PROVIDENCE – A long-deteriorated architectural gem may be saved after all. The Bomes Theater, owned by the city and vacant since 2004, is under contract, the head of the Providence Redevelopment Agency announced late last week.
The structure, at 1017 Broad St., was built in 1921 as a theater and portions of it later were converted to retail use, including as a furniture store and restaurant.
Now, the theater may be renovated and reopened.
A community member has agreed to purchase the building, according to an emailed notice from Bonnie Nickerson, the city’s planning director, who also serves as executive director of the Providence Redevelopment Agency. Nickerson did not identify the potential buyer but said the party is interested in “renovating the building back to its original splendor, as a community event space with two retail storefronts on the ground floor.”
The city has worked over the past years to clean up and more effectively market the Beaux Arts-style theater. The work included clearing out debris inside the building.
In 2013, the Bomes Theater was the subject of a community hearing and an architectural and structural analysis, which found the building had a host of environmental and architectural problems that needed to be resolved. The issues included extensive damage to its interior and structural damage above its decorative ceiling. Some of the damage resulted when squatters occupied the structure during its abandonment.
Despite its sad state, the theater is worth preserving, say city and preservation officials, and it’s located in a busy, active commercial area.
The Providence Preservation Society has included the Bomes Theater on its list of Most Endangered Properties five times in the last nine years, including most recently in 2017.
In 2016, it was assessed by the city at $239,600. Nickerson did not specify the purchase price for the property. The city plans to hold a press conference in May to announce the closing of the sale.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
