Pending approvals, INSIGHT is hoping to undertake some renovations of our building at 43 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick this summer.
It is slated to be a busy summer at INSIGHT as we undertake an upgrade of the front of our building while also updating some areas within the building as well.
INSIGHT purchased its current location at 43 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick in 1986, making significant renovations at that time to convert the former racquetball club into office space, a low vision clinic, a training apartment, and a radio station.
INSIGHT currently occupies the ground floor of the building and leases the office space on the second floor. The income from the leases offsets the cost of keeping up the building and also helps fund many of INSIGHT’s programs. Unfortunately in 2008 our largest tenant, a dermatology practice, went out of business leaving us with 9,500 square feet of unoccupied space that had been generating lease income for the agency.
INSIGHT Executive Director Christopher Butler says that it has been challenging to lease the space to a new tenant over the past few years due to a down economy, a poor parking plan in the front of the building, and a lack of curb appeal from Jefferson Boulevard. Recently INSIGHT’s Board of Directors approved moving ahead with a project to help make the building more marketable to potential tenants.
Vision 3 Architects of Providence worked to design a new facade for the front of the building which will improve the building’s curb appeal, improve handicap access, and create a new parking plan that will address the current issues. Vision 3 Architects also evaluated the building’s interior to identify ways in which it could be improved, including upgrading the fire alarm system.
The work, which should begin this summer pending government approvals and a final budget review, will be managed by Case Construction. Butler indicated that despite the construction work the building will remain open and there should not be any interruption in services.
Follow the progress of the construction this spring on this page.
