WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Former Gov. Lincoln Chafee made a somewhat rare Rhode Island public appearance on Thursday, joining other dignitaries for a groundbreaking in the city he led three decades ago.
Chafee, who served as mayor of Warwick from 1993 to 1999, said he was invited to the event by the current mayor, Frank Picozzi, as construction begins on the new Skye City Center development near T.F. Green Airport. The project will include 297 apartment units, a five-level parking garage, and ground-floor retail.
Chafee noted that efforts to encourage transit-oriented development around the airport date back decades. “The best thing is,” he said, “Post Road’s right here, the airport’s right there, the train station’s right there. And this was always the vision.”…