Brewster Thornton Group Architects
(l-r) Victoria Howland, PARE project engineer; David Potter, senior project engineer; and Scott Lindgren, managing civil engineer / Photo: PARE Corporation
Bristol, RI – BrisPare Corporation (PARE) joined fellow design and construction firms, Veterans Home staff, U.S. and state leaders, and a distinguished group of resident veterans for the official groundbreaking of the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol on May 22, timed to coincide with the start of the Memorial Day Weekend.
The new $94-million home will replace the original, that was built on this 110-acre site in 1880 to serve veterans of the Civil War.
PARE is providing site and utility design and engineering services for the new facility, which will include 208 private bedrooms subdivided into “neighborhoods,” welcoming common areas, and recreational space for residents. Each common area will include a kitchenette, tables and chairs, and a lounging area.
There also will be a community center, referred to as the “Commons,” that will include a main dining room, library, a barber shop, administrative offices, and healthcare offices.
PARE has been working with Brewster Thornton Group Architects and several other consulting firms to develop the site, which has been designed to provide complete accessibility for all users.
Stormwater management was another component of PARE’s responsibilities for this project; stormwater generated on-site will be treated and infiltrated through the use of bioretention areas and sand filters. Also, to accommodate the new building layout, the historic water tower, currently located on a slight incline, will be moved to the facility’s entrance, and the hill flattened.
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Ken DeCosta, senior vice president and civil division manager at PARE, attended the groundbreaking ceremony along with the project team. While reflecting on the ceremony, he said, “It’s extremely special that we had our groundbreaking ceremony so close to Memorial Day. Having all the veterans here for the groundbreaking was heart-warming, and it’s a project we’re proud to be a part of.”
David Potter, a senior project engineer at PARE, commented that “this project is very important to Rhode Island’s veterans and a major investment in the local economy, and we are happy to be here.”
