A century ago, the expansive property at 500 Wood St., now Unity Park, was the centerpiece of Bristol’s thriving industrial heart. After spending much of the last 50 years in decline, that industrial heart is beating again.

But first, a little backstory:
The National Rubber Company became an important business interest in Bristol around the end of the Civil War, when, in 1864, Augustus Bourn built the plant on Wood Street. It was bankrupt by 1887, and Samuel Colt reorganized the company as the National India Rubber Company, which would become the United States Rubber Company — the largest rubber conglomerate in the country.

During World War II, the factory employed about 6,000 people in the manufacture of rubber-insulated cable and wiring. Bristol had a population of about 12,000 people at the time. In 1957, Kaiser acquired the plant, operating the facility as a copper and aluminum wire plant. Until it ceased operations in 1977, it continued to be the primary employer in the community.

Plans to renovate the site for a community educational/residential complex failed, until the most recent purchase in 2019 by the present developer and native Bristolian, Joseph M. Brito, Jr.

A new life for the site

“We were notified that this was going into receivership, and there were individuals in town that were very concerned about this becoming one massive fire,” said Brito, Unity Park CEO, in a 2023 interview. “So Eddie (Edward Cox, Jr., Unity Park’s CFO) put on his thinking cap and started to dig into it, and said, you know, we’ve got to show up for this. Which we did. And that was the beginning of it.”

Brito credits Cox with laying the groundwork, getting the approvals up front, as well as “very friendly” commercial zoning that allowed almost anything except a limited list of what town officials wanted prohibited.
“We wanted to move like lightning if we got this,” said Brito. “Zoning, Planning, the Historic District Commission, all the players came up with a list of things that they did not want to see here. And we went to task on it and in 14 months brought in 23 businesses and 235 jobs.”

In addition to Cox, Brito credits architect John Lusk of JHL Techture, whose involvement with the property predates his own, for pulling together an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable and environmentally friendly design despite all the restrictions and delays.

“Working with (Unity Park, LLC) has been a delight,” said Lusk. “An architect is only as good as his clients allow them to be and they've given me a lot of latitude.”

Transformation through preservation

The rehabilitation of Unity Park aids and redevelops a community that is grounded by the past and inspired by the future. The project has been driven by "transformation through preservation." Where the site was once dominated by vacant, derelict, and shuttered industrial buildings, Unity Park today is one of the trendiest dining and entertainment destinations in the region. On any Saturday evening, the formerly desolate sidewalks and darkened buildings are filled with pedestrians, patronizing the craft brewery, distillery/tasting room, restaurants, and coffee house. During the day, it is home to businesses, manufacturing operations, and design studios.

Preserve Rhode Island took notice, awarding Unity Park a Rhody Award in late 2023. Part of the award was for adaptive reuse, repurposing the complex for contemporary purposes while maintaining its historic integrity. That aspect of the Roady Award was determined by a professional committee. But Unity Park also received the People's Choice Award, determined by balloting all the members of Preserve Rhode Island — almost 900 people in total. Collectively, they voted for Unity Park as the top project out of all the honorees.

A blue economy hub

Brito envisioned Unity Park as a hub for the state's "blue economy," (the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth) securing tenants such as Flux Marine (electric propulsion systems), VATN (autonomous underwater vehicles), Deep Blue Composites (advanced material technology), and Sea Legs North America (amphibious boats), which provide high-tech, cutting-edge professional jobs.

That vision is about to take a big step forward with the addition of two new tenants: Saab International (developer of autonomous and undersea systems) and KVH Industries, Inc. (integrated communications for sea and shore). With Saab’s initial employment projection of 75 employees and the addition of 100 KVH employees at Unity Park, these well-established companies have chosen to capitalize and build upon the synergy and creative entrepreneurial energy found on site. In addition, if employment trends continue as predicted, VATN has projected they will add approximately 275-300 new jobs to its existing workforce between 2026 and 2027 to ensure that they have the right people and skills to address growing technological blue economy market demands.

“By creating new businesses and fostering innovation, adaptive reuse at Unity Park has generated hundreds of high-paying quality jobs, attracted investments, and boosted tourism in the Town of Bristol,” said Brito. “It’s a place where artists converge, businesses and nonprofits thrive, neighbors gather, and the community celebrates.
“It is a place which honors its rich industrial heritage not by memorializing its history, but by continuing its creative tradition in a historical context, bringing people together to share ideas, hopes, and aspirations, across multiple disciplines.”