New tenant will occupy Newport Gateway Visitors Center's second, third floors
Scott BarrettNEWPORT — There’s a new tenant for the Gateway Visitors Center.
The City Council on May 11 unanimously approved a lease agreement that would allow the Newport Community School to move into the second and third floors of the building that faces America’s Cup Avenue. The space previously served as the offices of Discover Newport, which completed its move to the Shops at Long Wharf in early 2021.
Multiple attempts to contact Newport Community School Executive Director Tracy Shea were unsuccessful. Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano during the meeting said this seems like a good fit, and “right next to an aquarium,” responded council member Jamie Bova.
In September, the City Council approved a lease agreement for the Save the Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium to move from Easton’s Beach Rotunda to the 6,500-square-foot ground floor of the Gateway Center for a minimum of $30,000 per year.
According to its website, the Newport Community School was founded in 2001 in a partnership with the United Way to provide “out-of-school time programs to the community’s secondary grade level students and their families.” In 2010, programming expanded to include adult learning.
The school’s current administrative offices are located at Thompson Middle School, 55 Broadway, and the Aquidneck Island Adult Learning Center is housed inside the former John F. Kennedy Elementary School on West Main Road in Middletown.
Under the agreement, Newport Community School will occupy the 5,400-square-foot space on the second and third floors of the Gateway Center over a five-year lease, with a five-year option. Annual rent, to be paid in 12 equal monthly installments is set at $99,000, beginning July 1. Annual rent increases of 2.5% will commence in 2024.
Newport Gateway Center:City Council unanimously approves lease of the Gateway Center to Save the Bay
The tenant will pay its share of utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewer) and common expenses of operation. Newport Community School can build out the interior of the premises in a manner consistent with permitted uses.
Newport Community School recently was awarded $170,000 from the federal government as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative.
The Save the Bay lease is for 10 years, with two five-year options. Under the lease agreement, the city will receive 10% of the admission ticket sales to the Exploration Center. If admissions are strong, the city could receive more than $30,000 annually, but Save the Bay would cover that minimum regardless of sales.
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If Save the Bay chooses to extend the lease beyond 10 years, the organization would pay a minimum of $40,000 annually beginning in the 11th year. The minimum annual payment would rise to $45,000 annually beginning in the 16th year.
Save the Bay has told the city it will build out the interior of the premises and commit to spend at least $750,000 on those renovations.