The homes will be open on Sunday, and display a variety of styles and price ranges. While individual open house times vary, most of the properties will be open for 1.5-2 hours between 11:00AM and 4:00PM. Click here for a full list of East Bay open houses on the Residential Properties Ltd. website. If you see any homes that interest you, you might want to create a personal open house tour viewing route, which can also be done on our website.

This got us thinking. Time works differently in Rhode Island. Instead of living by that clock thing hanging on the wall, nostalgia seems to be the dominant rhythm of life here. While new construction may change the terrain, the Rhode Island conscious is embedded in the past. Just ask a true Rhode Islander for directions. Instead of street names, they will most likely be given by landmark. And usually this landmark will be outdated, like where the old I-195 used to be. With this trait in mind, we’ve created a list of some famous Rhode Island Used-To-Be’s that are important to our culture.

If you live in the Ocean State and are over the age of 20, there’s a really good chance you have some childhood memory of Rocky Point Amusement Park. This Warwick Park, established in 1847, grew quickly in popularity, and from the 1850’s through the 1980’s it was the most popular attraction in New England. Tom Flanagan remembers spending Saturdays there, full of laughter and cotton candy. The park closed in 1995 and was demolished in 2007. The town of Warwick is currently looking to make the land into a public park.

Much like Rocky Point, Crescent Park in East Providence (named for the crescent shape of the Riverside beach) was renowned in its time. Founded in 1886 by George Boyden, the venue was known as the “Coney Island of the East”, with hot air balloons and extravagant carousels providing the Park’s main attractions. Tom Flanagan also remembers the delicious candy apples he enjoyed here (there is a theme here with Tom about amusement venues). The park closed in 1979, and the surrounding area was developed. The only remnant of these sweet roots is the Crescent Park Carousel, which remains open to this day.

Today, The Towers set the backdrop to the Narragansett social scene, but they once provided entrance to the Narragansett Pier Casino, another source of turn-of-the-century entertainment. The Casino was completed in 1886 and provided a refuge for the areas social elite, offering a variety of recreational opportunities, such as boating, tennis, billiards, bowling, cards, and shooting. The venue also had restaurants, stores, reading rooms, a theater, a bandstand, a ballroom, and a beautiful beach. While Residential Properties Ltd. has been around for a long time (this year is our 30th anniversery!), none of us were there to enjoy the pleasures of The Casino, since the building burned down in 1900. However, locals like Anita Langer cherish The Towers for uniting a community with their granite walls.

Our final used to be is much less romantic, but is a part of Rhode Island history none-the-less. In the 1980s, Providence was included in the Guinness Book of World Record for holding the distinction of World’s Widest Bridge. Known as the Crawford Street Bridge at 1,147 feet, the structure grew when several normal sized bridges were covered with decking and turned into a parking lot. Oh yeah, this monstrosity was located across the Providence River. Ed Hardy remembers thinking this bridge was gross in his youth. This monstrosity has since been dismantled; the river has been moved; Waterfire caldrons line the center of where the bridge was; and the whole transformation turned the area into an asthetically pleasing area. While this demolition was integral in developing our Capital Center, we just couldn’t let you erase this Used-To-Be from your memory. So, remember, you can get to the downtown area from the East Side by crossing over the river where the world’s widest bridge was.

Admittedly, we’ve left out numerous landmarks that could be used for directions, so you can expect another Used-To-Be compilation in the near future.

The 226th Bristol Parade will no doubt be “A Unique American Experience” and is expected to attract tens of thousands of patriotic Americans who have come to enjoy the oldest Fourth of July Parade in the country. The event will begin at 10:30am and will follow the usual route down Hope Street, with its red, white and blue center traffic line. But be sure to plan ahead, the roads will be closing at 7:00am!

The Arnold Mills 4th of July Parade and Road Race has been a Cumberland tradition for over 80 years, and this year the theme will be “America—Our Home”. The Road Race begins at 9:00am, at the North Cumberland Fire Station. The Parade begins at 11:00am travelling down Nate Whipple Highway from the North Attleboro Line and ending at the Arnold Mills historic village center. The event will be followed by a “Concert on the Green” at 1:00pm.

Founded in 1927, Chepachet’s nationally known Ancients and Horribles Parade is a Rhode Island favorite, with floats that feature traditional patriotic messages as well as satire. The event is an exciting mix of comedy and national pride, and is sure to be a blast. The parade will begin at 4:00pm and will follow the usual route down Putnam Pike.

The Block Island 4th of July Parade will start at Legion Park at 11:30am and will end at the statue of Rebecca in Old Harbor. This is a great way to celebrate the 350 years of Block Island History and attendees can expect lots of live music and terrific floats!

The Snug Harbor Parade in South Kingstown will be led by the Snug Harbor Volunteer Fire Co., who are eager to show off their new 2011 fire engines and rescue boats. This is a parade made for “small town America,” with friendly locals and antique cars; a real “community” event. The parade starts at 6:00pm at Gooseberry Road and Hartford Ave., and a Reviewing Stand will be at the Snug Harbor Marina.

Happy Fourth of July, Rhode Island!

View 4th of July Fireworks in a larger map

While this new addition is a welcome improvement to the community, there is some debate over the prospective bridge height. RIDOT plans to elevate the structure 10 inches, but that is 16 inches less than the HarborMaster’s recommendation. However, the number of piers below the bridge will be reduced, so that boaters have more room for travel.

The bridge will be assembled in a way that ensures the present travel patterns will not be affected. Roadway construction will take place offsite, and the final product will be put in place sometime around Spring 2014. The RIDOT and the town of Barrington are shaping this project with the convenience of the community in mind.

Hampden Meadows is a more affordable neighborhood in Barrington. Known for it’s privacy, this quiet area is surrounded on 3 sides by water and is home to the Barrington Yacht Club. It is also an easy commute to Providence.

This week on my radio show, I’ll be in the studio with Ian Barnacle and Steve Tetzner to discuss some proactive strategies for the Spring market. We will be joined by Jazzmine Napolitano, who will discuss a unique and affordable home in Barrington.

This four bed colonial is set on a private drive near  the much sought after Hundred Acre Cove and contains several unique extras. Built in 1967, this property sits back on park like grounds and has around 2972 square feet. The layout is very comfortable, with spacious rooms and beautiful hardwoods, and would be a great choice for someone looking for a property they can add to or improve. With a pool, hot tub and basketball court, this home is its own self contained sanctuary and owners will get to enjoy these unique benefits along with the amenities of the town, such as the bike path and the school system.

Jazzmine Napolitano is the founder of the Napolitano Team, which includes Terri Stevens and Allison Weygund. The team is dedicated to providing a stepped up effort in customer service, with the goal of making their clients feel comfortable and confident with their service. Recent additions to the Barrington Office, each member provides a unique twist to the marketing of homes.

This house will be open to the public on Sunday, March 6th from 12:00PM to 2:00PM.

Sandy Soares, an agent in our Cumberland office, got involved with Adopt-A-Family after learning about the number of children in Woonsocket living under the Poverty line. For 20 years, she has been an advocate for the cause and is a member and former President of the AAF Woonsocket Board of Directors. Currently, she is the organizations Program Coordinator and maintains a blog dedicated to the organization.

If you live in the Providence area and would like to Adopt-A-Family locally, Sandy Conca, an agent in our Providence office, has teamed up with the Salvation Army on Broad Street to bring gifts to children in need. For the past 3 years, she and members of the Providence Office have been helping between 10 and 20 families experience a bountiful holiday, providing gifts for children. Through the generosity of the Providence agents and staff, Sandy manages to deliver almost everything requested, and looks forward to this years Adopt-A-Family endeavors.

If you live in the East Bay area, our office in Barrington collects donations to support the purchase of gifts for women and children affected by domestic violence. Each year, the office raises hundreds of dollars to buy gifts for the Women’s Resource Center of Bristol and Newport Counties. This organization is a safe house for victims of domestic violence, offers programs for children who have experienced this abuse, and is an advocate for these affected families with the courts and police.

An agent in our East Greenwich Office, Denise D’Amico, is spearheading an Adopt-A-Family type Holiday drive, but with a twist. The program, called Adopt-A-Senior, provides Holiday Feasts to elderly people in need. These folks would otherwise not engage in any festivities. To accompany the dinners, agents in the East Greenwich Office are also collecting gifts suitable for seniors.

If you would like to help or become a volunteer in any of these projects, email Adoptafamily@cox.net to reach Sandy Soares, sconca@residentialproperties.com for the Providence Office campaign, Marlene Manchester at mmanchester@residentialproperties.com to contribute to the Barrington cause, and ddamico@residentialproperties.com to keep those seniors involved.

The best take away from these endeavors is the spirit of giving. This is always a good time of year to reflect on your achievements and help others if you can. We believe in it.

In times of falling home values, people can’t help but be concerned about what their property is worth and a faulty appraisal can completely kill a deal. This week on my radio show, Rich and Steve are in the studio with Mike Miale from Statewide Real Estate Appraisal, LLC in Johnston. Besides talking about the latest market updates, they will discuss the new FHA regulations concerning appraisals and how they will affect buyers and sellers. Sometimes on Real Estate Insight we tend to focus on higher end properties, but this week Caroline Butterfield, an agent from our Providence Office, will be on to showcase a great affordable home in Riverside.

It’s not every day in the East Providence area that you come across a home, full of country charm. This 4 bedroom beauty, located at the end of a scenic cul-de-sac in Riverside, is special in this regard. Built in 1976, it’s hard to believe that this quaint home isn’t in a rural area. Instead, 54 Scott drive offers both the convenience of city living and a breathtaking pastoral setting to those who live inside its walls.

The interior provides everything you could ask for, whether entertaining friends and family at Thanksgiving, or just relaxing in front of a crackling fire. The layout is convenient and thought out, with a spacious great room/kitchen, perfect for any task that may come your way. The four bedrooms offer ample room for you and your guests, and with space comes possibilities. Any one of these rooms would make a wonderful office, game room or library.

The lot is extremely large for the area, boasting an impressive 13,000 square feet of private and lush landscaped gardens. You will want to spend your free time lounging on the brick patio, listening to the sounds of nature. Best of all, 54 Scott Drive is set close to the water, with a scenic creek right at your doorstep.

Riverside is a charming town set on Narragansett Bay, full of history and character.  This local is very convenient to Providence, Barrington and major shopping centers, which makes for shorter travel time and fewer hours stuck in traffic. In addition, you are close to Riverside’s historic favorites, like the Crescent Park Carousel, as well as the local Yacht Club.

Caroline Butterfield has been a multimillion producer for over 25 years and is constantly expanding her knowledge and expertise in an ever changing real estate environment.  She values the opportunity to work with all buyer and seller clients, from first time home buyers to senior citizens. When she’s not selling real estate, Caroline enjoys golf, theater, reading, skiing and spending time with her family.