Cranston Street Armory - Providence Business News

Brett P. Smiley / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Smiley’s second-term vision: Building Providence’s next economy

Cover Story 08/14/2026

Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley entered City Hall in 2023 after serving as the city’s chief operating officer, promising a more efficient approach to...

Former state official cleared of ethics violations in 2023 Philadelphia trip

Government 04/08/2026

PROVIDENCE – Former state administration director James E. Thorsen has been cleared of all ethics violations stemming from a March 2023 work trip to...

‘Resistance Houses,’ Providence Place top PPS 2026 most endangered list

Housing 02/04/2026

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Preservation Society has placed four so-called “Resistance Houses” on the city's South Side at the top of its 2026 Most...

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: John Faella is the owner of Sterling Cleaners Inc., which is located across the street from the Cranston Street Armory in the West End of Providence. Faella says his business benefits from the armory being used as a sound stage for TV and film productions because crews seek his services when they need costumes cleaned or repaired, which can bring in an additional $5,000 to $7,000 of business per production. PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

For some local businesses, film productions are lights, camera… extra money

Economy 05/09/2025

Sterling Cleaners Inc. in the working-class West End of Providence might feel like a world away from the glitz of Hollywood, but it’s closer...

THE ATLANTIC MILLS Complex on Manton Avenue in Providence has been listed among the Providence Preservation Society's 2025 Most Endangered Places. / PBN FILE PHOTO/WILLIAM HAMILTON

Providence Preservation Society lists 2025 most endangered places

News Story 01/22/2025

PROVIDENCE – An armory building that had been a focal point of developmental controversy in recent years, the state’s tallest skyscraper and an old...

Former state director settles ethics complaint for $5K

Government 03/26/2024

PROVIDENCE – A former state director has agreed to settle a state ethics complaint for $5,000 tied to his alleged bad behavior during a...

Hollywood returns to Providence County with ‘Ella McCay’

Economy 02/01/2024

PROVIDENCE – City and state officials joined some Hollywood talent at the Statehouse Thursday to celebrate a new feature film being shot in locations...

THE CRANSTON STREET ARMORY in Providence has been named one of the Providence Preservation Society's 2024 most endangered places. / COURTESY PROVIDENCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY

Providence Preservation Society lists 2024 most endangered places

News Story 01/24/2024

PROVIDENCE – A prominent city skyscraper, a pair of school buildings and an armory building that has been a subject of developmental controversy over...