Westerly - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

The Westerly Comprehensive Plan2.3.1 Downtown WesterlyDowntown Westerly has developed as the commercial and civic center of Westerly. It is anchoredby a green core area, Wilcox Park, and is defined by commercial streets (Broad and High) and aresidential street (Grove Avenue). Along Broad Street are massive late 19 th and early 20 th centuryeclectic masonry structures, including Christ Church, the Library, the Town Hall, the Post Officeand the headquarters of the Washington Trust Company. The former Industrial Trust Bank and theYMCA on High Street, and on Canal Street, the United Theater, the Martin House (both currentlyundergoing restoration), the recently restored AMTRAK railroad station and Armory, on RailroadAvenue, are other notable Downtown structures. Along High Street, two-story brick commercialbuildings have storefronts with office and/or residential space above. Main Street, which runs fromBroad Street and the Pawcatuck River Bridge, is largely commercial (a significant portion of it soonto be redeveloped, as part of the new Westerly KeepSpace program), and Granite Street, which runsup the hill from the Park is mixed in use.Apart from the stately 19 th century houses on Elm Street, including Greek Revival, Gothic Revival,Italianate and Second Empire structures, and similar handsome houses along Margin Street, the areasurrounding the central core, from the railroad tracks on the north to Wells Street on the south andfrom the river on the west to Granite Street on the east, is primarily 19 th century and early 20 thcentury, small lot, single and multi-family residential, identified by two- and three-story largelyframed structures. A significant number of the buildings are set close to the street or with a smallsetback. The area is largely zoned as high density residential. While the zoning district allows for avariety of housing types, some of the more traditional residential architecture in this area would notbe allowed by the current zoning code because the setbacks are smaller than the code allows. Thestreet pattern in the core area is generally an irregular grid.To the north of Downtown is the North End, a late 19 th century neighborhood which became thehome of successive waves of European immigrants, who came to Westerly to work on the railroadand in the textile mills and granite quarries. In recent years, the town together with multiple privateand governmental funding sources has made a concerted effort to revitalize the North End whilepreserving its historic character. These efforts are most visible in the Pierce and Pond Streetneighborhoods where there has been restoration of buildings and landscapes.2.3.2 Mill VillagesStill further to the north of Downtown and bounded by the Pawcatuck River, as it flows west andsouth, are the mill villages of White Rock, Bradford and Potter Hill, which developed as distinctclusters of workforce housing, each with its own iconic mill. The Village of Stillmanville, partly inWesterly and partly in Pawcatuck, straddles the Pawcatuck River. Typical land uses in the MillVillages include industrial, residential, park/conservation land, vacant land and undevelopable land.The area has a significant number of 19 th and early 20 th century buildings. Residential structuresinclude single family buildings and duplex buildings.Most residential structures are two or two-and-a-half stories. Zoning in this district varies betweenlow, medium and high density residential, industrial and open space/recreation. As in theDowntown area, some of the existing traditional and residential architecture in this area would notbe allowed by the current zoning code because the setbacks are smaller than the code allows. Thestreet pattern in this area is an irregular grid intertwined with winding roads.peter j. smith & company, inc. 10