The Providence Preservation Society (PPS) invites proposals to purchase the Shakespeare’s Head building (built 1772) from a qualified respondent with a track record of restoring or maintaining historic buildings, and a plan for the best-fit and highest use of the property. The property will be sold with a Preservation Easement held by Preserve Rhode Island. A video walk-through of Shakespeare’s Head is available here.
Shakespeare’s Head is located at 21 Meeting Street in the College Hill Historic District of Providence, Rhode Island on the East Side. It is one of the oldest homes in Providence. The next owner will be only the sixth steward of this pre-Revolutionary property in over 250 years.
- Lot Size: 10,727 square feet (.246 acres).
- Building: 3,663 square feet above grade with 3 kitchenettes and 3 bathrooms
- Zoned C2 (General Commercial District), allowing residential, commercial and/or live-work use (Link to Zoning Ordinance User’s Manual).
- Parking depends on use; the current parking lot accommodates 2-3 cars, and the future owner may expand parking in designated areas.
- Estimated value: $820,000
TIMELINE
Questions Due: May 24, 2024 at 5:00 pm. Questions that are submitted any time up through May 24 at 5:00 pm will be answered within three business days. PPS cannot guarantee that questions submitted after May 24 at 5:00 pm will be answered prior to May 31. All questions must be submitted via email only to mbrown@ppsri.org. Note: all questions and answers pertaining to the property, the RFP, the Preservation Easement, submission requirements, and proposal evaluation will be anonymized and posted publicly on PPS’s website in a Q&A section below.
Proposals Due: May 31, 2024 by 5:00 pm
Selection Decisions: June 30, 2024 (anticipated)
Showing dates/times are available upon request to the Executive Director via email at mbrown@ppsri. Please make a request at least one week in advance of a desired show date. Requests that are received to visit Shakespeare’s Head less than one week from the desired date may not be able to be accommodated.
Link to full Request for Proposals package
Q & A
Q: Are any specific trees or plantings in the Shakespeare’s Head garden protected?
A: In 2004, the City passed a regulation in its Zoning Ordinance (Article 1503 B – “Significant Tree Preservation”) that protects trees 32 inches in diameter or greater (measured 4.5 feet above the ground), regardless of location. No “Significant Tree” shall be removed without prior permission of the City Forester. Any person wishing to remove a Significant Tree shall file a request to do so with the City Forester. The request must meet certain criteria in order to receive approval, most notably that the tree poses a danger to human safety, health, and welfare. The garden has seven such trees along the perimeters.