Renovation for new veterans housing under way
Providence, RI – Several new projects in Rhode Island are helping to provide affordable housing for homeless and disabled veterans. The effort is part of a larger state initiative called Opening Doors Rhode Island that aims to end veterans’ homelessness by December 31, 2015.
Blackstone Valley Development Corporation is collaborating with Veterans for Tomorrow, LLC, to renovate the vacant jewelry manufacturing building, Heaton and Cowing Mill. The project, known as “Veterans for Tomorrow,” will create 20 affordable homes for homeless and disabled veterans.
Saccoccio & Associates, an architectural firm located in Cranston, provided the project’s architectural design and consultation, historic restoration, and interior design.
“The building is designed to retain the character of the historic mill while providing comfortable living space with modern amenities,” said Mark Saccoccio, principal of Saccoccio & Associates. “The apartments are handicap accessible, and the community space has been designed to accommodate job training and other veteran services.”
The 13,590sf building is located at 1115 Douglas Avenue, in Providence. Two-and-a-half of the three floors will be residential with one efficiency suite and 19 one-bedroom units. A community room and job training center also will be on-site.
Surveying, site engineering, and local/state permitting were provided by DiPrete Engineering.
Renovations are expected to be complete by October.
Other veteran housing projects include Operation Stand Down R.I., which recently completed the construction of 10 affordable homes for veterans in Westerly, and Turning Point II, which included the construction of 14 affordable homes near the V.A. Hospital in Providence.
