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Woonsocket small-business owner seeks grant help for costly fire‑alarm upgrades at converted mill
Summary
A Woonsocket property owner who converted an old mill into storage and light industrial space described a multi‑month, multi‑thousand‑dollar effort to meet fire-alarm requirements and asked the city for help finding grants and resources; the mayor highlighted a new small-business hub opening April 9.
Juliet Catherine Tremmel, owner of a 39,000-square-foot mill at 98 Water Street and 50 Canal Street, asked the Woonsocket City Council for assistance Monday in finding grants or other resources to pay for required fire-alarm system upgrades so she can secure a full occupancy permit.
Tremmel said she bought the building without a fire-alarm system, invested roughly $27,000 to repair a nonfunctioning sprinkler system and has already paid $6,000 for engineering plans. She presented contractor bids and permit costs and said the next phase — a full fire‑alarm installation with audible enunciators, exit lighting and other system components — is likely to cost about $55,000. Tremmel said she works overnight security and has limited cash flow; she has invested personal funds and borrowed to cover initial repairs.
Why it matters: Tremmel said the lack of a full occupancy permit prevents full leasing and revenue generation from tenants she hopes will help pay for the compliance work. The building currently houses storage and manufacturing customers; Tremmel said safety is her priority and she is seeking targeted grant funding that supports women-owned businesses in industrial/commercial buildings.
What she asked the council
Tremmel sought information on grants or assistance programs that could help a woman owner in a male-dominated commercial construction sector pay for required life-safety upgrades. She described the cost of permits (she cited a permit fee example of $5,998.20) and engineering plans, and said contractors can complete the work in about two weeks if funds are available; current work has paused after seven months because of cash limits.
City response
Councilwoman Gonzales told Tremmel the city will open a small-business hub at the Woonsocket Education Center on Wednesday, April 9, from 3 to 5 p.m., where multiple agencies and a new collaborative — the Business Empowerment Alliance of Rhode Island (BEARI) — will provide guidance. Gonzales suggested Tremmel attend the ribbon-cutting and seek the hub’s assistance locating grants and partner agencies that provide business-technical help.
Tremmel thanked the mayor for touring her property and for staff attention; the mayor confirmed he had visited the site and that staff are aware of the project’s financial limits. Tremmel provided a contact number for follow-up and said she is actively applying for grants but has not secured sufficient funding to finish the fire-alarm installation and obtain a full occupancy permit.
Next steps
City officials invited Tremmel to meet with small-business hub staff and member agencies to explore grant opportunities and technical assistance. Tremmel asked the council and audience for referrals to grant programs that specifically help women owners in industrial or commercial building retrofit projects.
