Site overview
During the destructive period of urban renewal in Downtown Providence, much of Cathedral Square was razed and city planners re-zoned the area for high-rise development. Beneficent House was the product of a partnership between the federal government and Beneficent Congregational Church to house displaced elderly residents and others who hoped to reside close to downtown shopping and amenities. Architect Paul Rudolph, who was at the time dean of Yale Architecture School, designed the brick building which employs horizontal bands in concrete which define floors and provide visual breaks. The building was originally designed in 1963, but after years of delays and budget cuts from rising construction costs, the balconies and other design features were removed from the final product, leading to its relative simplicity. While modest for Rudolph, the building retains intrigue, especially with the projecting window bays and offset openings, a departure from the block apartment buildings built nearby.
