Weiss Talks About Plans For Wickford Elementary

Stanley Weiss, the developer who has committed to buying the Wickford Elementary School building on Phillips Street, said his plan to turn it into a hotel–conference center will be an "economic generator" for Wickford businesses.

The town announced last month Weiss had agreed to buy Wickford Elementary for $1.1 million, with an eye toward turning it into a multi-purpose conference, event and meeting center, with 30 to 40 hotel rooms. The agreement is contingent on Weiss’s ability to get all the needed permits from government agencies.

Wickford Elementary was closed in 2005 and has sat dormant since then. 

"North Kingstown is changing, and the infrastructure has and is being developed, i.e. Wickford Junction and Quonset," Weiss said via email. "The village of Wickford geographically completes a triangle for development if it is handled correctly, given the walkable proximity to the village and its waterfront location.

"The town businesses will certainly benefit by the traffic it will bring for business conferences which will be attracted to a facility with the latest in design technology and overnight accommodations, 30/40 rooms. Of course, as an event center, it will be in ideal place for weddings and other occasions. In short, it will act as an economic generator for the village businesses, many of which are struggling."

The building will be eligible for federal tax credits, Weiss said, which will make the project economically viable.

Weiss's renovations of his house on Washington Street ran afoul of the North Kingstown Historic District Commission, but he is not concerned that those angered by his alterations on Washington Street will cause problems for this new project.

"I am not concerned, as these were well-meaning but misguided individuals, totaling probably 5 or 6 people," he said. "By the way, if we didn't raise our house 30 inches, our first floor would have been underwater, as was the little white house next to ours during Sandy.... In retrospect, this house was so deteriorated, we really should have just gone for a demolition permit; and it was only my desire to preserve what I could that has kept any historic material intact. I have preserved most of the bones of this house that weren't termite ridden, and retain all of the windows in their original places and reinstalled the central chimney stack which is visible from the street and had long ago been dismantled."  

Weiss lauded town officials for their help in putting together the Wickford Elementary deal.

"We have found that the Town Council, town manager, and Planning Department have all been extremely helpful and forward-thinking," he said.