Loft Space

[brown doc]

Hello

I am going to be moving to Providence this Summer and working at RIH. I am looking into purchasing a loft space in Providence, and was wondering what people think about the different new properties. How are the Pearl Street Lofts? Location, look, etc? I would like to live close to Downcity if possible, but know that the Westminster Project is purely rentals. How are the Rising Sun Lofts? Any input would be greatly appreciated. I am going to fly out to Providence soon to look and hopefully buy a place.

Does anyone know of any more lofts for sale in Providence?

Thanks

[Frankie811]

Hello

I am going to be moving to Providence this Summer and working at RIH.

[Frankie811]

Hi Doc ! Try http://www.westminsterlofts.com

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Doc, Westminster Street runs right through the heart of Downcity Providence where a developer is rehabing several older historic buildings into loft style condo's and apartments. You would be within walking distance to many cultural venues, resturants and hotels, our transportation hub, amtrak/Boston T station, an outdoor skating rink, waterplace park, central libary, convention center, civic center, banks and a large shopping mall, not to mention Brown University and RI Hospital.

[Soren]

Doc, Westminster Street runs right through the heart of Downcity Providence where a developer is rehabing several older historic buildings into loft style condo's and apartments. You would be within walking distance to many cultural venues, resturants and hotels, our transportation hub, amtrak/Boston T station, an outdoor skating rink, waterplace park, central libary, convention center, civic center, banks and a large shopping mall, not to mention Brown University and RI Hospital.

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Unfortunately, Brown Doc, you are right. The Westminster Lofts are all rentals. The Pearl Street lofts are in the Upper South neighborhood. Close to downtown but not a great walk at night. Rising Sun is between Eagle Square and Olneyville Square. Not close to downtown.

You're in the same boat I'm in. There are not a lot of condo loft conversions in Downcity right now. You might want to look in the Jewelry District. Ship Street lofts is there as well as turnover from older conversions. There is also the Cosmopolitan (Palmer Block), which is downcity but it is pricey. 70 Kennedy Plaza condos are also downcity, but I don't know the status on them or if they are loft-like at all. And there have been condos available on Westminster St. in the Armory district (immediately across I-95 from Downcity). That would be a trek to Brown though, if you are planning on walking.

Here are some examples of what is available.

Ship Street:

http://www.rirealestate.com/msil0102.htm

Palmer Block:

http://www.rirealestate.com/calm0004.htm

Jewelry District:

http://www.rirealestate.com/msil0005.htm

Good luck!

[Frankie811]

Unfortunately, Brown Doc, you are right.  The Westminster Lofts are all rentals. The Pearl Street lofts are in the Upper South neighborhood.  Close to downtown but not a great walk at night.  Rising Sun is between Eagle Square and Olneyville Square.  Not close to downtown.

You're in the same boat I'm in.  There are not a lot of condo loft conversions in Downcity right now.  You might want to look in the Jewelry District.  Ship Street lofts is there as well as turnover from older conversions.  There is also the Cosmopolitan (Palmer Block), which is downcity but it is pricey. 70 Kennedy Plaza condos are also downcity, but I don't know the status on them or if they are loft-like at all. And there have been condos available on Westminster St. in the Armory district (immediately across I-95 from Downcity).  That would be a trek to Brown though, if you are planning on walking.

Here are some examples of what is available.

Ship Street:

http://www.rirealestate.com/msil0102.htm

Palmer Block:

http://www.rirealestate.com/calm0004.htm

Jewelry District:

http://www.rirealestate.com/msil0005.htm

Good luck!

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SOREN, I was assuming the Doc meant 110 Westminster when he said westminster. This is a new project which he probably read about here. He's new and may not be aware of what's going on with the good folks at Cornish. And I'm not sure that all of the units will be rentals, but I will check and report back.

[Frankie811]

SOREN, I was assuming the Doc meant 110 Westminster when he said westminster. This is a new project which he probably read about here. He's new and may not be aware of what's going on with the good folks at Cornish. And I'm not sure that all of the units will be rentals, but I will check and report back.

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Oops!!! Looks like your right, SOREN. My mistake. You seem to have the pulse of the local condo market well in hand. What is that project that TOLL BROTHERS is building in the Wayland Sq area?

[Soren]

Oops!!! Looks like your right, SOREN. My mistake.    You seem to have the pulse of the local condo market well in hand. What is that project that TOLL BROTHERS  is building in the Wayland Sq area?

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No, I don't really. I've just been looking around for a loft as my wife and I think about moving from the East Side to Downcity.

The project you mention is Eastside Commons. It is at the south end of Wayland Ave., taking up the last block of East George St. between Gano and Wayland and bordering the Riverfront Square (East Side Market) complex off Pitman St. There is a rendering of it imbedded here:

http://www.eastsidecommons.com/floorplans.html

Many of the units are huge. 1700 sf+ 2 bedrooms, etc. Probably with river views (and parking lot views). I've no idea what they are going for.

[Cotuit]

Rising Suns is worth a look at if you're going to be lioving in Providence for a long time. The neighbourhood is certainly coming a round, but it still has a ways to go. From what I here, Rising Suns has a lot of everyday needs right on it's property, fitness centre, cafe, jogging/biking trails. It is a short walk (less than 5 minutes) to Eagle Square where you can catch the green line 'trolley' to Brown.

Eagle Square actually has lofts as well, and has things like a grocery store and a pharmacy right on site.

Rising Sun Mills

[Soren]

Rising Suns is worth a look at if you're going to be lioving in Providence for a long time. The neighbourhood is certainly coming a round, but it still has a ways to go. From what I here, Rising Suns has a lot of everyday needs right on it's property, fitness centre, cafe, jogging/biking trails. It is a short walk (less than 5 minutes) to Eagle Square where you can catch the green line 'trolley' to Brown.

Eagle Square actually has lofts as well, and has things like a grocery store and a pharmacy right on site.

Rising Sun Mills

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I think Eagle Square/Valley/Promenade will be voted the "most improved" area in Providence in a very few years. The Valley neighborhood is only 25% owner/occupied so look for major gentrification issues as the (largely poor) rental population gets pushed out.

[eltron]

Rising Suns is worth a look at if you're going to be lioving in Providence for a long time. The neighbourhood is certainly coming a round, but it still has a ways to go. From what I here, Rising Suns has a lot of everyday needs right on it's property, fitness centre, cafe, jogging/biking trails. It is a short walk (less than 5 minutes) to Eagle Square where you can catch the green line 'trolley' to Brown.

Eagle Square actually has lofts as well, and has things like a grocery store and a pharmacy right on site.

Rising Sun Mills

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rising Sun is rental only...

Probably 90% of the historic conversions right now are rental only because the federal historic tax credit equity needed to make the financing work requires they be rentals for at least five years...in 5 you'll quickly see many of them converted to sales...

[Cotuit]

Actually, I just reread brown doc's orginal post, his name threw me, he's working at RIH.

Pearl Street would be a good spot for someone working at RIH wouldn't it?

I forgot that Rising Sun is rental, Eagle Square is condos though. What's the Foundry going to be?

[eltron]

Hello

I am going to be moving to Providence this Summer and working at RIH.  I am looking into purchasing a loft space in Providence, and was wondering what people think about the different new properties.  How are the Pearl Street Lofts?  Location, look, etc?  I would like to live close to Downcity if possible, but know that the Westminster Project is purely rentals.  How are the Rising Sun Lofts?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.  I am going to fly out to Providence soon to look and hopefully buy a place.

Does anyone know of any more lofts for sale in Providence?

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Doc,

welcome.

The Pearl Street lofts are going to be really beautiful, great spaces. Only 19 of the 68 units are for residential sale (four commercial condos). The location is what you might call "visionary"...its behind a dunkin donuts, mcdonalds, and used car lot off Broad Street, and seperated from Westminster by the Central High School playing fields, so its kinda "remote." Oh yeah, did I mention its RIGHT next to Central High School? Yeah.

That said, its very close to downtown, there are lots of other good developments coming online around there, and the buildings themselves are really cool. One of the coolest aspects is the Trinity Reps setbuilding studio is part of the project, as well as some RISD and Brown theater classes.

I would certainly at least check it out if you're looking for a loft style place.

[eltron]

Actually, I just reread brown doc's orginal post, his name threw me, he's working at RIH.

Pearl Street would be a good spot for someone working at RIH wouldn't it?

I forgot that Rising Sun is rental, Eagle Square is condos though. What's the Foundry going to be?

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Yep, I think Pearl Street would be a great spot for someone at RIH, its about a 2 second drive. Hard to walk though, unless you are really comfortable with sketchy neighborhoods.

Anything in the Jewelry district would be really close as well.

I'm not sure about the Foundry...I think they might be condos...prices are probably getting up there so they need fewer of the tax credits to make it work.

[Garris]

Hi there! I'm a current physician fellow at RIH, so I might be able to give you some perspective. First of all, are you going to be in training or an attending? The salary level will be enormously different, of course. If you will be in training, check with your intership/residency/fellowship to see if they have a listing of people selling their properties. Also, check to see if you'll be rotating to the Providence VA in Smith Hill or Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket or Butler Hospital on the East Side, depending upon what you do. That may influence your location choices greatly, especially if you'll need to be on call and get to and between these places at odd hours. I'm in Wayland Sq and would love to use mass transit to go to work, but I often have to go between RIH and the VA in the same day with only 10 or 15 minutes allowed for travel, and Providence public transit just doesn't allow this to be remotely possible.

I would not want to walk from RIH to Downcity (or anywhere else, for that matter) at night. Security here says (quietly) if you ask them that it's a bad idea. There's a small encampment of homeless North of the RIH property in the 195 construction area (you'll often see individuals wandering around the 95 overpass over Eddy on the way to the hospitals) that they've had some difficulties with. Some of them are bad apples... The neighborhood surrounding the hospital on the West and South are some of the worst in the city. Security was boasting at our orientation that for the first time last year, no cars were stolen out of employee parking... Really encouraging...

Those folks committed to walking usually live in Fox Point, right over the Point Street Bridge. I know several people who do this or bike. While I wouldn't recommend walking, busing from RIH to Downcity would be a cinch, however. Regrettably, no buses pass over the Point Street Bridge to allow easy East Side to RIH access.

Most attendings (especially if married with children) tend to live on the East Side, East Greenwich (suburb 15 minutes away), or Barrington (another suburb 15 minutes away), roughly in that order. Trainees tend to rent in Fox Point, College Hill, Wayland Square, Hope Village, or have (increasingly) bought a single family in places like Smith Hill, East Providence, Rumford, or Cranston. Check the neighborhood or Moving to Providence forums about details about those places.

Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] if you have any further RIH/Lifespan/Brown questions. Take care!

- Garris

[provid]

Jewelry District:

http://www.residentialproperties.com/searc...0E&npp=10&sr=21

http://www.residentialproperties.com/searc...0E&npp=10&sr=31

Downtown ( Somewhere )

http://www.residentialproperties.com/searc...0E&npp=10&sr=71

If you are interested in a loft/condo in a great spot downtown I would recommend renting a loft for the next year or two at which point you will have many options from the many condo projects which are starting up many of which will be right downtown or on the riverwalk.

Westminster is rent only however rumor is they maybe offered for purchase down the road. The Grant building will be condo units when that project gets going.

If you do wish to rent for a little while I would defiantly recommend the new units on Westminster and most certainly the Peerless building which will be opening June 1. Westminster has the best downcity living you are going to find but like said before is rent only.

http://www.westminsterlofts.com/peerless.html

I cannot yet recommend the Jewelry District because I feel at night large portions are still greatly unsafe. However the area is certainly improving ( and cheaper )

Sidenote: Mind you I am only speaking of Metro Downtown locations.

[eltron]

I cannot yet recommend the Jewelry District because I feel at night large portions are still greatly unsafe. However the area is certainly improving ( and cheaper )

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Really? I haven't felt this at all.

Although I have a fairly high tolerance for sketchiness, but I only feel remotely unsafe there around the clubs at closing time when the drunkards come out...

that said watching the girls in their belly-shirts out smoking in the freezing cold is classic, so its relative !

[Cotuit]

If you do wish to rent for a little while I would defiantly recommend the new units on Westminster and most certainly the Peerless building which will be opening June 1. Westminster  has the best downcity living you are going to find but like said before is rent only.

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Also if you rent on Westminster, bus 1 goes right by along Dorrance to RIH. I hear the safety issues with the Jewelry District, during daylight hours though, it is totally safe. I used to work in Davol Square and walked to/from Federal Hill daily.

[provid]

I agree Jewelry District is safe during the day but ive lived downtown for two years and would not consider walking very deep into the district at night. Around CAV is fine but otherwise you are walking right towards haborside and I think we can all agree haborside is not safe.

[Cotuit]

I wouldn't want to walk from Davol Square to RIH at night.

I also wouldn't be terribly keen on walking under 195 along Eddy Street. Walking along Chestnut or Richmond, I'm not as worried. I wouldn't want my sister alone down there though.

Notice the places where highways cross over are my biggest problem areas. The overpasses to the West Side and Federal Hill, don't bother me at all.

[provid]

Here are pictures I took of Westminster Lofts:

[Cotuit]

Is anyone gonna invite me to the roofdeck at the Peerless?

EDIT: Is the roofdeck at Peerless going to be available residents of any Westminster Loft or only people who live in the Peerless Building?

[provid]

I was told Peerless residents only. I get to view my finnished unit in two weeks. I should have pictures at that time.

[Cotuit]

I heard June as the move in date (from you probably), is that still solid?

[provid]

That is what I was told. I'll have a better idea in two weeks during my tour. They are doing mostly finnishing work so I would assume now they should have a good timeline.

[Garris]

That is what I was told. I'll have a better idea in two weeks during my tour. They are doing mostly finnishing work so I would assume now they should have a good timeline.

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Congrats! That's going to be a fun place to live...

Regarding the Davol to RIH walk... I've done it several times between the Davol Gym and RIH and RIH and Coro... It's doable, but at night, it's a pretty sketchy walk... Again, Lifespan has heavy security coverage at those buildings in Davol and RIH for a reason... I wouldn't want it to be my daily walk by any stretch, and while you could bus it, why?

I can't speak to the rest of the Jewelry District safety-wise. It feels OK enough during the day, but it still has yet to feel pedestrian friendly. Too many blind corners, dark alleys, and parking garages. It's poorly lit at night and really (at almost any hour of the day) doesn't really have a critical mass of pedestrians to feel vibrant. Hopefully, like downcity, that'll all continue to change as more people take the plunge and move there. When I was looking at properties, I couldn't understand Jewelry District pricing. Everything there is very expensive, but I think it's working, as most people I know who live there are upper management types who like being able to walk to work elsewhere in the Jewelry District.

- Garris