Roger Williams University to Double Its Footprint in the Heart of Downtown Providence, R.I.

News provided by

Dec 19, 2014, 11:30 ET

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a move that will nearly double its footprint in downtown Providence and allow more students – law students, adult learners and undergraduates – access to enhanced learning and community engagement opportunities in the capital city, Roger Williams University has agreed to lease 76,566 square feet of space at One Empire Plaza from property owner Berkeley Investments, Inc.

Roger Williams University to lease 76,566 square feet of space for its expanded Providence campus at One Empire Plaza in downtown Providence, Rhode Island.

RWU President Donald J. Farish, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and Berkeley Investments Vice President and Project Manager Barbara Smith-Bacon joined other city, state and community officials for an event today at One Empire Plaza to announce the University's expansion in Providence.

When the University's new space opens in May 2016 following a complete renovation, it will replace its existing Metro Center at 150 Washington Street. It will provide expanded space for RWU's School of Law, School of Continuing Studies and growing array of outreach and engagement programs, including the Latino Policy Institute, HousingWorks RI and the Community Partnerships Center. With community-focused, project-based learning having emerged as a defining element of an RWU education, Farish says a larger, more geographically central presence in the heart of the state and city is essential.

"This puts students at the center of the action and will translate to more real-world opportunities, which equip graduates with the practical skills that open doors in the employment world," Farish said. "And for our community partners – the state of Rhode Island, the city of Providence and a great number of other municipalities and nonprofits in the region – this allows us to collaborate and to contribute faculty and student expertise on a greater scale, from a central location, on quality-of-life issues that affect Rhode Islanders."

The move serves as a long-term investment by the University in the city of Providence, its surrounding communities and local businesses and residents. With a 12-year lease beginning in May 2016, rent will total nearly $23 million dollars into 2028; that follows a renovation by Berkeley Investments that will total nearly $11 million before RWU takes occupancy. With much of the building's activity to continue late into the evening, the expanded student presence will also benefit local businesses well beyond busy daytime commuter hours.

"We are excited to have Roger Williams University expand its presence here in Providence and welcome RWU students, faculty and staff as they breathe new life into One Empire Plaza," Mayor Taveras said. "This expansion will benefit local businesses, bringing more people downtown and showing them what our city has to offer. Furthermore, RWU's increased presence downtown and its proximity to surrounding communities will provide more students with the opportunity to gain the practical skills and knowledge so valuable to rounding out their educational experience."

Berkeley Investments President Young K. Park noted the significance of the agreement with RWU: "With this long-term lease, Roger Williams University is the perfect partner for us at One Empire Plaza," he said. "We are delighted that RWU selected One Empire for its growing array of law, continuing studies and graduate programs, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with the University."

The University's presence in the six-story building will comprise the entirety of the first four floors and a portion of the fifth floor; the 76,566 square feet leased by Roger Williams represents approximately 75 percent of the building's available office and retail space. A total of 18 classrooms with capacities ranging from 30 to 50 seats will be included on floors two, three and four. More than 100 conference rooms, meeting spaces and offices will be located throughout the building.

For RWU Law, the new space will serve as the school's law center for Providence, more fully integrating its clinical offerings and amplifying its connection to the city and state's legal community. For the University's School of Continuing Studies, the move to the larger, centrally located campus in downtown Providence is key to attracting adult learners to the wide range of credit-bearing degree programs offered through the school, as well as the non-credit offerings of the Professional Education Center.

About RWU: Roger Williams University, with its main campus located on the coast of Bristol, R.I., is a forward-thinking private university with 45 undergraduate majors spanning the liberal arts and the professions, where students become community-minded citizens through project-based, experiential learning. With small classes, direct access to faculty and boundless opportunity for real-world projects, RWU students develop the ability to think critically while simultaneously building the practical skills that today's employers demand. In the two years since launching its signature Affordable Excellence initiative, the University has established itself as a leader in American higher education by confronting the most pressing issues facing students and families – increasing costs that limit access to college, rising debt and the job readiness of graduates. In addition to its 4,000 undergraduates, RWU is home to more than a dozen graduate programs, a thriving School of Continuing Studies based in Providence as well as Rhode Island's only law school.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141218/165333

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roger-williams-university-to-double-its-footprint-in-the-heart-of-downtown-providence-ri-300012315.html

SOURCE Roger Williams University