Facts

There are many projects in development throughout the city and, rightly so, there are concerns about the impact of such development. Salve Regina’s project - on University-owned land - is one that will have a direct, positive impact on the next generation of learners, leaders and Newport residents.

University Housing Objectives

• Salve Regina currently enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate students. The University has no plans to increase this population over time.
• Approximately 60 percent of Salve Regina’s undergraduate students currently reside on campus.
• The University’s goal is to house 75 percent of its undergraduate population on campus. This would primarily include first-year students, sophomores and juniors.
• Salve Regina’s housing strategy responds to an historic shift that sees today’s college students preferring to live in closer proximity to their chosen campus, their classes and the co-curricular activities that flourish as a result. Our parents also embrace research that shows studying on campus leads to better grades.
• Bringing juniors onto campus together with first-year students and sophomores will create a more cohesive and vibrant learning community.
• Professional staff supervisors will live in each of the proposed residences.
• Providing on-campus housing for the junior class won’t just enhance the overall quality of the university experience, it is a pursuit that can greatly benefit the city of Newport.

Project Details and Massing

• The residence hall project includes two proposed residences for undergraduate students. Building A will be located on a site near the historic William Watts Sherman House at the corner of Lawrence and Shepard avenues. Building B will be located on what is currently an athletics practice field between Ruggles and Victoria avenues near the existing Wallace Hall residence building.
• Building A adds only 153 new beds and increases the on-campus population by 7 percent (total number of beds in the building will be 214).
• Building B adds 186 new beds and increases the on-campus population by 8 percent.
• Both proposed residence halls will be built on University land – with no variances required.
• Construction of Building A requires the demolition of five smaller, non-historic buildings currently used as offices and residences. 
• Construction of Building A will allow the University to remove the nursing home annex from the historic William Watts Sherman House – bringing it closer to its original state.
• The height of Building A is 10 feet lower than the maximum allowed by zoning.
• The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission has found that the project will not adversely affect the historical significance, integrity or character of the Bellevue Avenue National Historic Landmark District as a whole.
• Each of the proposed buildings conforms to the dimensional requirements of the R-60 Zoning District. Both are smaller in mass than other buildings in the neighborhood like the historic Breakers, Carey Mansion and Ochre Court, as well as the University’s award-winning Rodgers Recreation Center.
• Salve Regina responded to neighbor concerns by lowering the height of Building A by nine feet and reducing the length of Building B by 60 feet. A redesign also removed 70 parking spaces from the sites and thoughtfully added screening with landscaping.
• Only 10 percent of the proposed site for Building A will be covered by buildings when construction is complete – this includes the new residence hall AND the existing William Watts Sherman House combined – leaving 90 percent of the site open.
• When built, Building A will create more room for sweeping lawns, vistas and pedestrian corridors than currently exists with the five non-historically significant ranch houses that will be removed along with the non-conforming modern wing of the historic William Watts Sherman House. 
• A massing study analysis of the neighborhood (comparing all buildings in the district by directional elevations together with footprint, lot coverage, height and length) reveals nothing extraordinary, incongruous or inharmonious in the way Building A fits into the neighborhood.
• Building A will be set back further from the street (68-70-feet) than the five existing non-significant ranch houses it will replace, and is much further back than the 50-feet required by zoning.
• A grading and drainage plan that utilizes underground storage water quality treatment areas eliminates the need for re-grading and allows for sprawling lawn areas.
• Site lighting design will be fully compliant with “dark sky” standards and match what is in the historic area.
• Only 37 new parking spaces will be added to the Building A site, which already contains 55 spaces serving student residences contained within the five non-historic ranch houses that will be removed. All on-site parking will be effectively screened.

Benefits to Newport

• The project, which will generate 300 new construction jobs and bolster the University’s $1.2 million in annual tax-related payments to the city byapproximately $141,000, requires no variances as the buildings are concurrent with the longstanding character and use within the historic district.
• It is the University’s responsibility to offer housing options for our students. Bringing 75 percent of our student population onto campus is also consistent with goals of Newport’s comprehensive plan to free up housing for full-time residents and alleviate pressure on city services, including fire and police.
• Research shows that development of higher education facilities – including residence halls – increases surrounding property values. Salve Regina’s careful maintenance of historic campus buildings is also a benefit for neighbors and all city residents.
• One car-one space policies for resident students will reduce daily neighborhood traffic and street parking pressures while encouraging a more pedestrian-safe campus with the development of internal pathways for students and the community.
• More on-campus housing means more parking for Newport residents on local streets and a reduction in traffic to campus from commuting students.
• Demolition of the former nursing home annex that existed prior to Salve Regina’s purchase of the William Watts Sherman House will bring it closer to its original state. The architectural significance of this building is a draw for Newport’s cultural landscape. Restoring it more fully is an idea that many historians and architects embrace.

Additional Facts

• Salve Regina has no plans to increase its overall undergraduate enrollment. Upon completion, the residences will add only 339 beds to campus.
• The University has no plans to turn these residences into hotels during the summer months. They will house visiting researchers, students and faculty as part of our current summer conference programming.
• Salve Regina owns both building sites, both of which are currently used for student housing purposes. All construction and maintenance costs for both residences will be entirely paid for by the University.