What will happen to the existing small businesses inside the Arcade? From LeGreque to Gaming Store, they are one of a kind.

The Arcade will never be the same once they are gone.

And who is paying Granoff? I know the state approved their application for a historic tax credit, but where does the money come from, assuming it is coming from Rhode Island? I just keep thinking how far that money could go elsewhere in the state where it is sorely needed.

I love the Arcade, but wow! $8 million?

Beth and April,

Clearly neither of you understand retail. Please refrain from commenting on things you do not understand. Yes, you are typical RI'ers blowing smoke, but please stop. The tenants will most likely return when the renovations are complete. Secondly $8M dollars for the renovation is pocket change for that size of a project. It costs each of those tenants close to $250K to build their stores in the mall. $8M for the entire building is a good price. Lastly, I doubt the state is giving Granoff $8M to removate his building. Seriously. Let's think before we speak.

Wow! A tax credit AND a chance to get rid of all those pesky old tenants while blaming it on the renovations.
Can we assume that the rents will go up a fair amount, that few if any of the old tenants will return, and that the new ones will be a far different mix?
Not that any of this was planned, of course - "stuff just happens."

They should have blown up that cockrach and rat infested dump thirty years ago!

If the Projo story is true as reported, the Granoffs are doing both their tenants and the many of us downtown workers who patronize the Arcade businesses a great disservice. In view of the failure of the Granoffs to build the proposed hotel-condo tower on the land between the Arcade and the Turks Head building in the past four years, one wonders, what's the rush. Surely some accommodation can be made for these small business owners.

What I would like to know since the city of providence is handing out tax
credits for all the Granoff projects, is the City of providence going to
provide safety patrol??? You can't get down that end of Weybosset street
without nearly killing yourself. The Hampton Inn is partly owned by Granoff.
You have to walk in the street, it is dangerous and the road is all dug up.
Very hard to get around there, and always debris flying around from the work
being done. What about the project they started alongside the Turks Head Bldg?
Still sitting there, again you have to walk in the street and risk taking
your life in your hands everyday. How do the Granoff's get away with
this???????? Shame on them; 30 day notice to start your life over again -
they are ruthless. I feel for all those people that will be out of work.
Granoff has misplaced a lot of businesses over the past year. Here they go
again...........How do you people sleep at night.

This sickens me. How dare Granoff do this. All those little businesses there, that make a living serving lunch (some inexpenseivley) to those who are just trying "to get by." 30 day notice to go find somwhere else to start your business over????...unexceptable!!!! Not thinking about anyone but yourselves...greedy!! I hope you will hire, with all your "milions", someone who can patrol the traffic on Weybosset side. Bad enough pedestrians nearly risk their life to walk by there now with the construction of the Hampton Inn, another one of Granoff's properties. Again, money talks, who cares about anyone who HAS to walk over there. Well Granoff, again, screwing the working class people, how do you feel?????

What is to question. The owner of the Arcade knows that the Historic Tax Credits are probably coming to end soon and he acted before it was too late... Watch for a family member or a cousin of some pol that approved the credit to get a nice lease once the place reopens.. Where's the confusion?

You'll have to forgive the Granoff brothers for only giving their Arcade tenants thirty days notice to shut down and vacate the businesses they've built and risked everything. Try to remember that the Granoff boys were born into great wealth and never had to work. Their investments in buildings like the Arcade and the Turks Head building certainly have risk but represent a relatively small percentage of their overall wealth. Evan and Lloyd simply can't relate to the kind of problems and hardships they've caused their tenants. They probably think their tenants have rich grandfathers who'll take care of them...

8 Million dollars??
TEAR IT DOWN.
We need the money elsewhere in the state.

I worked the Bakery and heard a bit about how they ran things from behind. I heard the month-tomonth rent was a ploy to get tenants to move in the first place and as soon as we announced that we were leaving they decided to close it down. I have a feeling there going to make it vogue and chic. Not what we want or need.

The problem with private property is that people can, by and large, do what they want with it, including toss out longstanding tenants. We may wail a bit, but that's the way it is.

However, everyone ought to be questioning these historic tax credits that appear to have just gotten in under the wire, before the deadline was posted after the fact. Obviously certain people were apprised ahead of time, and the cutoff date was selected based upon all of the 'players' being in. A lot of good state projects are now being axed because the developers were not in with the in crowd, and will not be eligible for the tax credits. A dirty trick.

This is what we all should be looking at: insider politics and cronyism. Let's not ever forget that WE are paying for these tax credits; it's OUR money.

Vote early and vote often.