“There's a nationwide push toward sustainable development and adaptive re-use, and we want to take advantage of that,” says Bill Pasquale, Warwick city planner, tells GlobeSt.com. The adaptive re-use part comes from the Elizabeth Mill Building, an old structure that carries historical significance and sits across from the Warwick Station Development.

The sustainability comes from the fact that “it's all a walkable community,” according to Pasquale. In addition, the proximity to mass transit likely will cut down on emissions, notes John Riendeau, director of business development at the RIEDC.

“The entire district is meant to be a sustainable, livable community,” he says. “It's a transportation oriented development and we're looking to target people and companies that would need this. They would live and work here, could walk to the airport, a parking garage where they could get a rental car, take the train to Providence or head South. They wouldn't need to own a car.”

That carries other benefits for the community, adds Pasquale. “In New England, housing and transportation costs make up the majority of disposable income, so this could increase the money people have available for spending.” He hopes young professionals in particular are attracted by the community.

“We hope to get inquiries from Generation X and Generation Y as they're more apt to be mobile and to be where there's versatility,” Pasquale says. “We're trying to grab maybe not yesterday's generation but tomorrow's.”