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Council approves Messer Street School sale; members debate RFP process on Humboldt Firehouse
Summary
The council approved authorizing the sale and redevelopment of the Messer Street School into mixed‑income housing and approved disposition steps for the Humboldt Avenue Firehouse after debate; some council members warned the RFP process left Ward 2 without representation and urged procedural changes.
The Providence City Council approved action to authorize sale and redevelopment of the former Messer Street School and recorded support for the Board of Contract and Supply ecision on the Humboldt Avenue Firehouse, but members raised concerns about how the RFP process represented Ward 2.
Councilwoman Joanne Ryan said the Messer Street project would rehab the historic Messer Street School into a mixed‑income residential building, preserving corridors, stairwells and windows while adding studios, one‑ and two‑bedroom units and sensitive infill on adjacent lots. "It's converting a non‑performing public asset into a private revenue‑generating property contributing to the city's long term fiscal health," she said.
The council debated the matter and then approved the resolution authorizing the sale and referral back to the Board of Contract and Supply.
Separately, on the Humboldt Avenue Firehouse disposition, Ryan said the Board of Contract and Supply had run a competitive RFP and recommended the highest qualified bidder; she urged honoring that process to avoid litigation risk and to preserve fairness and procurement integrity.
Councilwoman Jill Davidson said the RFP process "began and ended when there was no council representation for Ward 2," noting that a departing council member had requested participation in the RFP development and that the lack of local representation had disadvantaged neighborhood institutions such as Montessori Children's House. "While I am not opposing this, the process itself in this case needs to be different moving forward," Davidson said.
Council members including John Goncalves stressed adherence to the RFP process, noting administrative safeguards and the city solicitor's review; one member said personal preferences should not override a rigorously run procurement.
The council recorded roll calls and referred the Messer Street matter back to the Board of Contract and Supply for final disposition steps; other disposition items were also referred or approved according to procurement rules.
Next steps: the matters will proceed through the Board of Contract and Supply and any subsequent administrative steps required for sale and redevelopment.
