Close to 300 people packed into a room at the former St. Joseph Hospital on Tuesday to hear developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr. present his plans to convert part of the building into apartments for the homeless.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Close to 300 people packed into a room at the former St. Joseph Hospital on Tuesday to hear developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr. present his plans to convert part of the building into apartments for the homeless.

Among them were Elmwood residents who loudly opposed the plan, saying it would only further strain their economically distressed neighborhood.

The former city mayor, who recently purchased the five-story building, said he wants to convert part of it to 140 units of long-term housing for about 300 homeless people to alleviate the problems of people "sleeping in vestibules" around Kennedy Plaza. He said he envisioned a place where people could get free clothes, earn their high-school equivalency degrees and grow their own food year-round at hydroponic community garden.

The opponents frequently interrupted Paolino’s presentation, expressing distrust of his intentions and accusing him of trying to move the city’s homeless problem into their neighborhood.

"To be clear, this is not a fight against the homeless," Doug Victor, a resident, said from the podium. "Our fight is against the institutional and outside forces whose actions ultimately continue to keep our neighborhood down."

Mayor Jorge Elorza fought to be heard over the booing and shouts as he took the podium. "The reason I am here,'' he said, "is because I believe that this project can bring the community together.''

The crowd erupted in jeers and shouts.

"I think everyone has to understand that if the residents aren’t behind this project,'' the mayor continued, "this project is not going to happen."

Governor Gina Raimondo attended the event but did not speak.

State Rep. Grace Diaz, D-Providence, urged the crowd to listen to the speakers, saying Mayor Elorza had "prove(d) by his action that he cares" about the homeless. (Diaz's said later in a statement released by her legislative office: “While this may be a good project in some respects, my community has expressed many concerns, I cannot support it at this time...")

Sen. Ana B. Quezada, echoed the local residents' concerns. "We understand that we have a homeless problem in Rhode Island," she said. "We just want it shared … we don’t want everybody dumping on our neighborhood. Enough is enough."

Tammi Wheeler, a South Side resident who had been homeless for about a year four years ago, spoke in favor of the project. But boos from the crowd drowned her out.

Interviewed afterward, Wheeler said the reaction made her sad.

"I don't think they understand homelessness. I don't think these people ever experienced homelessness,'' she said.

"If [Paolino] wants to help people, I think that's a good idea."

The architectural renderings Paolino showed the news media during a briefing on Monday included a fitness center, job training offices, a business center, laundry and kitchen facilities. St. Joseph Health Center, an out-patient clinic, would remain in the building, he said.

Paolino purchased a property at 21 Peace St. from Prospect CharterCare SJHSRI, LLC in late December for $99,000, city records show.

The property is assessed for tax purposes at $49 million and the 2-acre parcel is worth $3.5 million.

Paolino said the price on the deed "doesn't fully describe what the financial acquisition was.'' He declined to be more specific, saying the sale is covered by a confidentiality agreement.

Providence City Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, whose ward includes St. Joseph’s, said she was against Paolino’s plan.

“Although I want the St. Joseph’s campus to become more fully utilized, I am not in agreement with or in support of the proposal that has been presented today because it lacks input from the residents of this community,” she said.

Harris said the Southside and Elmwood neighborhoods had already become home to various social service operations and it was time that other parts of the city take up their share of that obligation.

She noted that Travelers’ Aid, now known as Crossroads, was downtown before it was moved to the southern side of the highway.

“If it’s a hindrance to downtown development, it gets moved south,” she said. “ … We aren’t being asked to take on more of it; we’re being told that we don’t have a choice.

“I will work with my colleagues within city government and community members to create a process that involves real community input,” she said. “Then, and only then, will I be in support of a new use for St. Joseph’s Hospital.”

— with reports by John Hill and Paul Edward Parker

—larditi@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @LynnArditi