PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Chafee administration has given Providence building owners until June 3 to put in their bids to sign a new tenant up for a 10-year lease: the state's Office of Health & Human Services headed by former Rep. Steven Costantino.
The House Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday on 10 long-term lease proposals, requiring General Assembly approval. This one is not yet far enough along to provide the lawmakers with a definitive price or address.
The administration is seeking to move more than 150 workers from state-owned space in the Cranston state government complex to 70,000 to 80,000 square feet of leased office space in Providence, with access to 300 parking spaces.
"The build out of the space will include 48 private offices and 6 conference rooms'' and "204 modular furniture workstations.''
The opportunity drew early interest from some of downtown's most prominent developers and property owners, including former Providence Mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr., and representatives from the Carpionato Group, Cornish Associates and Sharpe Building Associates.
Cornish is involved in the proposed renovation of the vacant "Superman" office building at 111 Westminster St. OHHS administers Rhode Island's Medicaid health-care program and other health, social-service and welfare programs.