Letter: Belvedere project fits Bristol now and in the future

Posted 5/9/18

I am honored and thankful to serve the residents of Bristol and Warren since first being elected state representative for District 68 in November 2012. Prior to that, I served on the Bristol Town …

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Letter: Belvedere project fits Bristol now and in the future

Posted

I am honored and thankful to serve the residents of Bristol and Warren since first being elected state representative for District 68 in November 2012. Prior to that, I served on the Bristol Town Council from 2002 to 2012, including the last six years as chairman. I am writing today to offer my full support for the Belvedere at Thames project and also my full confidence in our town’s board and commission members that continue to do their due diligence on Bristol’s behalf.

It was during my term as town council chairman that James Roiter purchased out of bankruptcy the Belvedere Hotel (former Harriet Bradford Inn) and the adjacent Carriage House on John Street. For those of you that lived in Bristol during that time, you will recall the decrepit state of those properties situated in the heart of town and our collective efforts to turn a blighted property on our Hope Street into a great addition for our town. 

Mr. Roiter presented his plan to transform a blighted downtown block into a prime upscale development. Despite difficult economic times, he kept his promise to Bristol.

Now he is again before the town to complete the final phase of this major economic development project. His current plan maintains the same conceptual vision presented to the town approximately 10 years ago.

As a former member of Bristol’s zoning board, from 1997 to 2002, as well as vice chairman of the Mount Hope Enterprise Zone, we worked very closely with existing and new businesses to promote smart economic development for the East Bay area.

I also co-authored Bristol’s 2016 Comprehensive Plan and believe this project fits well within the guidelines. Greater residential density downtown is critical for growth and sustainability. The Belvedere at Thames provides a unique opportunity for more people to live and work downtown, which will, in turn, boost Bristol’s retail, services, and tourism industries. We all benefit when local storefronts and restaurants are full.  

When reviewing any development plan, our boards determine if the proposed structure is consistent with surrounding properties. This development’s revised building height and density are consistent with that area and our waterfront zoning requirements.

The town’s zoning ordinance is a legal framework, but our boards also operate as boards of relief, which many past applicants understand firsthand when their project does not quite meet the zoning parameters. Our planning, zoning, and historic members have continued to do their best to be flexible enough to accommodate and professional enough to guide smart growth development in order to assist making dreams a reality. 

The Belvedere at Thames is a significant economic opportunity for Bristol to continue our revitalization of our downtown and waterfront districts and create a stronger and fiscally stable community. Knowing firsthand where we have been, where we are, and where we are going both as a town and as a state, I truly believe that this project fits that forward direction and deserves our community’s support and encouragement for our continued mutual success. 

Kenneth A. Marshall

State Representative, District 68

Bristol

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