26 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

Use this thread to post about smaller things going on about town that don't really need their own thread. If they end up be worthy of their own thread, I'll split them out into a new one.



Not really worth its own thread, but a nice remodel going on Downcity:

Custom House building gets facelift [Providence Business News]

Quote

The building is being redeveloped by owner Premier Development Inc., which bought it in 2003 and is serving as general contractor, said owner David Corsetti.

The building, at 36 Weybosset St., had formerly housed The Custom House Tavern. The subterranean first floor and second floor will be a new restaurant, Corsetti said last week.

It's been wrapped in scaffolding for a few weeks and I've been meaning to take a picture or something, but haven't

[mental757]

Even not being one of the more architectur-ie types in here, I found this very interesting:

" The building’s façade is made entirely of cast iron – a unique feature, said Jeffrey Lykins, principal of Jeffrey L. Lykins Architect, a firm that works in partnership with Premier. The only other fully cast-iron façade in the state is the Elizabeth Building at 100 North Main St., a building now occupied by the R.I. Secretary of State’s office, Sanderson said."

[eltron]

mental757, on Aug 21 2008, 09:33 AM, said:

Even not being one of the more architectur-ie types in here, I found this very interesting:

" The building’s façade is made entirely of cast iron – a unique feature, said Jeffrey Lykins, principal of Jeffrey L. Lykins Architect, a firm that works in partnership with Premier. The only other fully cast-iron façade in the state is the Elizabeth Building at 100 North Main St., a building now occupied by the R.I. Secretary of State’s office, Sanderson said."

I THINK this is incorrect - there is an amazing little building at the end of Cranston St that I am almost certain has an entirely cast iron facade - but undoubtedly not listed anywhere...

I could be wrong, but I bet it slipped through the cracks...

[webbage]

Anyone see the new office for the CW on Westminster? The interior looks really nice!

[FjmArch]

webbage, on Aug 25 2008, 07:23 PM, said:

Anyone see the new office for the CW on Westminster? The interior looks really nice!

Where on Westminster?

[webbage]

FjmArch, on Aug 26 2008, 04:18 AM, said:

Where on Westminster?

I think the address is 275.....

http://maps.google.c...uXr2mmTxoyhAATg

[Liamlunchtray]

What is the CW?

[brick]

This is probably a dumb question, but what is the building on Pine St. (visible from 195 which I hardly use which is why I ask only now) that is getting a new glass Atrium?

[09/21/38]

brick, on Aug 27 2008, 10:38 AM, said:

This is probably a dumb question, but what is the building on Pine St. (visible from 195 which I hardly use which is why I ask only now) that is getting a new glass Atrium?

I think that is going to be a new student center for J&Wales Univ.

[webbage]

Liamlunchtray, on Aug 27 2008, 10:13 AM, said:

What is the CW?

To put it in RI terms, what used to be UPN and WB.  

http://www.cw28tv.com/

Edited by webbage, 27 August 2008 - 05:15 PM.

[Liamlunchtray]

webbage, on Aug 27 2008, 07:14 PM, said:

To put it in RI terms, what used to be UPN and WB.  

http://www.cw28tv.com/

Thats what I thought initially, but it just seemed like too odd of a fit. Are they moving any studio space there or just a business office?

[Liamlunchtray]

After checking out CW28's wiki entry it looks like all of their master control is now based in Salt Lake City, so I assume all they have here is a business and sales office. Lame. I miss the days of real local TV with local personalities and shows. Even WLVI in Boston is now nothing more than a retransmission with no original programming or offices. Bah!

[Cotuit]

brick, on Aug 27 2008, 11:38 AM, said:

This is probably a dumb question, but what is the building on Pine St. (visible from 195 which I hardly use which is why I ask only now) that is getting a new glass Atrium?

It can't be a dumb question if I'm wondering too.

Liamlunchtray, on Aug 28 2008, 01:43 PM, said:

Thats what I thought initially, but it just seemed like too odd of a fit. Are they moving any studio space there or just a business office?

I read somewhere that they have some webshow or something that they will be filming there. I've walked by and seen people meeting in the conference room facing the street.

[Garris]

Quietly underway at 101 Plain St behind Rhode Island Hospital is an interesting building update.  The old Bay Tower Nursing Home building, which is a "X" layout shaped tower of about 8-10 floors or so, is being redone into what looks like medical offices.  

The building, which was brick and inoffensive, is having its windows redone from horizontal strips of individual windows like you'd see in an old apartment building to having contiguous vertical glass stretching from ground level all the way to the top floor like you'd see in a modern office tower.  It makes the building look 100% better and 100% taller.  

Cotuit here often mentions how when architects chose vertical window orientation it makes things look far more urban and far taller, and this building redo is a great example.  I'll try to snap a photo next week...

[Frankie811]

Garris, on Sep 5 2008, 11:46 AM, said:

Quietly underway at 101 Plain St behind Rhode Island Hospital is an interesting building update.  The old Bay Tower Nursing Home building, which is a "X" layout shaped tower of about 8-10 floors or so, is being redone into what looks like medical offices.

It's such a sad story as to the type of patients that are in this building. I use to know someone who did security here and it was not a pretty picture. Very sad. I don't know if it's such a good thing that the vast majority of the public is sheltered from the truth.

[mental757]

PBN:  "Developer creates first ‘Net-Zero’ building in R.I."

http://www.pbn.com/stories/36037.html

"PROVIDENCE – A former jewelry factory has reopened as what the R.I. Economic Development Corporation (EDC) describes as the state’s “first and only Net-Zero” commercial building.

The 8,000-square-foot mixed-use building, at 28 Wolcott St., has been dubbed The Wolcott Eco Office.

The building’s heating, cooling and electricity are provided by the sun. The office uses solar water heaters by Viessmann Manufacturing Co. of Warwick and is equipped with 25 solar panels designed by Bristol-based SolarWrights Inc., the EDC noted."

Also from this article is that it was only a $1.1M renovation.  I've always thought that lots of little things can add up.  Maybe in this downturn, we'll see more of these types of projects - which would go a long way to fixing up lots of run-down smaller buildings in the city/area.

Edited by mental757, 31 October 2008 - 08:04 AM.

[FjmArch]

mental757, on Oct 31 2008, 10:02 AM, said:

PBN: "Developer creates first 'Net-Zero' building in R.I."

http://www.pbn.com/stories/36037.html

"PROVIDENCE – A former jewelry factory has reopened as what the R.I. Economic Development Corporation (EDC) describes as the state's "first and only Net-Zero" commercial building.

The 8,000-square-foot mixed-use building, at 28 Wolcott St., has been dubbed The Wolcott Eco Office.

The building's heating, cooling and electricity are provided by the sun. The office uses solar water heaters by Viessmann Manufacturing Co. of Warwick and is equipped with 25 solar panels designed by Bristol-based SolarWrights Inc., the EDC noted."

Also from this article is that it was only a $1.1M renovation. I've always thought that lots of little things can add up. Maybe in this downturn, we'll see more of these types of projects - which would go a long way to fixing up lots of run-down smaller buildings in the city/area.

This is a great project, a wonderful example of how money spent wisely can create a sustainable building that is a fantastic piece of architecture. Kudos to John Jacobson for having the vision.

Edited by FjmArch, 01 November 2008 - 12:40 AM.

[mental757]

PBN:  "Halls of Children’s Museum again filled with youth"

http://www.pbn.com/stories/36206.html

"The Providence Children’s Museum has reopened its doors after eight weeks of renovations and a top-to-bottom cleaning, and the museum’s executive director, Janice O’Donnell, couldn’t be happier."

[mental757]

PROJO:  "Providence YMCA to rehabilitate Olneyville mill building"

http://www.projo.com...29.39025a4.html

"PROVIDENCE — The YMCA of Greater Providence, which operates nine YMCAs throughout the state, is taking over and renovating the last remaining building in the former Riverside Mill, an Olneyville complex that burned in 1989, for a permanent headquarters and to provide youth programs for the city’s recently opened Riverside Park, next door."

[mental757]

PROJO:  "SWAP housing project begins off Thurbers Avenue and Rugby Street"

http://www.projo.com...26.28bd06e.html