Broadway, #189
also known as Tally’s Religious Gifts and Church Supplies, Gather RI
An unassuming commercial building gets a makeover in 2025 as a community gathering space and offices for a new non-profit
images of this Property
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The current building replaced a three-story apartment building constructed before 1875, seen right. The main building to the left and center of this photo was the neighboring Broadway Italian Methodist Church. Undated — Providence Public Library, John Hutchins Cady Research Scrapbook -
Detail of 1979 photo of 186 Broadway (next door) — PPS Architectural Slides Collection -
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2024 Rendering by CBH Architect, LLC -
2024 Rendering by CBH Architect, LLC
7 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more. Providence Public Library, PPS Architectural Slides Collection, and CBH Architect LLC
About this Property
Redevelopment
While researching this property in Sanborn Maps, we happened across its neighbor of about 100 years, the Broadway Italian Methodist Church. A three story, wood frame apartment building stood at this address from 1875 to about 1966. See the Sanborn Map images for the church next door, as the house is included.
Around 1968 this low, flat roof, one-story, cinder block commercial structure appears. In Polk’s Providence it is listed at 191 Broadway but recent photos show the building labeled with the number 189. It was used as a retail sales showroom and wholesale department for religious supply company Tally’s until 2005.
In mid 2023, plans appeared before the Providence Historic District Commission (PHDC) to expand the building vertically. A second floor was proposed with new recessed entrance on the first floor, skylights on the second floor, along with a rear deck and outdoor patio. On-site parking would be reduced to accommodate the patio. Because the structure is a non-contributing building within the Broadway-Armory Historic District and the design was deemed compatible as a part of the district, the plans were swiftly approved.
Current Events
Work began in late 2024 on the building improvements. The approximately $3.5M project will be the new home for Gather RI, a new community non-profit “for women and gender expansive people.” The new organization has attracted major gifts from significant donors and will continue fundraising beyond opening in mid-2025.
Planned programs include a role model portrait gallery, biographical library, speaker series, and safe, accessible gathering spaces for people to convene with peers and mentors.
History
From the Polk’s Providence City Directories, we can piece together a timeline:
- 1956 and 1962
- Residents are listed at the previous apartment building, 189 Broadway. In 1956, “Bruno Defusco physician” and in 1962, “Joseph Demoura.” Nothing is listed at 191 Broadway.
- 1966
- Nothing is listed at 189 or 191 Broadway. Reference is a listing of all postal number in this section of Broadway.
- 1968
- A listing for “191 Tally’s Religious Goods” appears for the first time.
- 2005
- From Tally’s website, they state “We outgrew our Providence building ten years ago and moved to Pontiac Ave in Cranston” and the news story states they moved to Cranston in 2005.
- Holding company P&J Realty (likely named for Patrick and PJ Tally) sold the building for $450,000 in June.1
In the News
135-year religious gifts, church store upgrades web presence
by Emma Bartlett
Cranston Herald | April 5, 2022 (abridged)
As a 135-year-old family-owned business, Tally’s Religious Gifts and Church Supplies on Pontiac Avenue has had many platforms for selling products over the years. From the days when Irish immigrants would enter Patrick Tally’s Catholic book store and emigration agency to today where customers can order religious items in-store and online, the shop has expanded and evolved over the past century. […]
Tally’s was first established in 1879, after Patrick emigrated from Ireland and settled in Providence in 1854. Today’s store provides religious supplies for churches and community members throughout New England. PJ and Tom Tally – who run the store today – are the family’s fifth generation of owners. PJ, 58, joined the business in 1986 and said over the last 40 years, the business has used the internet to reach religious communities.
Originally located in Providence, Tally’s moved to Cranston in 2005 in order to have a bigger showroom and warehouse space. They provide religious items for Catholics and protestant denominations and, since they provide for a number of Spanish speaking churches, offer customer service that can assist English and Spanish speakers. […]
— Captured 05 January 2025 from https://cranstononline.com/stories/135-year-religious-gifts-church-store-upgrades-web-presence,172755
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“(W) REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS (6 OF 6).” Providence Journal (RI), All ed., sec. Real Estate, 30 July 2005, pp. E-06. NewsBank: America’s News, https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=D4BD6B42F1AB4706B5E1244D477DEE03&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews/15242874D89428F8. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025. ↩