Citizens to Build Corporate Campus in Johnston

JOHNSTON, RI—Citizens Financial Group announced today that it will build a new corporate campus in Johnston and move 3,200 employees, mostly from Cranston, where an existing lease is set to expire in 2018.

The new 420,000-square-foot campus will be built on undeveloped land on the west side of Interstate 295 and will include a call center, executive offices and meeting space along with fitness, food and retail facilities and "fields and trails that will be available for use by the local community," the company said in a news release.

A new highway exit will be constructed with Citizens and the state Department of Transportation splitting the costs.

The project is being heralded by elected officials as a sign that the business community has increasing faith that Rhode Island is a good place to do business.

Governor Gina Raimondo attended a press conference announcing the new corporate campus on Wednesday morning and said the project will bring construction jobs in the short term and "significant long-term economic activity that will contribute to Rhode Island's comeback."

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena said that the new campus will deliver an immediate boost to the town's tax base and "I fully expect other businesses will want to come to Johnston to serve the more than 3,000 Citizens colleagues who will be here every day, creating additional jobs and tax revenue."

The bank's Providence headquarters will remain in place.

Construction is expected to begin later this year.

The project was facilitated by infrastructure improvements including the extension of sewer lines into the area by the Narragansett Bay Commission and a 20-year property tax agreement pending approval from the Johnston Town Council.

The Cranston facility, located at 100 Sockanosset Cross Road, is managed by Carpionato Group, which also manages the Chapel View shopping center.

Photo courtesy: Jim Langevin