Daily Briefing: What has remote work done to downtown Providence?

ALSO: Is an iconic Providence restaurant going out of business? ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Wed Jul 17 2024 Will Richmond | Managing Editor Communities & R.I. [@Will_Richmond]( Good morning, I'm Will Richmond at [The Providence Journal]( and this is the Daily Briefing. The COVID-19 pandemic sent many of us, especially office workers, packing our desks and heading home. We've set up home workstations that in some cases are better than what we now have at our office desks and we can feel less guilty stealing our spouse's leftovers out of the fridge than a co-worker's. Four years removed from the start of shutdowns many businesses have found that remote work actually works and while it may be a benefit to the companies there are potential downsides for the cities and towns where office workers once flocked. What has this meant in Providence? [Infosys celebrates the grand opening of its Providence design center in February 2019.] India-based technology company Infosys celebrates the grand opening of its Providence design center in February 2019. Steve Szydlowski/The Providence Journal, file [The Journal's Patrick Anderson examines the city's commercial office space market and where it stands from pre-COVID years and why there is the possibility of a bigger problem.]( • No pension. No 401(k). No problem. A new law has paved the way for approximately 170,000 Rhode Islanders who work for employers who put nothing aside for their retirement to have access to a retirement plan. While the program isn't quite ready to roll out yet, [The Journal's Katherine Gregg explains how it will work and why there are some concerns.]( • Are the rumors true? Is Olneyville New York System closing? J[ournal food and dining editor Gail Ciampa goes all the way to the source to find out]( while also cooking up some other dining notes. [Gail also offers up a pro tip for anyone making reservations online](. Consider it a lesson learned. • The court battle over whether Smithfield police lied about having a confidential informant to raid a cannabis warehouse is over, and it's going to cost the town. [The Journal's Tom Mooney has details on the settlement and why a defense attorney is saying the town should be embarrassed.]( • As we continue to unveil our All-State athletes, [these boys ruled the tennis courts this spring.]( More from The Providence Journal [Find the latest obituaries here.]( [Subscribers can read the eNewspaper here.]( WORTH A READ 📰 [AR rifle used in Trump shooting]( from company with winding history, campaign visit 🏠[Home equity has doubled in seven years for Americans](. But how do you get at the money? 🎹 Not defined by autism: [Talented 11-year-old pianist debuts on organ at Polar Park]( RHODY RANKS Every day we receive emails ranking Rhode Island. While the work behind the ranks may be dubious, they can be fun. Each day I'll share where Rhody Ranks from one of the latest emails. A new study has revealed the states that are most interested in taking a gap year, and Rhode Island has come in second place. Experts in educational student travel [Rustic Pathways]( gathered search volume data for the U.S. nationally and in each state, for a list of terms relating to gap years and programs. They calculated each state’s total monthly searches per 100,000 residents to create a fair and final ranking. [TODAY'S WEATHER]( 🥵 Clouds and sun, hot and humid with a heavy thunderstorm late in the afternoon; thunderstorms can bring flooding downpours, hail and damaging wind gusts. Highs in the low 90s. TOP STORIES [Why a RI man sentenced to life for murder will get a new trial]( [Wooden gavel on table. Attorney working in courtroom. law attorney court judge justice gavel legal legislation concept]( Jairo Esdel was convicted in in the shooting death of 22-year-old Joel Rosario in Pawtucket on Halloween night 2020. [READ MORE]( Advertisement [Governor Dan McKee, Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong and several other community leaders at a press conference on improvements to the Florence Gray Center to be made through the statewide Community Learning Center Initiative.]( [Federal grants lead to $7.5 million makeover for Florence Gray Center]( “We are ending the business of thinking about education solely as our public schools and we’re looking at it holistically as an education system." [READ MORE]( [WATERS OFF MARTHA'S VINEYARD 04/29/24 The Danish ship Sea Installer which carries all the components for another wind turbine as it sits beside a monopile foundation for a turbine ready to install another one twelve miles south of Martha's Vineyard at the Vineyard Wind site. The offshore substation platform is seen at the top left of photo. Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times]( [Vineyard Wind turbine blade broke off, Nantucket beaches surveyed]( As of June 24, 20 turbines were installed, according to the company. Ten of those had completed commissioning procedures and were operational. [READ MORE]( [A 2014 Journal file photo of Donna Travis, then president of the city council The Providence Journal/Kathy Borchers]( [Why a Warwick councilwoman has to give back the Oakland Beach property she took]( When speaking to The Journal about the transfer, Travis and her husband characterized those speaking out as being "from Massachusetts." [READ MORE]( [A police car travels at night with its lights flashing.]( [Hopkinton man's run from police ends in a shootout in rural VT]( A bullet in a neighbor's AC unit led to an alarming discovery: A Hopkinton man had been stockpiling ghost guns, ammo and Kevlar protective equipment. [READ MORE]( Advertisement Vote with Confidence This 7-day newsletter course will help you be an informed voter before Nov. 5. [SIGN UP NOW]( SUBSCRIBE TODAY Our Reporting. Your Stories. Full access to subscriber-only content on all devices. 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