Federal Street, #57

About this Property

#Reason for Demolition

Probably one of the older buildings on Federal Hill — a remnant of when the area was more densely residential — this was a 2-story, 5-bay facade, wood frame home. The structure had a single interior brick chimney and center hall plan featuring a central entrance with sidelights.

Located between Atwells Avenue and Broadway, this Federal-style building is a more commonly found on Benefit Street on the East Side. It was a great example of how prevalent the simple central plan home was across the city.

Several of the building’s details were remarkably intact, including the clapboards and window sash. Unfortunately, the house was abandoned, with broken windows on the second story leaving the building completely open to the elements.

The property was listed on the Preservation Society’s Ten Most Endangered List of 2014. Several local organizations and individual investors tried to purchase the home, but the asking price was too high given the state of the structure — $125,000. Because it was in such poor shape, and for sale, and potential deals fell through, the City issued a demolition permit. Despite the attention and the efforts, it was demolished in October of 2014.

Other Links

• 57 Federal St — PPS Guide to Providence Architecture

#Current Events

As of winter 2020, The site is a parking lot for nearby residents 😢