Olneyville flea market reopens five months after flood shut it down

PROVIDENCE – Five months after floods ravaged the building, the Atlantic Mills officially reopened its roughly 100,000-square-foot flea market Saturday.
Record rainfall in March led to 5.5 feet of flooding in the building in the Olneyville section of Providence. The water left behind tens of thousands of dollars in damage to the 19th-century converted mill and destroyed the inventories of flea market vendors, General Manager Mark Carlson said.
The Big Top Flea Market, as it’s called, reopened quietly on July 10, but returned to full force only last week. Repair work continues on the building’s electrical system and other small items, Carlson said. Aside from the weekend flea market, the building hosts a number of retail shops and offices.
On Saturday, management invited city building officials, and police and fire officers to the mill to recognize them for their assistance. Carlson said that the Providence Fire Department provided pumps that helped remove water from the mill’s lower level during the storm. The Police Department offered frequent patrols during repairs to the building and when it lacked electricity for 11 days straight. The building department has spent the last five months working with management to approve renovations to the four-story mill.
“We kind of wanted to take the day to thank them,” Carlson said.
On hand Saturday were Providence Department of Inspection and Standards Director Sheila McGauvran, Providence Emergency Management Agency Director Peter Gaynor, state Rep. Anastasia Williams – a Democrat who represents Providence – and representatives from the police and fire departments.