Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Work, Economy and Organizations Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 36

Full-Text Articles in Work, Economy and Organizations

For Providence, Another Era Of Greatness?, Chester Smolski Sep 2001

For Providence, Another Era Of Greatness?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Providence has come a long way from just 20 years ago when a visitor coming into the city by rail would find sprayed across the walls of the nearly empty Union Station such epithets as 'Providence is the pits' and 'Welcome to dead city.' And it was. I know because I lived there."


In Economic Terms People Count!, Chester Smolski Jun 1994

In Economic Terms People Count!, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The economic picture for Rhode Island is looking brighter. Recent forecasts by Manpower, Inc. and the New England Economic Project (NEEP) paint a positive picture in the short-term future, reflecting on favorable signs evident in the slow recovery of the economy being experienced throughout the region."


Cooperating For Economic Development, Chester Smolski Jul 1992

Cooperating For Economic Development, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"This small state has an advantage over larger states because its size allows it to share ideas more easily. With only 39 cities and towns, and no county governments, it is possible to have a meeting in Providence, attended by representatives of these communities within less than a one-hour drive."


Financing Difficulties Stall Linkage In Providence, Chester Smolski Mar 1989

Financing Difficulties Stall Linkage In Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When the India Point Club luxury condominium development, scheduled to be built on the Providence waterfront, was announced in 1987, there were many local skeptics who said it was too expensive for the Providence market. After all, selling penthouse condos overlooking the dirty Providence River for over $1 million was quite ambitious--and some said impossible."


The Cities And Towns Look Ahead, Chester Smolski Aug 1988

The Cities And Towns Look Ahead, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"What do you want your community to be? Over the next two and one-half years all communities in the state will be required to address this question, and to come up with a formal statement of what these goals and objectives are to be. And it's about time."


How To Keep Teachers In R.I., Chester Smolski Aug 1988

How To Keep Teachers In R.I., Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Should Providence city employees be forced to live in the city? The Home Rule Charter, adopted five years ago, requires them to do so. The executive secretary of the Providence Teachers' Union states that this requirement should not apply to teachers. But, is dropping the residency requirement the answer to the problem of finding adequate numbers of substitute and full-time teachers?"


Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski Apr 1988

Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When Providence voters approved a home rule charter in 1980, they took a major step forward in choosing their own destiny, rather than relying on the General Assembly to approve many of their actions. To implement the resulting changes, the date for full compliance of the charter was set at 1983. And since that time, newly hired city workers are required to live in Providence."


Invisible Industry, Visible Rewards, Chester Smolski Jun 1987

Invisible Industry, Visible Rewards, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The week of May 17 to May 23 appeared to be an ordinary one, but it was singled out at the national level as National Tourism Week and, in the state, as Rhode Island Tourism Week, in case you did not know, and it was recognized by both the governor and by the mayor of Providence at recent luncheons. Well, ho-hum, another of the many proclamations and paper awards that so often come out of these offices that few give them much attention. But this one should cause Rhode Islanders to sit up and take notice."


Looking To Suburban Malls For Lesson On Envisaged Providence Company, Chester Smolski Aug 1986

Looking To Suburban Malls For Lesson On Envisaged Providence Company, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"During next month, some major decisions must be made that will have long-term effects on the future health and prosperity of our capital city's central business district. One of these decisions relates to the proposed establishment of a 'Providence Company,' a management and marketing organization for the downtown, recommended in the recently completed Carr, Lynch and Levine report on downtown Development."


Downtown Plan Whose Time Has Come, Chester Smolski Aug 1986

Downtown Plan Whose Time Has Come, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recently completed 'Providence Development Strategy,' a study of the capital city's downtown by Carr, Lynch Associates, Inc. in collaboration with Melvin Levine & Associates, Inc. of Cambridge, has now reached the public discussion stage. And in two meetings of invited participants, several points were raised that will need to be addressed by a mayor's committee which is to make recommendations to him by September."


Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski Apr 1983

Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Question: What industry in this country involves 8 million consumers daily, employs between 4 and 6 million people directly, generates nearly $200 billion in annual expenditures and is our second largest retailing activity? If you answered tourism, you are correct."


Designing The Cityscape, Chester Smolski Nov 1982

Designing The Cityscape, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A new structure has recently been erected in the Providence downtown, and criticisms of the building's design continue to fly. An editorial in these newspapers, for example, referred to the 'failed example of quickie construction with a outsized Erector set.'"


The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski Jul 1982

The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When George Voinovich, mayor of this city, spoke to the 300 persons gathered from all parts of this country to discuss successes in cities, he had the undivided attention of the audience. After all, this was the man who brought the city back from the brink of bankruptcy and has now given it clear direction and a solid financial base."


Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski Jul 1982

Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"His name may not be familiar, but it should be. He helped to originate and implement the Marshall Plan, this nation's effort to help European recovery in the post-war years. Throughout his long and distinguished career he touched many bases as editor and publisher of a trade newspaper, U.S.diplomat in several European cities and successful businessman and president of his own firm. Upon retirement several years ago, he developed an interest in cities, wrote a book about them, and four years ago at an age when many have packed it in, became director of the Urban Recovery Project at the …


Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges. Jul 1982

Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges.

Smolski Texts

"Developing neighborhood pride is one of the keys to a healthy neighborhood and a healthy city. In a city that is losing population and jobs, that is faced with increasing numbers of abandoned houses and vacant lots, that has the highest equalized tax rate (tax rate and assessment rate combined) in the state, and that has unique needs because of the large numbers of elderly, minority and poor residents, maintaining strong neighborhoods is a difficult task. Yet, though the task may be difficult, there is hope and there is potential for declining neighborhoods to revitalize themselves. This was the message …


Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski Dec 1981

Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"They were well dressed, although informally. They came with their spouses. They were articulate, educated, and generally did not raise their voices. They looked like solid middle-class Americans--homemakers, civic-minded, and concerned citizens, so it was difficult to understand their reaction to the proposed housing development."


Meet A Leader In Urban Renovation, Chester Smolski Oct 1981

Meet A Leader In Urban Renovation, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"This city of 35,000 residents in a small, rural county of Piedmont in north-central South Carolina has become a leader in urban innovation--innovations that have been implemented and are now starting to pay off."


Providence Needs An Effective 'Land Bank' Policy, Chester Smolski Nov 1980

Providence Needs An Effective 'Land Bank' Policy, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Recent disclosures on the purchase of vacant lots in Providence by certain city officals have raised two serious questions, only one of which has been addressed."


Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski Oct 1980

Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The opposition bumper stickers have already appeared. In bright fluorescent colors to catch the unsuspecting eye, the message is loud and clear--'Reject Home Rule Charter.' Why should there be this opposition, and who are the people against this progressive move toward better local government?"


Key Factor To A Better City, Chester Smolski Jul 1980

Key Factor To A Better City, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The Providence Charter Commission is now moving into the homestretch. After a full nine-month period in which more than 60 meetings were held, culminating in three public hearings in late June, the nine-member commission has gone back to the drawing board to review ideas, revise where deemed appropriate, and have a completed document ready in September. Voter acceptance in November, with General Assembly validation of certain provisions in 1981, will allow home rule for the state's capital city to become fully operational in January of 1983.


Union Traditions And Economic Policy In Ri, Chester Smolski Jul 1980

Union Traditions And Economic Policy In Ri, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"When compared with the rest of the nation, Rhode Island stands out as a highly unionized state. A recent study released by the Department of Labor shows that 108,000 of the 398,000 employed in the state in 1978 were union members. Membership in associations such as the National Education Association and others adds a further 11,000 persons to the list. This total of 119,000 union and association members represents 29.9 percent of total employment on non-agricultural payrolls, ranking Rhode Island 13th in the nation and highest in New England which, as a region, averages 26.6 percent, and the same figure, …


Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski Feb 1980

Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The lengthy process to examine the relocation of the railroad station and tracks in downtown Providence continues."


Retailing Is Key To A Strong Downtown, Chester Smolski Jan 1980

Retailing Is Key To A Strong Downtown, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The future of Providence, if Rhode Island's capital city has a future, must be keyed to retail sales, all pols and pundits to the contrary. If Mayor Cianci, the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups really want an appealing city, one that hums with activity day and night, they have to redouble their efforts to put a solid economic footing under the still-eroding retail sector."


Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski Nov 1979

Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"A second public hearing on the proposed relocation of the railroad station and tracks in Providence was held on October 25 in state capitol. Approximately 40 people were in attendance: most of whom were from Providence; most of whom raised substantive questions about the proposed relocation; and most of whom were opposed to it."


Downtown Plan Needed For Future Growth, Chester Smolski Oct 1979

Downtown Plan Needed For Future Growth, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It appears that the Providence downtown is finally turning the corner. A proposal to beautify the entrance into the city center from Route 95 with trees, flags, parks, art work and new illumination has been submitted to the Providence Redevelopment Authority. This turn to aesthetics, coming on the heels of considerable physical improvement of roads and buildings accomplished and in progress, is an indication that downtown interests recognize the lack of an attractive city 'gateway' and want to do something about it. This is decidedly a praiseworthy action on the part of the private sector."


Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski Jun 1979

Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It may very well be the most important decision facing Providence in this century; it would provide new commercial space approximately one and one-half times that found in the present downtown; it would remove black and ugly 'dead' space (parking) from the foot of the state Capitol and replace it with acres of greenery and enhanced riverfront; it would provide better access into the downtown and facilitate the east-west flow of traffic; it would drastically alter the focus of the downtown; and it would greatly increase the tax base of the capital city. The Capital Center Project, with its proposed …


Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski Apr 1979

Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent sales promotion by the Providence Intown Merchants Association proved quite successful. Five-cent bus rides and bargain sales generated considerable business, especially on Saturday, normally a quiet day for retail sales in the downtown. This well illustrates what is possible when salesmanship and cooperation among downtown merchants are used to full advantage."


More Inner City Jobs, Chester Smolski Mar 1979

More Inner City Jobs, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Congressman Henry S. Reuss of Wisconsin has given the answer most succinctly: "The most straightforward way to help cities is to provide jobs...From a city's standpoint, jobless citizens make no contributions to a community's revenues. But they add greatly to its costs for welfare, crime, and assorted ills."


Stimulus For R.I. Housing, Chester Smolski Mar 1979

Stimulus For R.I. Housing, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It was the single largest bond issue in the state and one of the largest in the nation. The Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation (HMFC) has sold $163 million of tax-free bonds, $142 million of which will be made available at below market interest rates to persons with annual incomes up to $30,000, to buy homes in Rhode Island. This will have a sizable impact on the local real estate market and increase housing opportunities for many prospective home buyers."


State-Supported Urban Policy Vital For Rhode Island, Chester Smolski Feb 1979

State-Supported Urban Policy Vital For Rhode Island, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"For the first time in this country's history there is now a national urban policy, a statement of objectives that need to be implemented if this nation's cities are to survive and subsequently prosper."