Rhode Island, October 7, 2025
News Summary
Three major Rhode Island construction stories advanced: Roger Williams University and Shawmut Design added four new Shawmut Scholars, offering full-tuition scholarships, paid internships and hands-on construction experience; crews demolishing McCoy Stadium uncovered two historic time capsules while preparing the site for a $326 million Pawtucket High School project; and a high-profile Newport property purchase reunites the Seacliff house with nearby estates on Bellevue Avenue. Officials say the discoveries and program expansions will shape local construction workforce development, preserve community history and influence future development along the Newport shoreline.
Construction and development roundup: New scholarship cohort, historic time capsules found during stadium demolition, and a Newport property purchase
By Brian Taylor, Senior Editor
Top developments
Roger Williams University and Shawmut Design and Construction announced the selection of a new group of students for a tied scholarship and training program, crews demolished the former McCoy Stadium and uncovered two time capsules as part of work for a major new high school, and a private buyer has added a Newport Cliff Walk property to an existing local art museum footprint.
Shawmut Scholars program: who, what, where
RWU is located in Bristol, Rhode Island. RWU says four incoming students have been selected for its Shawmut Scholars program. The program is a partnership between RWU and Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction. The program offers full-tuition scholarships and guarantees paid internships. The paid internships will place students in project management situations and at construction sites and include mentorship from industry professionals.
The program is for students majoring in construction management and for architecture or business majors who commit to a construction management minor. It was designed to ensure students graduate with degrees plus four years of practical, hands-on construction experience and with professional networks that typically take years to develop in the field. The program launched in 2021 and combines classroom instruction with rotations through active construction sites, shadowing of project managers, on-site safety training, and hands-on work on budgets and schedules.
The incoming round of Shawmut Scholars include four named students: Kat Almeida, a construction management major from Rhode Island; Emma Jackson, a construction management major from Connecticut; Andie Moreira, an architecture major and construction management minor from New Hampshire; and Ary Ponce, an architecture major and construction management minor from New York.
Two alumni from a previous scholar group graduated this May and have entered careers with Shawmut’s Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, offices, while another alumnus relocated to pursue other opportunities. Shawmut’s chief human resources officer described the cohort launch as the start of a meaningful four-year journey with Shawmut team members serving as mentors and champions and said the firm and RWU are committed to building a broader talent pipeline into the industry.
McCoy Stadium demolition and time capsule discoveries
Shawmut Design and Construction crews were involved in demolition of the former McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The demolition is preparing the site for a $326-million Pawtucket High School project, a 375,000 square-foot campus that will be the single largest school project in Rhode Island’s history and will serve approximately 2,100 high school students when completed.
Crews demolishing the former minor league baseball stadium in Rhode Island on May 12 unearthed an 85-year-old time capsule. That capsule had been enclosed in the original cornerstone of the former McCoy Stadium. The unearthed capsule will be opened at a June 23 ceremony commemorating the 44th anniversary of the longest-ever professional baseball game, a 33-inning contest that lasted eight hours and 25 minutes and concluded at McCoy Stadium in 1981.
Days after the first discovery, crews found a second time capsule believed to have been buried between home plate and the pitcher’s mound during the historic game played on June 23, 1981. The two time capsules are from two different decades: one from 1940 and one from 1981.
Shawmut’s head of preconstruction for the New England region and head of Rhode Island operations said crews approached demolition with safety and precision, and that the team identified and carefully preserved the first capsule. Crews used ground-penetrating radar technology to help locate the second time capsule and are continuing to work with extra care in the demolition because former team management and players believe an additional capsule may be buried at the field.
The found capsule is being held in a secure location by the Pawtucket Police Department. Pawtucket city officials noted further details about the June 23rd time capsule unveiling event will be shared in the near future. According to a local report, the capsule was placed into the cornerstone of the Hammond Pond Stadium on November 3, 1940, by the city mayor at the time. Pawtucket City Council leadership said they are pleased the time capsule was found and preserved to be shared with future generations.
Newport property addition to an existing estate
Oracle founder and multibillionaire Larry Ellison has apparently purchased the Seacliff home at 562 Bellevue Ave. for $11 million. The purchase gives the buyer ownership of all four properties between Rosecliff and Marble House, two local mansions maintained by a preservation society. The buyer name on the deed is Carbonview Limited, LLC, a Delaware limited-liability company, and the buyer address listed on the deed is 101 Ygnacio Valley Drive, Walnut Creek, California, an address the buyer has used before.
Ellison’s central Newport property is the Astors’ Beechwood mansion at 580 Bellevue Ave., which was purchased in January 2010 for $10.5 million and renovated to create a new art museum to house an 18th- and 19th-century European art collection. After that purchase, the buyer acquired properties to the north and south and reunited the original nine-acre estate created in 1881. It is not known what the buyer plans to do with Seacliff, which includes a brick and masonry guest house on the Cliff Walk.
Context and scale
Shawmut Design and Construction is a $2 billion national construction management firm and is leading the construction of the new Pawtucket High School project. The high school project aims to deliver modern academic facilities and community-focused spaces designed for 21st-century learners. Work on the stadium site included advance alerts that time capsules or other artifacts might be present; demolition teams were prepared to preserve and hand artifacts over to city authorities when appropriate.
FAQ
How many incoming students have been selected for the Shawmut Scholars program?
RWU says four incoming students have been selected for its Shawmut Scholars program.
What internships does the Shawmut Scholars program guarantee?
The program guarantees paid internships.
When and where was an 85-year-old time capsule unearthed?
Crews demolishing the former minor league baseball stadium in Rhode Island on May 12 unearthed an 85-year-old time capsule.
When will the time capsules be unveiled?
The unearthed capsule will be opened at a June 23 ceremony commemorating the 44th anniversary of the longest-ever professional baseball game.
What property was purchased and for how much?
Oracle founder and multibillionaire Larry Ellison has apparently purchased the Seacliff home at 562 Bellevue Ave. for $11 million.
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Key features at a glance
| Project / Topic | Key facts | Scale / Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Shawmut Scholars | Full-tuition scholarships; guarantees paid internships; mentorship from industry professionals; launched 2021; four incoming students selected. | Creates four years of practical hands-on construction experience and professional networks for scholars. |
| Pawtucket High School / McCoy Stadium | $326-million project; 375,000 square-foot campus; two time capsules found (one from 1940, one from 1981); time capsules to be unveiled June 23. | Single largest school project in Rhode Island history; will serve ~2,100 students. |
| Newport property purchase | Seacliff at 562 Bellevue Ave. purchased for $11 million; buyer listed as Carbonview Limited, LLC; purchase extends ownership of the estate footprint. | Reunites properties between Rosecliff and Marble House; expands existing art museum footprint centered on Beechwood at 580 Bellevue Ave. |
Reporter’s contact for the Newport piece: [email protected]
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- CDRecycler: Roger Williams University Shawmut scholarships (2025)
- Wikipedia: Roger Williams University
- NEREJ: Shawmut breaks ground on $326M Pawtucket High School
- Google Search: Pawtucket High School Shawmut 326 million
- ENR: Crews unearth 85-year-old time capsule during McCoy Stadium demolition
- Google Scholar: McCoy Stadium time capsule 85-year-old
- NEREJ: Shawmut crew finds 85-year-old time capsule during McCoy Stadium demolition
- Encyclopedia Britannica: McCoy Stadium Pawtucket
- Providence Journal: Larry Ellison buys Newport Seacliff home (2019)
- Google News: Larry Ellison Newport Seacliff Bellevue Ave
Author: Construction TX News
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