And the 2025 Smart Growth Award Winners Are . . .

Barbara Sokoloff

Barbara Sokoloff is the President of Barbara Sokoloff Associates. Known for her relentless determination to see every project to fruition, she has consulted on planning and development projects that have yielded over 2,500 units of affordable housing and 14 community facilities since 1987. She is a celebrated leader for her plans focused on transportation options and walkable neighborhoods which have influenced policy at the local, state, and national level. Recently her projects have focused on urban areas, combining affordability with revitalization. Ten of these projects, including mixed-use redevelopments such as AS220, have won Honor Awards from the Providence Preservation Society. A project on which she consulted, Georgiaville Village Green, which is a compact style development focused around a green space, won a RI Smart Growth Award in 2021.

Clark Schoettle

Clark Schoettle’s work over 40 years has changed the face of Providence, revitalizing its neighborhoods and downtown. He led the Providence Revolving Fund from 1983-2018, expanding its capacity, reach and outcomes, and transforming it from a small historic preservation loan fund to a $12 million community development fund, which continues to grow and evolve under new leadership.  With the RI Foundation he created the Downcity Fund that invested over $16 million to help finance the re-development of 24 underutilized buildings in Downtown Providence. His influence also stretches nationally – early in his career, Clark was a co-founder of the National Trust Main Street Project, serving as one of the first three Main Street managers – ever! And he was one of the architect’s of the Four Points Approach to Main Street Revitalization that is now spearheaded by Main Street America.

Chepachet Village Revitalization Plan

The Chepachet Village Revitalization Plan builds on all of the area’s previous planning efforts with a five-year implementation and investment plan that has numerous goals: to identify opportunities for affordable housing and mixed-use development, preserve historic resources, improve buildings and infrastructure, implement creative re-use of property, increase tourism and develop infill recommendations. Using input from business and property owners, the Plan guides the Town in initiating projects and leveraging funding to take advantage of the historic pattern of compact development, maximize walkability and ensure that Chepachet Village prospers while retaining its distinctive historic character. To date, the Town has made impressive progress towards implementing the Plan through numerous projects that are supported by $2 million raised so far through  a variety of funding sources.

newportFILM

Screening films outdoors activates public space and connects diverse groups of people to share a common experience.  In the case of newportFILM that experience centers around the sharing of current and impactful documentaries, live music and sunset picnics that build community and propel change. Founded by Andrea van Beuren and Nancy Donahoe in 2010, newportFILM has screened over 350 documentary films free of charge, which have reached a total of 225K people in outdoor locations throughout Newport and Aquidneck Island, enabling individuals of all backgrounds to attend. Building on this success, newportFILM has been delivering robust year-round indoor placemaking events in recent years throughout Rhode Island, expanding impact and access of documentary films statewide. These events transform regular spaces into dynamic cultural hubs, encouraging people to socialize and experience their surroundings in new ways.

Residences at Riverside Square

The Residences at Riverside Square by One Neighborhood Builders has transformed a contaminated industrial site in East Providence into 16 units of affordable housing for extremely-low- to moderate-income households, with three units specially designated for youth aging out of foster care. Its thoughtful design transitions smoothly between commercial and residential areas while maintaining appropriate neighborhood scale through traditional forms combined with modern details. Located near businesses and bus stops, the building maintains the street edge with parking in the rear and offers privacy through a landscape buffer. Completed in 2024, the townhouses feature covered stoops and fenced yards, while walk-ups share front and rear entries among six neighbors, achieving density without overwhelming the neighborhood character.

United Theatre

The UNITED in Westerly originally opened as a vaudeville house in 1926 and later operated as a beloved movie theater before closing its doors in 1986. In 2003, the Westerly Land Trust acquired the historic building and its adjacent art nouveau storefront, launching a multi-year effort to reimagine the space as a vibrant cultural hub. Following a $17 million renovation, the UNITED reopened in 2021 and now features three state-of-the-art cinemas, a balconied black box theatre with a 700-person capacity, a multipurpose gallery and small event space, and the UNITED Music School, with seven acoustically isolated classrooms that serves over 400 students each week. The UNITED collaborates with area nonprofits and schools on programming that explores important topics – from environmental awareness to equity and inclusion – and serves as a catalyst for communitAy engagement, contributing to the vitality of Downtown Westerly and its local businesses.

Walker Farm Recreation and Resilience Improvement Project

The Town of Barrington is defined by its relationship to the water, and recognizes that climate impacts are eroding the beloved shared public places where residents of all kinds gather to find happiness in nature near dense development. Walker Farm Recreation and Resilience Improvement Project provides a regional template for successful action in the face of relentless climate impacts. Highlights of the project include: restoring ecological function and habitats, increasing boating, shoreline and water access, adapting key infrastructure for resilience to flooding and storm events, improving food production and harvesting access and infrastructure, improving recreational and educational facilities, and connecting key walking and biking networks. The site design was created collaboratively over 2 years with five site user groups, seven Town Boards and three State and Federal agencies.

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