A Fox Point garage was converted into a rentable unit between 2022 and 2025 — the garage sits on a lot detached from the house at the rear of these photos. Captured by Google Streetview.
Building ADUs in Providence: The What, the How, and the Why Not?
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Providence has one of the lowest construction rates in the country in a state that had average low vacancy rates in 2023 of 3.7% for apartments and 0.3% for houses. In short, there are not enough homes and we are not building new ones fast [...]

10
Dec
Building Triple Deckers in Providence — A Tale of Dimensions, Parking Minimums, and Zoning Variances
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A new multifamily build on Ohio Ave. Photo from a 2025 Google Streetview. Editor’s note: This article has been updated for clarity. The process of building new housing in Providence is guided by zoning regulations, which dictate the aspects of a new building from lot [...]

27
Aug
24 Eighth Street, nearing construction completion in April, 2025
Filling the Gaps: New Housing Popping Up in Previously Vacant East Side Lots
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It’s been less than nine months since the City’s Comprehensive Plan was approved. As a guide to Providence’s long-term growth and development, it’s not too early to observe its effects on neighborhoods. Even the East Side — which may be perceived as slow to grow because [...]

11
Jun
59 Williams Street in 2020 went through several rounds of design review and incorporated a cottage built in 1875. Construction was completed in 2022. Photo by J. Hogue, ArtInRuins.com
How is Providence’s Historic Aesthetic Maintained?
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Providence has 8 historic districts covering over 2,600 documented properties. These designations mean owners who want to make a change to a structure located in one of these districts have to first apply to the Providence Historic District Commission (PHDC) for a Certificate of Appropriateness. [...]

08
Jan
57 Federal Street in Providence’s Federal Hill. A circa 1860 Colonial house was neglected and eventually razed. Listing on the Preservation Society’s Ten Most Endangered List did not help to secure a buyer or funding for a restoration. The house was not part of a historic district. Courtesy Art in Ruins
Historic Districts in Providence: Why There Should be More
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In Providence, we have seen Historic Districts lose properties to fire, lack of maintenance and neglect, developer speculation, or just the forward march of progress.  As the saying goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” When one or two historic properties are [...]

14
Aug