Beatrice hotel celebrates opening

PROVIDENCE – State leaders attended the grand opening for The Beatrice boutique hotel in downtown Providence Tuesday.

The 47-room hotel located in the 1887 Exchange Building at 90 Westminster St. was developed by Joseph R. Paolino Jr., managing partner of Paolino Properties LP. The project was designed by ZDS Architecture & Interiors.

“As a former mayor of this great city, I’ve been a champion of Providence for my entire career. It’s been my passion to create projects that enhance the city and welcome community members and travelers. The opening of The Beatrice marks a new chapter for our hospitality scene,” said Paolino in a statement Tuesday. “This hotel is a celebration of our city’s best attributes: our vibrant arts community, our renowned restaurants, our rich history and our bright future.”

The hotel is also home to contemporary Italian restaurant Bellini Providence, run by Ignazzio Cipriani. The concept also has locations in Miami and New York City. There will also be a members-only club, the “Bellini Club,” that features craft cocktails and shareable plates.

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Both Gov. Daniel J. McKee and Stefan Pryor spoke at the opening ceremony Tuesday.

“The opening of The Beatrice symbolizes the reinvigoration of downtown Providence as we move into a new phase of recovery,” said McKee at the ceremony. “When it comes to our economy, we are writing a new chapter here in Rhode Island – and we are glad to have the Beatrice be part of that. I thank the team for choosing Rhode Island and choosing Providence. It’s a great place to be and a great place to grow, and I wish them success.”

The hotel had a soft opening on Sept. 1, operating at a limited capacity. Tuesday marked the official opening of the hotel.

The property received state-approved tax increment financing from the R.I. Commerce Corp. to facilitate the redevelopment of the former bank building. The mechanism allows a project to forego paying sales and hotel taxes to facilitate the development. R.I. Commerce authorized up to $4.25 million in foregone state taxes to assist in the redevelopment, estimated in 2019 at $19 million.

“The Beatrice is a magnificent new hospitality asset — one that’s infused with the beautiful spirit of the matriarch for whom it is named,” said Pryor. “We’re proud that we never shut down our state’s construction industry in the course of the pandemic — instead working cooperatively with the business and labor communities to ensure workplace health and safety. Thanks to successfully built projects such as The Beatrice, the construction sector has regained all of its strength, recently reaching its highest employment levels in 14 years. We are grateful to Joseph Paolino and his team for their remarkable determination and invaluable investment.”

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