Preston Redevelopment Agency

Create a productive center of sustainable mixed-use activity on the former Norwich Hospital site, now to be known as Preston Riverwalk that will provide the maximum economic benefit to the Town of Preston, neighboring communities, the region, and the State.

Insure the future development of Preston Riverwalk embodies sound ecological practices including renewable, sustainable energy, environmentally benign waste management, and efficient transportation and communications.

Preserve the rural character of Preston as well as the natural beauty of the Site and its included areas of historic or cultural significance such as cemeteries and buildings of particular architectural interest.

Provide public recreational areas, facilities, open space, and access to the Site that contributes to the quality of life in Preston.

Develop Preston Riverwalk responsibly and cohesively with input from regional stakeholders.                                  - Conceptual Management Plan (CMP)

The following maps are from a 2011, Fuss & O'Neill Report commissioned by the agency, representing suggested land use and building massing diagram.  For more information please contact the PRA

The concept suggested here makes use of a professional perspective gleaned from a number of different disciplines and has helped frame the PRA's discussions. It does not exclude other approaches and the PRA does have a view to emphasize the value of the waterfront.

The Riverwalk theme suggests an integrated walkway with waterviews and access to shops, restaurants, hospitality, etc. and has appeal to the agency and community.

For intance, the area highlighted above looks interesting for a hotel with a captive small boating area (there is a trestle underpass beneath the RR tracks) but this potential needs to be explored.

While, the property is large enough to accomodate a number of mixed use patterns, the prevailing thoughts based on past proposals, interviews, and public input suggest destination resort/attraction/shopping with high design quality and visibility elements that will draw from the very significant tourism trip volume generated by area attractions, and complement and strengthen the southeast tourism district.