Documenting Change since 2002

General Electric (Warwick)

also known as Bulova Watch Company

A mid-century modern complex built in the late 60s/early 70s for Bulova Watch and then occupied by General Electric for about 20 years.

images of this Property

  • A silver gray brick building in two major parts; one two-story, and another one story. Both feature large commercial plate glass windows and large-radius rounded corners. In general, it looks very space age and mid-century.
  • The reversed sign has been highlighted and flipped to read “General Electric”
  • Providence Historical Aerial Viewer 1962
  • Providence Historical Aerial Viewer 1972
  • Providence Historical Aerial Viewer 1981

21 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more. Aerials from the Providence Historical Aerial Viewer

About this Property

Redevelopment

Between 1962 and 1972, the first half of this complex was designed by Lloyd Baker (thanks for the info, Kyle Baker) and built. In the aerial from 1972 we can see a star pattern rotating on a center axis. This was the home of the Bulova Watch Company until about 1980. General Electric then acquired the building and constructed a new building on the northern side, as seen in the aerial from 1981.

Coming in low like a spaceship about to land, the details of this building are mid-century space-age modern. Rounded corners, white/light tan bricks, big punctuations of windows, and long wide courses of glass. The original building is made of two different shapes that circle around each other in an interlocking pattern. One is rounded and restrained with thick pilasters and small amounts of glass while the other has a second floor that protrudes over the first with a very space-age look.

The circa 1978 (?) building is more restrained with a simple square plan and rounded corners. A second floor was raised and added during the redevelopment between 2005 and 2010. During the rehabilitation, it looked as though the windows were replaced, new roof laid down, and new air conditioning units added.

General Electric left sometime around 2000, we think.

Current Events

This location is home to several businesses, including the administrative offices of Thundermist. It boasts over 100,000 square feet of space and about 500 parking spaces. It is managed by First Bristol Corp, which has a track record of historic or significant building renovation and rehabilitation in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.