Developer: 157,000‑sq‑ft warehouse at 1 Moshassik moving forward; neighbors demand Morley Field reopened

JK Equities representatives told the Pawtucket City Council on Aug. 6 that construction of a 157,000‑plus‑square‑foot warehouse and office at 1 Moshassik Street is under way with a construction loan, a tax‑credit bridge loan and state funding, and that the company expects about 14 months to complete the building.

The developer update was followed by more than an hour of public comment and council questions focused on a tax‑stabilization agreement (TSA) tied to the site, long delays in site remediation, dust and runoff at the demolition site, and whether the developer plans any work that would affect nearby Morley Field — a public park that residents say has been closed and inaccessible for more than two years.

Why it matters: The project sits near dense neighborhoods, a planned high school and other community assets. Residents say prolonged demolition and uncovered debris have harmed air and water quality near Morley Field and asked the council to press for reopening and remediation. The council and the administration must balance those neighborhood concerns against the developer’s claim that the project will bring investment and jobs and that it is meeting permitting requirements.

What the developer told the council Kelly Morris Salvatore, counsel for JK Equities, and Jerry Karlick, the company principal, said the developer has secured financing that includes a construction loan, a tax‑credit bridge loan secured by re‑build tax credits, and support from the Rhode Island Ready program. Salvatore said the city issued a building permit on June 11 and that a general contractor is on site. "We expect construction will be about 14…