Construction under way of 6-story apartment building in Providence’s Jewelry District

April 17—PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A six-story, 45,000-square-foot apartment building with street-level commercial spaces is under construction at 44 Hospital St. in the Jewelry District, a site long owned by real-estate investor Henry Mu.

The circa-1940, two-story building previously at this address has been demolished, and the new building will be completed by December, according to the architect, Christopher Velleca of Federal Hill Group LLC.

Mu previously operated a restaurant and lounge at the old building, and years ago he operated the Forbidden City Tea Room at 220 Atwells Ave., a property owned by his mother, Sophia Cuyegkeng. Mu is not a full-time Providence resident, but his mother owns a condo at The Residences tower in downtown Providence.

Mu is the president of 113 South St. LLC, which is developing 44 Hospital St. together with Lifted Properties LLC. Cuyegkeng is the registered agent of Lifted Properties.

Vellecca said there will be 30 apartments in the new Hospital Street building, including a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom units. The apartments will range in size from 800 or 900 square feet for the studios, up to about 1,800 square feet for the two-bedroom residences. He said he does not know the planned price range of the apartment rentals.

Vellecca said the $7.5-million project is being privately financed, but the owner may seek a tax abatement from the city. The general contractor is Kenwood Construction Company Inc. of East Providence.

The demand for apartments in the Jewelry District is expected to grow as Brown University and other medical and educational institutions expand their investments in the neighborhood.

The Jewelry District was named for the industry that dominated there in the 1870s and 1880s. In 1880, Rhode Island produced more than 25 percent of all jewelry made in the United States, and 142 of the state's 148 jewelry companies were in Providence. By 1890, Providence had more than 200 jewelry firms, employing nearly 7,000 workers. Most of the companies produced inexpensive costume jewelry.

Since 2007, when Brown University purchased seven buildings in the district from Belvoir Properties for its medical school, the district, more recently known for its nightclubs, has been evolving once again.

— cdunn@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7913

On Twitter: @ChristineMDunn

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