Saint Raymond’s Rectory

About this Property

#Redevelopment

Saint Raymond’s rectory building was the first phase of construction on what would become a three part redevelopment of this portion of the block and lands once owned by Saint Raymond’s church on North Main Street. The once communal-style living arrangements of the rectory have been converted to eighteen units — two studios, fourteen 1-bedroom apartments, and two 2-bedroom suites.¹

New kitchens were added to each unit along with a built-in closet, wardrobe, and shelving. The style of the units are open and loft-like. Mailroom, laundry, and storage areas are included on the basement level along with a new entrance lobby.

Architecture

The building is two and a half stories on a raised basement with a gable roof set pitched end to the street running south to north. The building is concrete construction faced in yellow brick with a cement foundation and cast stone details. It had a center hallway flanked by load bearing masonry walls with stairs at either end. The original layout had a series of private bedrooms with bathrooms. The areas of living, dining, and food preparation were shared common areas.²

The building is quite deep as it runs from south to north, about three times as deep as it is wide. Three gable dormers puncture the steep roofline.

As William Morgan states:

Adaptive re-use–saving and re-purposing solid older buildings makes sound economic and environmental sense, especially compared to cheap new construction built for a quick return. Older buildings often were better made – this 1955 building is incredibly solid, with 16-inch foundation walls and a loadbearing concrete frame.²

Reception

Instead of a glowing review, William Morgan mentioned the project and the quality of the older building, as stated above. He did not get specifically into the details of the renovation, but instead provided a deep dive into the developer and architect which is worth noting:

Ghassan Daou, the force behind the conversion, is a Lebanese-Canadian businessman who came to Providence in 2008, wanting to do good things for the community. He is known to many on the East Side as the proprietor of the Wayland Square-anchoring Café l’Artisan, which he opened ten years ago.
   Daou wisely knew he needed an architect, to both ensure quality and specify materials that would be cost-effective and attractive. He was thoroughly involved in the project even to the point of choosing hardware and wall finishes.
   Jack Ryan was graduated from RISD twenty-five years ago and stayed in Providence. He worked for Friedrich St Florian on that architect’s World War II Memorial in Washington, and then for architects Kyna Leski and Chris Bardt at their firm, 3SixO, before going out on his own.

#Current Events

These apartments, along with those at the nearby former convent, have been rented up. Photos of the units are available online through rental sites like Zillow and Trulia.

#History

No formal history captured in any of the usual reports. Not part of a designated historic district.

This structure first appears on a Sanborn Map from 1956. It was not present on the 1951 map. The 1956 map labels it “A. in B.; Cin. Bl. Br. Faced” for “Cinder block brick faced’ and it is colored in blue, further indicating concrete construction. It was also labeled with a “D” for dwelling. Source: “1956 Sanborn Insurance Map, Volume 2, Plate 91 (page 96)” accessed 27 April 2025.

Polk’s Providence Directories

• 1950 Polk’s Providence City Directory: 8th Street, no listing for number 18, page 826
• 1952 Polk’s Providence City Directory: 8th Street, “18 St Raymond’s Rectory”, page 830