UPDATED: Proposed College Hill Hotel Gets Transformative Redesign

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

GoLocalProv News Team

Revised design for proposed College Hill Hotel RENDERING: ZDS

GoLocal has secured renderings of the redesign of the proposed new hotel for College Hill and the design is dramatically different — with a smaller footprint, on-street dining, balconies, and a mansard roof.

The design is a dramatic change from the initial proposal that received strong opposition from neighbors and GoLocal’s architectural critic Will Morgan.

SEE BEFORE AND AFTER IMAGES BELOW

The new design will be submitted to the College Hill Neighborhood Association and the Providence Preservation Society for review.

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The proposal by Ohio-based Smart Hotels is for a 126 room boutique hotel on the corner of Angell and Brook Streets. The original design was for 130 rooms.

Smart Hotels has developed projects across the country in college towns. Presently, Smart Hotels and its partners have developed similar projects near the University of Chicago, Oberlin College, Duke University. Rollins College, Swarthmore College, Vassar College, and Emory University.

“Our hotels are different. They are not large meeting spaces or for conferences. They are built in a pedestrian context with an emphasis on personal service,” said Ed Small, President of Smart Hotels in an interview with GoLocal in early October.

“We want to have a neighborhood hotel and be a great fit for the area,” said Small. He stressed his commitment to preservation and outlined numerous professional efforts.

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Existing structure on Angell Street

Teardowns and Parking Variance

As part of the current proposal, three houses would be torn down as part of this hotel project, including 209, 211 and 217 Angell Street.

The three properties are controlled by East Side developer and realtor Ed Bishop. The grandest of the three homes is the 1890 structure at 209 which is accessed by the City of Providence for $922,500. The three structures combined are assessed at a value in excess of over $2 million.

The addition of a hotel on College Hill that brings as many as 100 or more additional autos to the already congested area is frightening for residents.

Brent Runyon of the Providence Preservation Society said that after the initial GoLocal article he organization was contacted by many area residents and their number one concern is parking.

Smart says that most guests at his properties don’t bring cars. “They come by planes and trains via Uber,” said Small. He emphasized that the hotel’s guests and its proximity to Brown make this a pedestrian experience.

Small told GoLocal that guests to the property will only be able to park via the property's valets, but with 130 guests and staff, the demand could be significant.