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-public transportation
-job market
-walkable (Is it dense? or spread out? Do I need a car?)
-scenary (is it more nature? or depressed? etc.)
Also anything else you might want to add. I've read that Pawtucket is good place for working artist although I'm just starting. I'm thinking of moving from CA, which doesn't provide as many incentives as Pawtucket does, working space being the main one. I'm sure I left out a few other things, feel free to expand.
And if anyone can post pictures of the place I would appreciate it, can't seem to find anything inspiring or you know, touristy, of the postcards kind, not that it would be a factor, well depending I suppose.
Pawtucket has been written about a number of times in this forum so you might want to search the previous threads for information.
If I were going to locate in Pawtucket, I think I'd consider Hope Artiste Village which is a successful live/work renovation of the old Hope Webbing Mill. It is only about 5 minutes to the East Side of Providence. You could make do without a car especially if you ride a bike or a motorcycle. There is bus transport.
see here: Spaces (http://www.hopeartistevillage.com/spaces/Spaces/ - broken link)
The scenery in P. largely consists of the fact that the Blackstone River runs through it and that is why the textile mills were located there. I believe LRFox just posted some nice photos in the photo section for RI.
Thanks Holly for the info. I looked back about twenty pages for Pawtucket threads/info and there wasn't much. I think I may fly out and visit, possibly, just to get a feel for it.
Im originally from that area just across the border in Mass. Unless you are completely disenchanted with living in Calif, then I would think Pawtucket would be a huge shock in so many ways.
It isn't known for extensive transit. The bus company is called RIPTA. I can't say it is all that great a bus company and that routes are extensive. You can definitely get in and out of Pawtucket and into Providence using the bus though. There is commuter rail service from the area into Boston from Providence and across the line in So. Attleboro, Mass. Im not sure if Pawtucket has a commuter rail station.
I would definitely say Pawtucket and the general area is urban dense and not sprawled out as in California. There is country side and New England as a whole is very scenic. RI is small and the countyside is nearby in the NW portion of the state. Cape Cod is barely an hour away, though the traffic can make it seem so much further on a Friday. There are numerous beaches in South County in RI. I have to say Pawtucket may appear as a run down depressed area to someone visiting from so far away. Pawtucket is an old mill city that has seen its day on that issue. The mills are all gone now and Pawtucket. Well lets say the area needs some meaningful employers to move in.
Job wise the area is suffering and I would not go without a job in hand. I can't stress that enough. For decades many in RI have commuted to Mass and into the Boston area to make a living. I understand from relatives there they have never seen it so bad, but then the whole country is bad on the job issue now.
I think the region is a great area but then its home to me. Yes a visit would in order before any kind of decision could be made.
I think you'd have to look at Pawtucket primarily as a good place to get loft space as an artist. As a city it is depressed and many would find it depressing as well, but downtown Prov and the East Side are not even 10 min away.
Depressed seems a little strong description to me, in the sense that you would be crazy to move there-for lower income persons it is struggling, many foreclosures, but many artists also claim it as home. It's so close to Providence, to me it's always felt as an extension of it, and the Darlington section borders the nicest, residential part of Providence, near the Blvd, and further on, the East Bay bike path. Pawtucket has an interesting, important history, and there've always been some art and community orgs trying to make it a better place. Housing is very old, and it's very densely populated, and there's a lot around.
Im originally from that area just across the border in Mass. Unless you are completely disenchanted with living in Calif, then I would think Pawtucket would be a huge shock in so many ways.
I'm prepared. I think working and trying to look for a decent studio to work/live in has proven to be quite an endeavor, I've been looking for years and I can't seem to find something close to a "raw loft" (meaning not rehab, bare minimum) that won't cost such a pretty penny, here in CA. The bigger cities and the desired coast is not even fathomable from where I'm starting at. I do realize there are an abundant amount of artist (99.9% bad art) that reside there, I don't know how they do it. I suppose giving yourself into the will of the galleries will help, though at this point I feel it would be a fruitless endeavor if I did decide to go down the gallery road. I have nothing against them or artist who choose to, I just don't think it's right for me at this point. I just need space to work and there aren't too many cities offering a helping hand like Pawtucket is.
I don't dislike CA, I just can't afford it. Well I can, I just have to work, work a lot.
Quote:
It isn't known for extensive transit. The bus company is called RIPTA. I can't say it is all that great a bus company and that routes are extensive. You can definitely get in and out of Pawtucket and into Providence using the bus though. There is commuter rail service from the area into Boston from Providence and across the line in So. Attleboro, Mass. Im not sure if Pawtucket has a commuter rail station.
Easy commute to Providence is good enough. I've been to Boston and I didn't really care for it. Thanks for the info though.
Quote:
I would definitely say Pawtucket and the general area is urban dense and not sprawled out as in California. There is country side and New England as a whole is very scenic. RI is small and the countyside is nearby in the NW portion of the state. Cape Cod is barely an hour away, though the traffic can make it seem so much further on a Friday. There are numerous beaches in South County in RI. I have to say Pawtucket may appear as a run down depressed area to someone visiting from so far away. Pawtucket is an old mill city that has seen its day on that issue. The mills are all gone now and Pawtucket. Well lets say the area needs some meaningful employers to move in.
I was under the impression that there were many mills left that are being renovated, am I wrong?
Quote:
Job wise the area is suffering and I would not go without a job in hand. I can't stress that enough. For decades many in RI have commuted to Mass and into the Boston area to make a living. I understand from relatives there they have never seen it so bad, but then the whole country is bad on the job issue now.
I think the region is a great area but then its home to me. Yes a visit would in order before any kind of decision could be made.
Well, if I do move, wherever that may be (I'm considering several other states), I have a part time job over the internet from the current job I'm working at here in CA (my boss likes me that much), though I'll need to find another part time job.
I think you'd have to look at Pawtucket primarily as a good place to get loft space as an artist. As a city it is depressed and many would find it depressing as well, but downtown Prov and the East Side are not even 10 min away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saltatrix
Depressed seems a little strong description to me, in the sense that you would be crazy to move there-for lower income persons it is struggling, many foreclosures, but many artists also claim it as home. It's so close to Providence, to me it's always felt as an extension of it, and the Darlington section borders the nicest, residential part of Providence, near the Blvd, and further on, the East Bay bike path. Pawtucket has an interesting, important history, and there've always been some art and community orgs trying to make it a better place. Housing is very old, and it's very densely populated, and there's a lot around.
Is it a) depressed as in worn down, things aren't as pristine as they use to be but everyone seems to be relatively happy? b) Depressed as in buildings falling apart and everyone is wondering the streets with outstretched emaciated arms begging for food? c) Depressed as in crime infested, druggies, drive by shootings, and everyone else is just watching their backs and is probably packing a weapon? d) All of the above. Or e) one or more of the following ____.
I don't mind if it's A or even A with a little bit of B and even C.
quote: "Darlington section borders the nicest, residential part of Providence, near the Blvd,"
You have this confused with Oak Hill. Darlington is off Newport Ave going up towards Attleboro.
Pawtucket is depressed as in old mill town with little industry left and lots of welfare and food stamps. I95 went through the center of town in the early 1960s . Probably cheaper than CA- probably good for loft space.
All of the above- it's got very tough parts, some rather decent parts, and probably a lot of parts you'd be fine in if you were streetsmart, but there might be more of a risk of a b&e or car theft, the occasional but rare near mugging walking back from a bar late at night, etc. No different than for alot of people who need very inexpensive rent. More violent crime is often drug and familial oriented, and that threat thankfully doesn't spillover to the general population here in RI, like apparantly it does in CA or Florida for example- overall RI and Ptckt is pretty safe. For whatever reason, if you didn't like Boston, you may not like the Prov area though. You definitely should check it out first, especially if you are looking for inexpensive housing- you would need to be careful with that.
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