Each year Preserve Rhode Island honors the to projects and people in preservation with the Rhody Awards. This year’s Rhody Awards celebrate work that supports affordable and low-income housing, stimulates local economies, saves rural landscapes, and protects iconic landmarks for present and future generations.
The Alexander Company is thrilled to share that Paragon Mill is a 2023 Rhody Awardee for Preservation Project, and grateful for the video that Preserve Rhode Island created to showcase the project outcomes of the rehabilitation efforts.
The historic Paragon Mill is a collection of 11 buildings considered a critical piece of Olneyville’s economic future. The 125,000-square-foot complex located at the “front door” of Olneyville is officially known as the Earnscliffe Worsted Mill / Paragon Worsted Company Mill Complex and is located on the Woonasquatucket River. Paragon Mill represents an important connection to Providence’s industrial heritage, the way people lived and worked, and the use of the Woonasquatucket River as an economic engine.
The rehabilitation efforts have restored Paragon Mill to its former glory and returned a historic icon to the city it was built to serve. Olneyville’s historic has been reflected throughout, from the rehabilitation of historic pieces as art to redefined public/private spaces imbued with charm and character.
The Alexander Company is the developer and lead the rehabilitation efforts. A strong group of local organizations teamed up to make this project a reality, including but not limited to:
- General Contractor: TRAC Builders
- Architect: The Alexander Company and DBVW Architects
- Engineer: EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc and Horsley Witten Group
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Allocating Agency: RIHousing
- Housing Trust Fund Lender: Providence Redevelopment Agency
- Construction and Permanent Financing: Citibank
From Providence’s Most Endangered list, to the 2023 Rhody Awards, The Alexander Company is proud to have returned this piece of historic to the Providence community as an apartment community catering to a variety of income levels.
