Royale Residence

A six-story, square plan apartment building adding density to the Jewelry District

About this Property

Proposal

This building flew under the radar as it replaced a much smaller, two-story, circa 1940s commercial building that very few people missed. As it rose, though, it was clad in bright orange Teflon sort of moisture deterrent material and was very noticeable. The final building was clad mostly in a metal-looking silver gray material.

In recent memory, the previous building was home to a restaurant called Lot 41. It later turned into Bienvenidas Latin for some time before the building was demolished. Or Lot 41 was an evening restaurant and nightclub while Bienveides was the lunch spot. Hard to say, the Yelp reviews which started in 2011 were confused as well but hyped the Mexican fare.

The replacement building is pretty non-descript from the outside. It certainly contrasts the buildings around it, which are either brick or stucco or cinderblock. They are also shorter, with the next tallest building by feet being the Coro Building most likely, though that is only four stories tall. The interior of the residences — photos can be found at apartment rental sites — are nice enough, with hardwood floors and modern amenities. It would be disappointing if all the new buildings in the Jewelry District looked like this, but since this is singular at the moment, we don’t mind it.

Maps

Maps below are tracing the build history of the previous two-story brick-faced commercial building at 44 Hospital Street. It is possible that the previous building was constructed earlier than 1940. At the very least, it was added onto and altered significantly between 1937 and 1951. G.M. Hopkins Map from the Secretary of State Digital Collection, Sanborn Maps from the Library of Congress.

  • 1920–1921 Sanborn Insurance Map, Volume 1, Plate 13 (page 24) — A two-story yellow (wood-frame) structure with a stairway to the west, making the overall shape into a rectangle with slight inset like an upside-down L.
  • 1937 G.M. Hopkins Map, Plate 2 — An unlabelled non-square building is in place at the corner of Hospital and South Streets. When one compares this building shape with the next map, it is possible that a previous building was added onto. The next map shows this L-shaped building with a cinder-block addition to the west which makes the overall shape into a square.
  • 1920–1951 Sanborn Insurance Map, Volume 1, Plate 13 (page 24) — One can see on the corner of Hospital and South Street a square yellow (wood structure) two-story building with attached blue (concrete or cinder block) portion. It is labelled “REST” for restaurant.
  • 1920–1955 Sanborn Insurance Map, Volume 1, Plate 13 (page 14) — In the same location with the same footprint is an all blue square building now, but the way it is labelled makes us think it is the same building. The cinder block portion is labelled and the outside edge says “BR FACED” for brick-faced.

Current Events

Apartments are for rent and availability can be found at their website, Royale Residence

In the News

Construction under way of 6-story apartment building in Providence’s Jewelry District

by Christine Dunn 
Providence Journal | Apr 16, 2017

Thirty apartments in the new Hospital Street building, including a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units.

A six-story, 45,000-square-foot apartment building with street-level commercial spaces is under construction at 44 Hospital St. in the Jewelry District, a site long owned by real-estate investor Henry Mu.

The circa-1940, two-story building previously at this address has been demolished, and the new building will be completed by December, according to the architect, Christopher Velleca of Federal Hill Group LLC.

Mu previously operated a restaurant and lounge at the old building, and years ago he operated the Forbidden City Tea Room at 220 Atwells Ave., a property owned by his mother, Sophia Cuyegkeng. Mu is not a full-time Providence resident, but his mother owns a condo at The Residences tower in downtown Providence.

Mu is the president of 113 South St. LLC, which is developing 44 Hospital St. together with Lifted Properties LLC. Cuyegkeng is the registered agent of Lifted Properties.

Vellecca said there will be 30 apartments in the new Hospital Street building, including a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The apartments will range in size from 800 or 900 square feet for the studios, up to about 1,800 square feet for the two-bedroom residences. He said he does not know the planned price range of the apartment rentals.

Vellecca said the $7.5-million project is being privately financed, but the owner may seek a tax abatement from the city. The general contractor is Kenwood Construction Company Inc. of East Providence.

The demand for apartments in the Jewelry District is expected to grow as Brown University and other medical and educational institutions expand their investments in the neighborhood.

The Jewelry District was named for the industry that dominated there in the 1870s and 1880s. In 1880, Rhode Island produced more than 25 percent of all jewelry made in the United States, and 142 of the state’s 148 jewelry companies were in Providence. By 1890, Providence had more than 200 jewelry firms, employing nearly 7,000 workers. Most of the companies produced inexpensive costume jewelry.

Since 2007, when Brown University purchased seven buildings in the district from Belvoir Properties for its medical school, the district, more recently known for its nightclubs, has been evolving once again.

— DUNN, CHRISTINE. “Construction under way of 6-story apartment building in Providence’s Jewelry District.” Providence Journal, 16 April 2017. Captured 06 November 2017 http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20170416/construction-under-way-of-6-story-apartment-building-in-providences-jewelry-district