Providence Church-to-Lofts Project Preserves 1907 Sanctuary, Adds 26 Affordable Homes

A boarded-up stone church on Providence’s Manton Avenue is swapping hymnals for house keys. Built in 1907 and dark since 2009, St. Teresa of Avila is being reborn as 26 loft-style apartments, out of which five are reserved for working-family incomes under the city’s tax-stabilization deal. Inside, marble columns stay; Wi-Fi, washers, and heat-pump HVAC move in. Outside, a solar canopy about the size of two NBA courts will zero out common-area power. Leasing opens in June 2025; the first tenants are expected to cross the threshold by early fall.

1907 Church Gets New Life

St. Teresa of Avila Church has anchored Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood since 1907. Empty for 15 years, the red-brick building is now buzzing with saws and scaffolding. Local developer Paul Marks bought the church after the Providence Preservation Society stamped it “Most Endangered.” His plan is simple: keep the bell tower, rose window, and brick shell but add Wi-Fi, washers, and 26 modern apartments inside. City planner Ana Ruiz loves the mix, calling it “a crash-course history lesson you can live in.”

15 Years Vacant, Nearly Lost

The church doors slammed shut in 2009, and by the time TikTok was born, the roof was leaking, and graffiti ringed the bell tower. This spring, though, scaffolding wraps the brick like a big, hopeful bow. Why? A cocktail of rescue money: a Rebuild RI tax break, a renewable-energy grant, and a decade-long property-tax freeze. Preservation Society director Lisa Giles says the package “pulled the building back from the cliff.” The win is simple: instead of another empty lot, Olneyville keeps its skyline anchor—and gains 26 front doors.

Peeling Pews, Glowing Rose Window

Step inside, and the scene looks like a movie set: cracked plaster, splintered pews, and dust dancing in sunbeams from a 15-foot rose window that still shines like a jukebox. Right now, crews tag every heritage piece with neon tape—SAVE ME—before demolition begins. Site boss Mike Lee jokes, “We’re bubble-wrapping history, then sliding in floor joists.” The payoff? Tomorrow’s tenants will binge-watch Netflix under the same stained glass their great-grandparents prayed beneath.

Crews Carve 26 Bright Lofts

Steel mezzanines now bridge the nave’s 40-foot height, creating 18 one-bed lofts (≈650 sq ft each) along the center aisle and 8 corner two-beds (≈840 sq ft). Work stayed inside the existing walls, so no new land or parking was taken. Architect Sara Kim says the goal was “maximum units, zero new footprint.” A shared lounge will sit on the former altar, lit by restored clerestory windows.

Historic Trim Meets Smart Comforts

Key heritage pieces, including rose windows, marble columns, and carved door casings, were catalogued and reinstalled. New layers include heat-pump HVAC, induction ranges, and triple-pane windows that push the building to ENERGY STAR multifamily specs. Mechanical contractor Ray Costa projects average electric bills under $85/month for a one-bed, thanks to tight insulation and all-electric systems.

Rents Fit Working Budgets

A city tax-stabilization agreement keeps assessments flat for ten years. The result is that 5 units are locked to households earning 80–100 % of AMI (about $1,150 for a 1-bed), while the remaining apartments list at $1,400–$1,900, heat included. Leasing follows a lottery system overseen by the Providence Housing Office; applications open 1 June 2025.

Solar Roof Powers Every Unit

The rear parking lot supports an 8,100 sq ft solar canopy (≈2 NBA courts) rated at 230 kW DC. According to engineer Priya Patel, the array should generate 290 MWh per year, covering all common-area loads and offsetting about 260 tons of CO₂ annually. Forty-percent federal and state tax credits closed the financing gap.

New Residents Lift Manton Avenue

City analysts estimate $320k in new local spending once the 26 units are occupied—mainly food, services, and transit fares within a half-mile radius. Olneyville’s business district currently posts a 19 % storefront vacancy; the planning office expects that rate to drop below 15 % by 2027 as foot traffic improves.

Church Conversions Sweep New England

Since 2020, New England has added 540 housing units through church adaptations, led by Chapel Lofts (New Bedford, 80 units) and Sanctuary Lofts (Philadelphia, 34 units). Rhode Island lists 12 additional vacant churches eligible for state historic tax credits, representing a potential 400–450 new apartments without greenfield construction.

Old Walls, Lower Carbon

A lifecycle study for the project (Rhode Island Green Building Council, 2024) estimates 70 % less embodied carbon than a same-sized new build and diverts 1,200 tons of masonry from landfills. Environmental analyst Carlos Vega calls church conversions “the state’s quickest path to add housing while meeting 2030 climate targets.”