Westminster Arcade
The Westminster Arcade or Providence Arcade ("The Arcade", locally) is a historic shopping center in Providence, Rhode Island. It is the oldest remaining enclosed shopping mall in the United States, built in 1828.
History
The Arcade is the United States' oldest mall, and is located in downtown Providence Rhode Island. It was the first monumental buisness building in Providence, and the oldest. The Arcade was built around the early 19th century, (1828 to be exact) and is styalized like an ancient Greek temple. In 1944, the Arcade was nearly demolished, only to be saved by the Rhode Island Association For the Blind, and was still suffering from the 1920 New England Hurricane, as well as the Great Depression. For many years as far as into the 1970s it suffered from poor economny. Then in the 1980s, during the Providence Renaissance, it picked up and got extensive refurbishing. Today the Arcade is a bustiling mall crowded full of tourists and locals.
Its three-stories are currently host to a diverse array of tenants including a number of primarily weekday lunch restaurants on the ground floor and a jewelry shop, a sci-fi/fantasy book shop, and local non-profits on upper floors.
Historically, the building has suffered, and continues to suffer, from low occupancy rates, though it is believed that the opening of 110 Westminster Street ("OneTen"), a luxury condominium complex next door, will instill new life into the country's oldest indoor shopping center. Johnson & Wales University now administers the building as part of its commitment in the Downcity area.
References
Woodward, Wm McKenzie. Guide to Providence Architecture. Paperback. 1st ed. October 2003: United States. p84.
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external links
http://www.fodors.com/world/north%20america/usa/rhode%20island/providence/entity_96169.html