Federal Hill- Home to Providence’s Little Italy Community and many great mid-late 19th Century Historic Mansions

Federal Hill received its name after a 1788 Fourth of July ox roast celebration on the plain adjacent to the hill. Federal Hill’s Atwells Avenue is named for Amos Maine Atwell, who led a syndicate of businessmen developing the western areas of the city in 1788. The area developed into a working class district during the early 19th century . In 1840, only the lower streets of the hill were occupied mostly by Irish immigrants who worked in the nearby textile shops and foundries. By the early 1850s, part of Atwells Avenue was clustered with two- and three-story tenements that housed the large influx Irish Immigrants fleeing the famine of 1845 to 1851. But by late 19th century, Federal Hill was increasingly Providence’s Italian enclave.  By 1900, the Hill was divided almost evenly between the Irish and the Italians. The Little Italy District is marked in the present day by The La Pigna (or The Pine Cone) sculpture hanging from its center – a traditional Italian symbol of welcome, abundance, and quality – over Atwells Avenue. 

While Federal Hill still hosts a strong Italian presence along Atwell Street it is much more than that. 20 % and 10% of the neighborhood is filled with Hispanic and Black families respectively making this a very racial and economically diverse community. The blocks surrounding Broadway host some incredible mid-late 19th century mansions of the Federal, Italianate, Second Empire, and Victorian styles. Broadway is also a solid commercial district on its own right. Westminster, the southern border of the district, is an up and coming area emerging from decades of disinvestment and contains the bulk of the neighborhood’s modern infill projects. The eastern edge of the neighborhood hosts the best mixed-use district in Federal Hill as it historically was a small manufacturing area. Overall Federal Hill is a very walkable neighborhood thanks to solid cultural & retail amenities, good public transit and bike access and convenient access to Dwtn (only 1-1.5 miles away). The neighborhood also hosts lots of rentals options (while running a bit expensive) and lots of different for sale options from 1-bed condos in divided up historic mansions to million dollar historic homes.

This is one of Providence’s best urban district but to become a top tier American  neighborhood Federal Hill could use some more density, urban in-fill development or remaining surface parking lots, esp., along Westminster, better tree canopy and some key retail amenities such as a supermarket and a local library and post office.

Click here to view my Federal Hill Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

* Solid urban density
* Excellent mid-late 19th century Federal, Italianate, and Victorian architecture concentrated in the blocks surrounding Broadway. Outside of this hub the historic architecture is much more modest and working class.
* Most intersections have ADA curb cuts but more so along the  major biz districts (Broadway, Westminster, and Atwells).
* Very convenient access to Dwtn only about 1 mile from Dwtn.
* A nice pair of dedicated bike lanes including a north to south route through the neighborhood and a good route to Dwtn. Decent # of dockless bikes here too.
* Good racial and excellent economic diversity with a large Hispanic population and most Asian and Black. While there is a 1/4 poverty rate in the neighborhood there is still a high medium income here and good diversity of household incomes.
* Overall this is a very safe neighborhood with some lower level crimes and gritty apartment buildings especially north of Broadway.
* Some mixed-use in-fill throughout Federal Hill but especially along Westminster and the eastern edge of the district. But also some auto centric in-fill too esp. along Westminster.
* Good number of schools here with a mix of private, public, and charters across all ages. Generally good ratings except the public HS.
* Lots of rentals but pretty expensive. Studios & 1 beds rent btwn 1.5K-2.2K, 2-beds btwn 1.8K-3K and plenty of 3 & 4 beds that rent btwn 1.8K-4K. Decent # of affordable rentals however.
* Lots of for-sale options including plenty of 1-bed condos that sell btwn 150K-400K, 2-bed btwn 200K-650K, and 3 & 4 beds btwn 250K-1 M
* Decent parks including several small-medium parks within Federal Hill or nearby. Also a quality recreation center w/ an outdoor pool.
* Solid cultural amenities including plenty of restaurants, bars, & cafes including a concentration of Italian businesses along Atwell St (Providence’s Little Italy District), a couple art galleries & breweries, a couple live music venues including one in the historic Uptown Theater, also a couple night clubs as well.
* No supermarkets but this neighborhood is old school with a strong Italian vibe that remains leading to plenty of Italian grocerias & bakeries, and a couple butchers. Othe retail amenities include a drug store, several boutiques & clothing stores, plenty of gift stores, a bookstore, several dessert joints & bakeries, a couple gyms, a bike shop, a couple antique stores, several doctor’s office while no local hospital, several churches, and plenty of butches and salons.
* Good amount of retail even on primarily residential streets.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

• Generally good urban form but some pretty extensive parking lots along Westminster and in the southeastern edge of the district.
• Tree canopy is so so and lacking in the more working class typology streets.
• No supermarket nor local post office or public library but these do at least exist dwtn only a mile away.”