New England Diary

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Retrofitting Art Deco buildings ain't cheap

The United Shoe Machinery Building, on Federal Street in Boston's financial district.

Adapted from Robert Whitcomb "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com

Providence’s Industrial Trust Building (aka the Superman Building) might be best used for design studios for Providence’s big art and design community on the first few floors over the ground floor (which could have restaurants and shops), and then apartments and condos and then a restaurant near the top. If none of these soon become economically plausible, then tear the damn thing down; it’s starting to fall apart. The building is probably too clunky and outdated (with its step-backs) to lurea big company.

Of course, if Providence were as rich as Boston, there would be enough money around to retrofit the mini-skyscraper as well as was done at the great art deco United Shoe Machinery Building in downtown Boston.