Regal Plating

A simple mid-century industrial building used for jewelry industry purposes over the past 50 years razed in 2011 for speculative purposes

images of this Property

Photo by Jef Nickerson
Photo by Jef Nickerson
Photo by Jef Nickerson

15 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more. Demolition photos by Jef Nickerson.

About this Property

Reason for Demolition

The buildings came down in March, 2011. They were not under Industrial Commercial Buildings District (ICBD) protection, or any other, for that matter. The owner applied for all the necessary permits and were granted them. It was believed that Brown University was behind this occurrence, but nothing ever came of that rumor. The owner’s – G + K Realty Co, 85 South Street – are land-banking the property until the “Knowledge District” makes the land more valuable. Then who knows. Maybe it is the owner’s intent to sell it to Brown at a premium once the land is cleaned up and remediated.

Unfortunately, a familiar story happened – there are only plans for a surface parking lot and a “hole” in the streetscape for the time being. As the former building and land under it soaked up plating chemicals for the past 80+ years, there must have been some serious underground contamination issues to be dealt with (and a parking lot is the cheapest way to encapsulate it). The plating process is very toxic, and the Regal Plating company had been doing it for at least 50 years. A new owner might have to foot the bill for proper remediation, we are not sure.

The owner of the property sent ArtInRuins the real estate overview as a PDF. The asking price in 2011 was $3.2 million. Loopnet had a listing for this property as early as 2007.

We love, love, loved the gothic font on that sign. Very nice example of 1950’s industrial lettering.

Current Events

The site, sadly, nearly 15 years later, is still a parking lot. The URL that was on the sales flyer PDF is no longer in service. We have not done any research into whether or not the land was sold between now and 2011.

History

Some records show that the Regal Plating Company was established in 1948 and employed up to 43 people. Their activities were Metal Finishing, Plating, Metal Polishing, Metalworking, Gold Plating, Silver Plating, Gold & Silver Plating, Metal, Polishing, Finishing, and Buffing.

The building was not listed as a contributing structure in the “Providence Jewelry Manufacturing Historic District” nomination form, 1985.

Maps

1920–1951 Sanborn Insurance Map (page 24) — At the northwest corner of South and Chestnut Streets are two wooden structures. Number 85 is a two-story dwelling, while 81–83 is a two-story Jewelry Manufacturing building.
1920–1955 Sanborn Insurance Map (page 14) — Same corner, there is now a concrete block building that has replaced those two previous wooden structures. The building is two-story and occupies the entire plat from boundary edge to boundary edge.

5 Anecdotes from people like you

My father and I used to send all of Luna creations jewelry there to plate in the 70s and 80s when our largest client was Kmart. I wish I had known, I would have bought that building and remolded it as storage space, for car storage or something along those lines. Heck maybe even a night club its a great location — but knocking it down opens cans of Envior worms as a player. Will cost 4 million to remedy it which would drain my account

Tony Martini March 16, 2024

The building on the left of the Regal Plating Co sign was the former home of Jonette Jewelry Co., founded by Abraham Lisker and eventually taken over by my husband B. Gordon Lisker in the early 70’s. I don’t know the year, but Gordon moved the business to a larger building in East Providence which he eventually sold around 2013. I also don’t know if Jonette owned or rented the building on South Street.

Nancy Rozendal December 14, 2020

my father, john guleserian, founded regal plating co in 1946, upstairs was atlantic lures, another company he started, and downstairs was yet another company he owned, vacuum plating co. he owned it until 1973 when he sold it to john grosse.

david guleserian February 3, 2016

I don’t understand why it’s being marketed for student housing. It must be some know-nothing real estate firm that thinks that’s the way to make a quick buck.

ABD January 26, 2008

My late Dad, as I recall did some business with the people here – I think, a long time ago, around the late 80’s or early 90’s. Plated machine parts if memory serves me. I walked by it a zillion times on my own foot errands in the 80’s/90’s and obnoxious smells, and loud noises were always coming from the various ventilators and open windows exiting the building. It has finally become yet another memory of an old business – of so many now gone from that area – that itself became obsolete and what’s left is done overseas. It’s sort of in that weird Bermuda Triangle of streets that are near the 195 entrance that reflected until very recently one of the last manufacturing areas left in the city.

Bob Eggleton

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images of this Property

About this Property

#Reason for Demolition

#Current Events

#History

Maps

Reason for Demolition

Current Events

History