From the archives: This story was last updated in August 2019.
In 1828, over 190 years ago, the Providence Arcade opened its doors. This enclosed shopping center, built in Greek Revival style, with large columns and a large glass atrium that allowed customers to browse many shops all in the comfort of a dry, cozy indoor space, was the prototype for all the thousands of malls that would follow.Not long ago, this historic architectural monument was in danger of being demolished, like many other buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries in Providence, Rhode Island, one of the nation’s oldest cities. That’s when developer Evan Granoff stepped in with a brilliant idea for making this incredible building come to life again.
