Category: #UsedToBeThere

A simple art-deco-inspired mid-century storefront in Federal Hill demolished for the promise of a new hotel.

A lovely split-square dual residence at the beginning of Atwells Avenue, razed in 2014 for a speculative development that has not come to pass

This turn-of-the-century Federal-style two-story wooden house-turned-resturant was razed quickly on Good Friday in 2021

An amazingly dense complex of mill structures dating from the mid-1800s and in use for over 100 years before succumbing to two large fires in the midst of plans to redevelop

A small, square remnant of a much larger Riverside Mills complex remained as City property for almost 30 years before being torn down.

A former clothing store built off the north side of Sears that stayed empty for years and years before being razed in 2009.

A quick redevelopment of two historic homes in an eroding historic district under pressure to provide “modern” student housing

A commercial space and apartment house best known for its colorful aquatic mural on a busy corner in Fox Point

Built circa 1915, these concrete coal storage towers were demolished in late 2002 by oversight — a permit was granted despite their protection by inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Two massive five-story, brick, pier-and-spandrel warehouses along the waterfront once used for storing cargo. Vacant for 15+ years before demolition from 2013-2015.

A family eatery for 50 years at the same corner moves its menu and its silo to a new location in 2021

A narrow home that was once owned by antique collectors and caretakers of the Bannister House next door

Nine homes on a block off Thayer Street were demolished ot make way for a large bulk of student apartments

Eight houses allowed to decay as student housing and easily demolished because of a lack of visual maintenance

Two late-19th century houses are to be torn down in favor of a five-story mixed-use residential and commercial building in the College Hill Historic District

Once a circa 1920s car garage, most recently this was a commercial block home to Bagel Gourmet and East Side Mini-Mart, two Brown-University-student staples

A large former gymnasium with a large enough indoor space to support a suspended indoor quarter mile track. Demolished in 2001.

A part of the Provisions District met the wrecking ball in 2011. Owner of this and nearby buildings, The Providence Journal Company, used deferred maintenance as an excuse.

A bricked-in and enclosed one-story building along Kinsley Avenue exploded in a chemical fire that leveled it and threw conder blocks across the street

A converted industrial office building became the State Traffic Tribunal but closed for better digs

A former industrial building converted to a Benny’s department store and then converted to a strip mall

Closed in 1981, this William R. Walker and Son-designed church was vacant for over 20 years before neglect contributed to its demise.

A wonderful meeting of Brutalist and roadside architecture in a striking circular floor plan that fit the location at the apex of Broadway and Atwells Avenue quite well.

A neighborhood battle and a prolonged redevelopment took down Clark’s to replace it with mixed-use residential and commercial space

A slowly built-up set of factory buildings that decayed for more than a decade before being razed for… a flower farm

A loved but neglected set of mills suffer fire and neglect before finally being razed

An almost 100 year old apartment building turned dormitory became too downtrodden to be useful.

A large, sprawling glass manufacture complex and large employer in Central Falls, closed its doors in 2014

During this park’s 90-year run, it entertained millions of New Englanders as well as people from all over the world.

A comfortable old man bar for young people during the early 2000s

Brilliant — park your car on top, bowl below. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t hip enough to survive waning interest before bowling made a resurgence

The spooky former “School for the Feeble-minded” which decayed for 20 years before being slowly razed building by building.

An aging 70-year-old municipal structure outlived its usefullness and could not keep up with the educational needs of a new generation

A low-slung, 2-story mill with numerous large windows sat vacant for years before it succumbed to a fire

This historic wooden structure over the Providence River withstood the Hurricane of 1938 but not a lighting strike on January 12, 2011

A kid-friendly family theme park with storybook characters and amusement rides that closed in 2005.

A pair of auto-centric businesses constructed as the “new” highway was carved through Providence in the 50s/60s.

This cinder block building with a residential looking store facade slapped on it stood vacant for many years before demolition. Part of the way commercial retail comes and goes.

A historic home that was not officially verified as “historic”, therefore it was unprotected from demolition by neglect

A non-descript downtown commercial building probably faced with enamel and steel details in the 1950s. Razed in 2005 for a condomuium tower that was never built

A simple building located next to the former Sportsman’s Inn (now the Dean Hotel) that was razed for a never-built hotel.

The littlest building in downtown (not including parking lot shelters) that was once home to small coffee shops.

A mid-century industrial facility designed by famous architects for a little company that went national. Sadly, closed in 1998 and razed in 2020.

The earliest steel-framed buildings in the city, constructed by the Berlin Iron Bridge Company of Connecticut

A group of three unexciting buildings have been razed to make way for an undetermined future development

A quietly operational General Electric light bulb plant for over 70 years until a swift demolition after 20 years of neglect

Two buildings, one still extant and the other recently demolished, in a fruit and produce warehouse portion of Valley Street

A conglomeration of possibly six 1 to 3 story structures bounded by Westminster, Union, and Weybosset Streets razed in 2005 for a proposed parking garage

A long fight over the demolition of a former neighborhood school — and a contributing structure to the Broadway-Armory Historic District.

What was left of the former lumber yard along Harris Ave. was replaced with new office space in 2009

A sweet little simple Art Deco brick gas station in the middle of the Hope Street commercial district. Probably contaminated and hard to subdivide, so it came down.

The iconic “HOPE” sign rose off the roof of a mill building as you drove north on 95 until a fire devastated it in 2004.

A 100+ year old former fire house was demolished in order to command a high price for redevelopment on a busy street

A former 300ft long, 4-story brick mill off the side of Interstate 95 heading north into Massachusetts

A two-story brick L-shaped mill along Eddy Street south of the corner of Eddy and Public Streets. In decay for 10 years or more before being razed in 2005.

The roadway system of on and off ramps when I-195 cut through the Jewelry District and over the Providence River

The roadway system of on and off ramps and causeway over Wickenden Street and the murals that adorned it

A lovely little pub that we never had to pleasure of visiting. Construction on a 3 mile sewer project damaged the foundations beyond repair

A 60 year old, 6000-foot long steel cantilevered truss bridge that struck fear and awe in the passengers that rode over it.

A local scooter sales and repair shop with a side of delicious expresso drinks

A love it or hate it concrete structure in the Brutalist style — its knobby elbows sticking out as decoration

A much loved, family-friendly, local amusement park, active from 1920 through 1987 and home to The Comet wooden roller coaster

A neglected little brick Greek-revival building vacant and boarded up since a fire in the 1990s succumbed to extensive roof damage in 2020

One the last remaining historic homes on the Thayer to Brook Street block demolished for a new structure

A complex of one- and two-story buildings used for upholstery fabric distribution and manufacture for over 90 years

A former mall gets eaten slowly by big-box retail and finally succumbs to the changing times

A family-owned party supply, costume, and novelty store operating since the early 1980s. Closed in 2005 and burned in 2011.

One of the most profitable race tracks in American history had a 44 year run

Before it was demolished and rebuilt, the Ocean House was one of the few surviving 1800s seaside resort hotels in RI

A rather small commercial storefront that was a branch bank for some time but abandoned for many years before eventual demolition.

An almost 100-year old business in an even older building was hastily razed in 2021

This 175 year old stone mill suffered a suspicious and devastating fire in 2005 which razed it to the ground

A long, low slung industrial building west of the highway and in the shadow of the Providence Place Mall. Neglect over ten years as well as some nefarious local dealings took the building down.

Demolished as part of the relocation of I-195 in the early 2000s, this large mill complex was home 45 small businesses, art studios, and a bar.

A neo-Georgian building that was home to the original home to the Providence National Bank Company. Razed for a proposed hotel that was never built.

This 60 year-old Art Deco structure was vacated in 2000 for new digs across the highway. It stayed vacant for 6 years until a proposed condo structure took it down.

A 90-year-old eatery is demolished, only to find two diner cars buried within a wooden structure built-up over time

A long industrial mill along the Atwells Avenue off ramp was home to the C.J. Fox company for 60 years before conversion to office space

Two simple, turn-of-the- and mid-century industrial buildings used for jewelry industry purposes over the past 50 years razed in 2011 for speculative purposes.

This building survived for 115 years before becoming too outdated to stay relevant in an ever-expanding hospital system

By the time we took photos, most of the main mill building had crumbled. The main building, though, is still standing and has been converted to a restaurant.

An unassuming single story commercial property razed for the Walgreens and condos at 333 Atwells Ave.

A much loved Rhode Island summer destination and chowder and clamcakes tradition. First amusement installed in 1850 and operational for about 140 years.

A small commercial building surrounded by parking lots razed for an 800 car parking garage for Johnson & Wales University

A boarded-up retail space along a retail corridor in need of rethinking

One of the last big box stores on North Main Street, closed since the mid-to-late 90s. Demolished in 2014 to become infill for a parking lot.

This mid-1800s structure was one the few examples of Providence’s eminent architect Thomas Tefft but burned in 2006.

A former waterfront nightclub overlooking Narragansett Bay that operated under many different names in its 10 year lifespan

An early demolition of a large mill complex that flew under the radar in the early 2000s. Replaced by a Home Depot shopping center.

An innovative early 70s hyperbolic paraboloid roof structure design that allowed a 130' x 325' uninterrupted interior space

Abandoned and for sale for almost 20 years, this drive-in theatre has rot away to almost nothing

A former downtown bar forced to move after the building was razed for a hotel that was never built

Another erosion of the neighborhood fabric, moving from wood-built houses to slick “modern concept” commercial structures

A large, late 19th-century mill complex razed for the relocation of I-195 in the mid-2000s. The complex was eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

A masterpiece of the Italian Romanesque style designed by a young newcomer who would later become an architecture star in his relatively short life

A huge turn-of-the-century brick barn for trolleys that was later used by the Narragansett Brewing Company for storage & distribution.

The one that started a revolution. A 13 acre site, bounded by Atwells Ave, Eagle Street, and Valley Street, housing cheap artist studio space and the famous Fort Thunder arts collective.

A new addition to a old home (and the demolition of another) on historic Angell St. brings new character and more space to those that want to find their zen

A large parcel of land on the edge of the jewelry district whose 1- and 2-story buildings were razed by speculation but nothing yet occupies the site.

A former steel and wire manufacturing facilty along the waterfront in East Providence shut down in 1994 and was razed 10 years later

A small mercantile-style building razed for a never-built Sierra Suites Hotel in 2008. This building housed a few well-loved storefronts — New Japan, Cuban Revolution, and the Talk of the Town bar.

Vacant since 1987, this building stood on the West Side across from Central High School for over 20 years before being completely razed to the ground.

The former home of three different radio stations left to rot for almost 20 years.

A sweet and spare little gas and service station formerly on Eddy Street. Love the painted transom sign.