The I-195 District chose a proposal with pointy towers and a pedestrian street, over street-level parking or a hotel.

This is about more than just a building. This is about an idea, and our idea is to create an art and design nexus for the city of Providence,” said Kaitlin McCarthy, founder and CEO of Ionic.

Being chosen for the parcel is the start of the process, as the developer, Ionic Development out of Boston, must line up financing and continue to refine the design with the commission.

Design Center Partners LLC intends to build the Providence Art & Design Center, a 30,000 square-foot mixed-use project that combines retail, art space, and housing in the form of 150 apartments and 25 ...