Innovate Newport Wins Grow Smart RI Award

Innovate Newport photos

Photo Credit: Innovate Newport

DiPrete Engineering would like to congratulate Innovate Newport on receiving a 2019 Outstanding Smart Growth Project Award from Grow Smart RI.

DiPrete provided parking and stormwater improvements for Innovate Newport as well as landscape design.

With an eye toward stimulating the City’s Blue Tech industry, the City of Newport transformed a North End historic school building into a hub for the region’s growing innovation economy. Dubbed Innovate Newport, the $8 million project renovated and repurposed the former Sheffield Elementary School into a 33,000-square foot Class A co-working, private office, and meeting space.

Innovate Newport has produced a high-quality collaborative environment and is targeted towards existing companies in the marine sciences and underwater technology sectors. The co-work space is available to entrepreneurs and start-ups in all industry sectors.  Rather than risking the stately brick building being torn down, the City – in partnership with the Newport County Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Foundation of RI – saw a unique opportunity to optimize an adaptive reuse project to spark innovation and provide a home for entrepreneurs and established businesses.

The ocean tech firm INSPIRE Environmental is the facility’s largest tenant utilizing nearly 4,500 square feet of second floor space.  The City has also partnered with Workbar, a co-working provider that operates nine locations and 12 partner sites throughout Boston, Rhode Island and the South Coast of Massachusetts.” – Excerpt from Grow Smart RI’s Announcement.

To learn more about Grow Smart RI’s ‘Smart Growth’ Awards, click here.