Welcome to ArtInRuins
We document the architectural landscape and collect the oral, written, and photographic history of important places. We hope to be a safe space for storytelling, memory-sharing, and dreaming about the future of the built environment in northern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. More about A.I.R.
Recently updated Properties
Updated 12 September, 2021: A handsome single story early 20th-century storefront tastfulyl converted to a local bakery and coffee shop
Updated 11 September, 2021: A once bustling retail destination and hang out. Now, a dead mall? Not quite yet…
Updated 10 September, 2021: An enormous granite, brick, and steel early 19th-century military fortification guarding the entrance to Narragansett Bay
Updated 5 September, 2021: A large mill complex on the West Side of Providence turns into residential lofts at the beginning of the boom
Updated 4 September, 2021: A mini-arcade type of commercial building in a once bustling retail district turned small business and destination retail space
Updated 3 September, 2021: Two indistinct one-story infill buildings flanked by 100+ year old two-story mill buildings that manufactured fire safety equipment
Updated 2 September, 2021: A relatively low-slung and simple early 20th century former car repair garage in a residential portion off Broadway
Updated 1 September, 2021: A visually-arresting former carriage house and stable behind one of Broadway’s most ornate mansions
Updated 29 August, 2021: A handsome, if not crumbling, three story brick and granite five-sided commercial building at the gateway to Pawtucket’s Downtown
Updated 24 August, 2021: This once ornate building was simplified in the 1920s and once again in the 2000s but has always been commercial space
Updated 23 August, 2021: A family eatery for 50 years at the same corner moves its menu and its silo to a new location in 2021
Updated 22 August, 2021: A narrow and difficult to redevelop building languished on the Ten Most Endangered List for five years before getting a new life
Updated 18 August, 2021: A series of late 19th and early 20th century mill buildings converted to residential during the boom of the mid-2000s
Updated 14 August, 2021: A modest hotel gets a facelift and an upgrade during the city’s development boom time
Updated 12 August, 2021: An irregulary shaped former horse stable turned furniture showroom turned apartments
221 properties and 3,990 images.
Anecdotes
1,642 anecdotes from people just like you.
-
This restaurant had been in this location my entire life AND most of my parents life. Other than removing the pickle jars sometime in the 90s, the interior had remained the same as well. This was a 3 minute drive from my parents house so we got take out a lot. When we did eat ...
Jeff F on Beef Barn no.1 -
My wife’s Great Uncle was Harry Davenport and was the President of Washburn Wire.
Glen Hawthorne on Washburn Wire -
The Wilbury Group theatre company did 3 shows at the Butcher Block space around 2013 — “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “Lungs,” and then “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.” Then a pipe burst in the building, the fire department came to check it out and put a stop to us usi...
Josh on United States Rubber Company Mill Complex -
Just trying to find info on old lace mills in area of Esten Ave. believe great grandfather Charles (Thomas) Thompson had one
Joan McKenna on American Textile Mill -
My dad Lawrence Anatole Tellier worked at Gorhams when jewelry with precious stones and metals were being made for the shah of Iran. It had to be before 1944 when my family of origin was living in D.C. Do you have any records of this name?
Sister Marie Tellier on Gorham Manufacturing Company -
The building that 21 east nightclub was knocked down in 1987 to build Shooters nightclub and restaurant
Pat Cortellessa on Shooter’s Waterfront Cafe -
I am Liz Vaughn’s older brother and the son of Richard Vaughn. I worked in the Warwick building for years, every summer sweeping floors and school holiday. I went to college and joined the Army (service to country was/is a family tradition) and when i left active duty I worked...
Mark Kennedy Vaughn on L. Vaughn & Company -
I am French but lived on the west side between 2006 and 2009. Decatur was my local, met a lot of cool ppl there, loved the atmosphere and to go there to chat, watch a game, grab a Gansett. Place thoroughly missed.
Yannick on Decatur Lounge
