Providence, Rhode Island was stop number five on my express Northeastern United States road trip in August, 2019. It was mid-day on a Saturday and it was much busier than stops earlier that day in Albany, Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts.
This was a city I’d always wanted to visit and not just because of Family Guy. Although, the skyline is featured prominently behind the Griffin household on Spooner Street in Quahog, Rhode Island.
It was an express tour, to say the least. I didn’t even get out of the vehicle. In saying that, this is definitely a city I want to return to. Although, hotel rooms might be slightly out of my budget, especially if I want to stay at the iconic neighbour of the Superman Building, the Graduate Providence.
Both the Industrial National Bank Building (aka Superman Building) and the Graduate Providence (aka Biltmore) define the downtown core of this New England city. Both date back to the 1920’s. One has been empty since 2013 and is threatened with extinction. More info on these buildings below.
Industrial National Bank Building Video
This video is an excerpt from the full downtown Providence, Rhode Island driving tour shown below. This features a drive-by of the Industrial National Bank Building and the Biltmore Hotel.
The Full Downtown Providence, Rhode Island Driving Tour
We took this driving tour video of downtown Providence, Rhode Island in August, 2019. There was a planned route. This is not it. Things in New England look so different when you’re planning on Google Maps…
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Video edited with Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2018.
The Industrial National Bank Building And Biltmore Hotel
Industrial National Bank Building
The Providence Industrial National Bank Building was completed in 1928. At 130 metres or 428 feet, this has been Rhode Island’s tallest building for nearly a century.
Unfortunately, there now stands 26 empty floors at the Kennedy Plaza skyscraper. The Bank of America was the last tenant and they vacated in 2013.
One of the options on the table right now is demolition. There is an organization trying its hardest to save the building. Save Superman Rhode Island is putting forth a valiant effort to keep this icon standing. Their site, SaveSupermanRI, is full of info and some great photos.
As for the nickname, the Industrial National Bank Building has long been dubbed the Superman Building due to its resemblance to the Daily Planet Building in the original Superman comic books. This was not, however, the actual artistic inspiration. It has also been named Industrial Trust Tower, Fleet Bank Tower and Bank of America Building.
Graduate Providence
The new name has existed just since April, 2019. Previously, this 18 floor building, adjacent to the Superman Building, went by Providence Biltmore Hotel. The iconic Biltmore sign atop the skyscraper remains.
This structure is 67 metres or 220 feet in height and was completed in 1922. There are 294 rooms in the hotel and it is the ninth tallest building in the city.
Listed on the United States Register of Historic Places, the Biltmore became the Sheraton-Biltmore between 1947 and 1968. In 1954, much of the lobby was underwater due to flooding from Hurricane Carol.
Along the way, the Graduate has also been named the Biltmore Plaza Hotel, Biltmore Plaza – A Dunfey Hotel and the Omni Biltmore Hotel.
About Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island was incorporated as a town in 1636 and a city in 1832. The state capital has a city population of 180,000 and a metro count of 1.6 million. The top employers are a mix of medical and higher education.
This city is located 50 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts, 181 miles northeast of New York City and 85 miles east of Hartford, Connecticut.
