Retrofit Atlas

Other · Rhode Island

Westminster Arcade

Imported, unreviewedReinhabitedOperatingProvidence, RI

Closed 2008. Reinhabited in 2013.

Status nowOperatingextracted, unreviewed
documented
most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.

en.wikipedia.org

What it becamemixedextracted, unreviewed reported
Retrofit year2013extracted, unreviewed reported
Walkability19 of 20 · 15-minute 6 of 6EPA, OpenStreetMap
Rail within 800 mYes · Opportunity ZoneOpenStreetMap, HUD
Ask who owns this Download dossier (PDF) · early access Download record (JSON) API Share LinkedIn Correct this record

Solid = from the authors' map · outlined = public source · dashed = model-written, not yet reviewed by a person. Tap any value's source label to see where it came from. documented = a quoted excerpt (click to read it) · reported = a source named, no excerpt yet · no source.

Westminster Arcade
Westminster Arcade. Photo: Timothy Burling, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Site profile22 elements · what this retrofit is built with · tap a chip for the evidence

Finance and pipeline
Attention fading (Wikipedia views −40% y/y)This site: 10,132 views, -44% wikimedia · all sites with this
Place
100k+ jobs within 45 min by transitThis site: 164,514 epa-walkability · all sites with this
15-minute neighbourhood (5+ of 6 daily needs within 800 m)This site: 6/6 openstreetmap · all sites with this
200+ tax-credit housing units within 1 kmThis site: 550 units in 6 properties hud-lihtc · all sites with this
3+ other atlas sites within 10 kmThis site: 3 within 10 km computed · all sites with this
30,000+ vehicles a day on an adjacent roadThis site: 51,200 on /006E21BX1 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this
Bike network nearbyThis site: 126 ways openstreetmap · all sites with this
County typical rent $2,000+This site: $2,053/mo zillow · all sites with this
Grocery within 800 mThis site: 3 stores openstreetmap · all sites with this
High inland flooding riskThis site: Very High fema-nri · all sites with this
High natural hazard risk (FEMA NRI)This site: Relatively High; inland flooding fema-nri · all sites with this
High social vulnerability tract (SVI ≥ 0.75)This site: 0.81 cdc-svi · all sites with this
Interstate or freeway within 600 mThis site: /006E21BX1 fhwa-hpms · all sites with this
National Register place within 500 mThis site: Federal Building; Union Trust Company Building nps-nrhp · all sites with this
Opportunity ZoneThis site: 44007000800 hud-oz · all sites with this
Rail within 800 mThis site: Providence openstreetmap · all sites with this
Renter-majority tractThis site: 88% census-acs · all sites with this
Tract income up 60%+ since 2013This site: +265% census-acs · all sites with this
Walkable block group (EPA ≥ 12)This site: …index 19 epa-walkability · all sites with this
Strategy
ReinhabitedThis site: …residential and commercial mixed-use building extraction · all sites with this
New use
HousingThis site: …residential and commercial mixed-use building extraction · all sites with this
Mixed useThis site: …residential and commercial mixed-use building extraction · all sites with this

All elements and lists · Trends

Now

StatusOperatingextracted, unreviewed
documented
most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.

en.wikipedia.org

StrategyReinhabitedextracted, unreviewed
documented
most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.

en.wikipedia.org

New usesmixedextracted, unreviewed reported
What is there nowresidential and commercial mixed-use buildingextracted, unreviewed
documented
most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.

en.wikipedia.org

Retrofit year2013extracted, unreviewed reported
RedeveloperEvan Granoff of Granoff Associates LLCextracted, unreviewed reported

Site context

Transit within 800 mProvidence (rail); 36 bus stops within 400 mOpenStreetMap
Motorway junctions within 2 km1A, 1B, 1C, 36AOpenStreetMap
FEMA flood zoneX · AREA WITH REDUCED FLOOD RISK DUE TO LEVEEFEMA NFHL
EPA-regulated facilities within 500 m66: ABERCROMBIE & FITCH; BANKBOSTON; BARR PHILIP DDS; BONANZA BUS LINES INC; BOSTON RADIATOR & BODY WORKS INCEPA FRS
Census tract 440070008004,931 people, 9,881 per sq mi; median household income $54,747; median gross rent $2,013; 88% renters; 7.2% vacant units; 7.6% commute by transitACS 2023 5-year
Walkability (EPA, block group)index 19 of 20; 414 intersections per sq mi; nearest transit stop 59 m; land-use mix 0.66; 144,815 jobs within 45 min by car, 164,514 by transit; 39% of households without a carEPA Smart Location
Within a 10–15 minute walk (800 m)6 of 6 daily needs: 3 grocers, 8 schools, 90 parks or playgrounds, 2 health, 36 civic, 107 food and drink; 126 cycleway segments, 823 sidewalk-tagged segmentsOpenStreetMap
Opportunity Zoneyes, tract 44007000800 (rural)HUD
National Register places within 500 m15: Federal Building; Union Trust Company Building; Shepard Company Building; Shepard Company BuildingNPS
Housing permits, Providence County (RI), 2024219 units in 5+ unit buildings, 249 in 2–4, 314 single-family; 2023: 196 in 5+Census BPS
Social vulnerability (CDC SVI 2022, tract)overall percentile 0.81; socioeconomic 0.73; housing and transport 0.97; 32% below 150% of poverty; 43% of households with no vehicleCDC/ATSDR
Other atlas sites nearby3 within 10 km, 8 within 25 km: Providence Arcade (0.2 km); Mechanical Fabric Company (0.2 km); Davol Square Marketplace (0.8 km)computed
Overture Mapsno place match; building footprint 1,761 m², 11.656481742858887 mOverture (CDLA-Permissive 2.0)
Attention: Wikipedia page views119,981 since 2015; 10,132 in the last 12 months (-44% vs the prior 12); peak 2024-12 with 5,636Wikimedia
Tract change 2013–2023population +21% (4,084 → 4,931); median income +265% ($15,000 → $54,747); renters 98% → 88%; median home value +124% ($239,300 → $536,200)Census ACS 5-year
Natural hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, tract)relatively high overall (score 86.1); expected annual loss $2.5M; high: inland flooding; community resilience relatively moderateFEMA NRI
Tax-credit housing within 1 km6 LIHTC properties, 550 units: Travelers Aid Housing (192 units); Grace Church Apts (100 units); Cathedral Square I (100 units)HUD LIHTC
Retail trade in the county, 2025 (BLS QCEW)23,726 jobs in 2,010 establishments; average annual pay $39,929; employment location quotient 0.83; employment -1.4% on the yearBLS QCEW 2025, NAICS 44-45, private
Jobs located in the tract, 202220,794 jobs; 1,507 in retail trade, 2,904 in accommodation and food (workplace blocks summed to tract 44007000800)Census LEHD LODES8 WAC 2022
Upward mobility (Opportunity Atlas, 2010 tract)children of low-income (25th percentile) families reached the 38th income percentile as adults; 1.3% incarcerated at the 2010 count (37 children in the sample); born 1978–83, measured 2014–15Opportunity Insights
Food access (USDA FARA 2019, 2010 tract)not a low-access tract at 1 mile; poverty rate 38.2%; median family income $76,125; 603 SNAP householdsUSDA ERS
SchoolsProvidence School District (PK-12); 17 public schools within 1 mile: Urban Collaborative Program; Trinity Academy Performing Art; RINI Middle College; Sheila Skip NowellNCES EDGE
Elevation11 ft above sea level at the site pointUSGS 3DEP
Storm events in the county, 2016-2025196 county-logged events: 86 thunderstorm wind, 42 flood, 38 flash flood, 10 hail; $2,852,800 property damage reported; forecast-zone events (most flood, winter and heat) not countedNOAA Storm Events
Homes for sale in ZIP 02903, 2026-09median list price $438,675 (-8.8% on the year); 33 active listings; median 44 days on market; 21% with a price cutRealtor.com Research
Retail trade in the county, 2012 to 20231,904 establishments (-5%); 25,964 jobs (+6%)Census CBP
Housing market in the countytypical home value $453,475 (+2% 1 yr, +32% 5 yr); typical rent $2,053/mo (+4% 1 yr), 2026-09Zillow Research
Traffic on the busiest road within 600 m (2024)51,200 vehicles a day on /006E21BX1 (freeway or expressway, 3 lanes); 2,908 trucks; 18 counted segmentsFHWA HPMS

Summary, model-written

The Westminster Arcade opened in 1828 as a market and became the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States. It operated as a retail center for many years before declining in the late 20th century, closing for renovations in 2008. It reopened in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use micro-loft building and is currently operating.

Why. The record does not specify the causes of the arcade’s decline, such as anchor store losses, competition, debt, or demolition.

Where it stands. The arcade is currently operating as a mixed-use building under the control of Evan Granoff of Granoff Associates LLC.

For a planner

  • Historic designation (National Register 1971, National Historic Landmark 1976) provides preservation framework and potential tax incentives.
  • Adaptive reuse strategy classified as 'reinhabit' with new mixed‑use residential/commercial program.
  • Open questions include long‑term market demand for micro‑lofts, ongoing maintenance costs for historic fabric, and any needed zoning adjustments.

For a developer

  • Site control: Evan Granoff/Granoff Associates LLC; retrofit completed 2013, status operating.
  • Entitlement stage: adaptive reuse already entitled and built; no further entitlement needed.
  • Constraints: flood risk, transit access, environmental conditions, and exact site size are not stated in the record.
  • Market signals: tract‑level demographics, housing demand, and vacancy rates are not provided.

What we do not know yet

  • Key missing facts: site acreage or square footage, flood zone designation, proximity to transit, environmental constraints, and detailed tract‑level market data.
  • Reasons for the late‑20th‑century decline are not explained in the record.
  • Current occupancy, lease terms, and financial performance post‑retrofit are unknown.
  • The record is marked as 'draft' (verified), indicating that extracted data may be unreviewed and could contain errors.
  • Opposition reasons note retrofit already built and modest county growth, suggesting limited upside potential.

Generated by nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b on NVIDIA API via Hermes CT from the fields, parcels, deals and context layers on this page, with no outside knowledge. It is regenerated when the record changes and has not been checked by a person. How it is made.

Similar sites

Elsewhere on the web

Pages with photos

Search images: Google · Bing · Commons · references: ULI case studies · Google Scholar

Multifamily screen

  • retrofit already built
  • county grew 3.9% 2018–23
  • housing in the record

Inputs: record fields (size, status) and county Census ACS 2018–2023 figures (growth, rent). How the points work. Not a recommendation.

History and original facts

Closed2008extracted, unreviewed
Original developerCyrus Butlerextracted, unreviewed
documented
The Arcade was developed as a commercial business venture by Cyrus Butler.

en.wikipedia.org

ArchitectRussell Warren and Tallman & Bucklin
CountyProvidence County
Census division1 · New England
NotesWikipedia categories: Defunct shopping malls in the United States

Not yet recorded: acres, GLA, year opened. Know it? Tell us.

Background

The Westminster Arcade is a historic shopping center at 130 Westminster Street and 65 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island erected in 1828. It is notable as the first enclosed shopping mall in the United States and has been lauded as a fine example of commercial Greek Revival architecture. It served as a shopping center for many years before falling into decline in the late 20th century. It has since been closed for renovation and rehabilitation several times, and most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Excerpt from Wikipedia (authors and history), CC BY-SA 4.0. May be older than the record above.

Timeline

  1. 1971 Listed on National Register of Historic Places
  2. 1976 Declared a National Historic Landmark
  3. 1980 Reopened after rehabilitation
  4. 2008 Closed for renovations
  5. 2013 Reopened as mixed-use micro-loft space

Sources

  • Wikipedia: Westminster Arcade · supports: after notes, original developer, status, strategy, year closed
    10 quoted sentences
    It closed again in 2008 for renovations.
    The Arcade was developed as a commercial business venture by Cyrus Butler.
    most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.
    most recently reopened its doors in October 2013 as a residential and commercial mixed-use building.

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