Jencunas: Remembering Buddy Cianci
Sunday, January 31, 2016
No politician ever loved a city as much as Buddy Cianci loved Providence. His career let Buddy give speeches to the Republican National Convention and the British Parliament, negotiate with billionaires like Steve Wynn and Donald Trump, and make national media appearances with Matt Lauer and Don Imus. But no matter what he was doing, Buddy Cianci was synonymous with the city he shaped for over twenty years.
Most mayors come and go with little lasting impact. Once they leave office, they are remembered only by a few plaques, a portrait in a dusty corner of City Hall, and, if they’re lucky, a building named in their honor. Buddy Cianci was one of the rare mayors whose legacy is an entire city. When thousands of people flock downtown to see Waterfire, when diners enjoy Providence’s world-class restaurants, or when tourists enjoy the historic downtown and a show at PPAC, they experience the living legacy of Providence’s greatest mayor. All of these achievements were team efforts, but none of them would have happened without the mayor’s leadership.
Buddy was a larger-than-life personality who could charm a voter one-on-one or inspire a crowded room, but he wasn’t just a glib retail politician. He was also a visionary who understood the future of the American city better than any urban planner or academic. In the 1970s, when experts in urban renewal urged cities to tear down historic buildings for new developments, Buddy knew that history was essential for a city to thrive. That’s why Providence still has the Biltmore Hotel, which he rescued from bankruptcy, and why the Providence Performing Arts Center was created out of an old theater.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn the 1990s, the mayor knew that cities would increasingly rely on cultural capital, offering unique experiences and a thriving art scene. This is the model that works for hip cities like Portland, Austin, and Asheville. Buddy figured it out long before vinyl records made their comeback, which is why Providence revitalized Federal Hill with restaurants, uncovered the rivers downtown and then set them ablaze, and topped every 1990s era list of livable cities.
I had the pleasure of seeing the mayor's brilliance up close when I worked on Buddy's 2014 campaign. As a political junkie, I already knew about Buddy's successes as mayor. It wasn't until he took me to dinner that I learned about the love and loyalty he inspired in people. For hours, we sat outside DePasquale Plaza at Venda Ristorante and discussed the campaign. Every few minutes, we'd be interrupted by well-wishers. In one night I met constituents who praised Buddy for his time as mayor, a lobbyist who wanted a prediction about the gubernatorial campaign, and a retired union leader who complained about the latest anti-Buddy column in the Providence Journal.
This scene would play out anywhere the mayor went, whether it was a senior living center or a bar near Brown. Buddy inspired respect for his accomplishments as mayor and earned love with his indefatigable charisma. Before the debate at Rhode Island College, a student asked me what campaign I was with. When I answered Buddy, she smiled and told me, "You mean the mayor? Whoever wins this election, he'll always be the Mayor of Providence."
Buddy won the people’s love one voter at a time. He never turned down a chance to mingle, even at the much-mocked opening of an envelope. When he did go somewhere, he didn’t give a short speech and leave. He met every person there, remembered the names and stories of the ones he met before, and left with new friends. It was a throwback to a time when people actually knew their leaders from something other than social media soundbites and TV ads.
The public's love for the mayor wasn’t universal. He had plenty of critics, none of whom could have transformed anything the way Buddy shaped Providence. As for mistakes, to quote one of his favorite singers, he made a few, but when measured against his titanic accomplishments they seem too few to mention.
Fifty years from now, even famous political figures will have faded into obscure footnotes in history books. Buddy will still be remembered because the rivers will still flow downtown, famous plays will still visit PPAC, and Providence will still be the city Buddy Cianci created. He rescued Providence from becoming just another post-industrial city where nothing good ever happens, and the city will forever be in his debt.
Brian Jencunas works as a communications and media consultant. He can be reached at [email protected] and always appreciates reader feedback.
Related Slideshow: Cianci Through The Years
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