhode Island. Audio by Kyla O'Donnell.