Series 4: Foundation For Newport, 1983 - 2002, bulk: 1992 - 2001

Series

Staff Only

This series documents activities of the FFN as collected by one of its Steering Committee members, Ade Bethune. A large portion is related to two issues: traffic on America’s Cup Avenue and Thames Street, and the development of the Newport Harborfront Plan with WTG, consultants.

Materials included are meeting minutes and agendas, correspondence, newspaper clippings, reports, and research materials.

Dates

1983 - 2002
Majority of material found within 1992 - 2001

History of the Foundation For Newport

Following the finalization of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan created by the Citizens Advisory Committee, the Foundation For Newport (FFN), also called the Newport Foundation, was founded. The group’s goals were to help develop the recommendations outlined in the Plan and to promote improvements that would enhance Newport’s quality of life. The FFN started to organize in 1992 and was incorporated in May of 1993. Members included Newport citizens from public, private, and business sectors.

The first major issues of focus for the FFN concerned traffic flow on America’s Cup Avenue and Lower Thames Street, and also the development of a waterfront plan. Traffic flow concerns were related to a 1992 R.I. DOT road project proposal similar in location to previous proposals. The FFN completed a Newport Harborfront Plan in 1997 with the help of the consulting firm WTG Planning & Design.