Nineteen old buildings scattered across Providence's West End are lined up for new roofs, siding, boilers, kitchens and baths, and a federal paperwork step posted Oct. 13 brings the work a little closer.
On Oct. 13, RIHousing published a notice of intent to request release of funds for West End III Apartments. On or about Oct. 26, 2026, the agency plans to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to approve FHA Risk Share insurance for the project's loan.
West End III merges two existing affordable properties, the West End Preservation Apartments and the Historic West End II Apartments, into one entity. The 19 buildings sit on scattered sites within a half-mile radius, on Arch, Bridgham, Wilson and Gilmore streets in the Elmwood and West End neighborhoods.
The notice lists the addresses: 36 and 38 Arch St.; 48, 52, 56, 60-62, 64, 70 and 72 Bridgham St.; 55 Wilson St.; and 34, 35, 36, 38-40, 39 and 47 Gilmore St.
There are 47 rental apartments: 22 two-bedroom, 20 three-bedroom and five four-bedroom units. All 47 are restricted to households earning between 30% and 60% of area median income, according to RIHousing's April funding report.
The renovation will mix interior and exterior work. Planned items include kitchen and bathroom upgrades, fire code compliance, hot water boilers and heaters, insulation, siding replacement, roofing, exterior lighting and security cameras with remote monitoring.
RIHousing determined the work is categorically excluded from a full National Environmental Policy Act review. Under HUD's rules, that exclusion applies to multifamily rehab when unit density changes by no more than 20%, the use stays residential, and the rehab costs less than 75% of the cost to replace the buildings.
The money
The developer is Women's Development Corporation. It is a 4% low-income housing tax credit deal. In April, RIHousing's board unanimously approved Housing 2030 awards that included $3.25 million in state preservation money for West End III. That was one of seven projects sharing about $31.2 million from the round, which is funded by the housing bond voters approved in 2024.
The April report puts the total budget at about $23.5 million, or roughly $499,952 per unit. Construction is budgeted at $12.27 million, with a $958,535 contingency and $4.75 million for acquisition. Sources include $8.1 million in low-income housing tax credit proceeds, $2.72 million in federal historic tax credit proceeds, a $1.94 million RIHousing first mortgage, $1.41 million from RIHousing's Preservation Loan Fund, $497,661 in Providence HOME funds, the $3.25 million state award, a $250,000 ARPA predevelopment grant, a sponsor loan, existing reserves, a deferred developer fee and about $4.29 million in assumed debt and sponsor acquisition financing.
According to the board's April 16 minutes, Chairwoman Deborah Goddard described West End III as a difficult project with 19 buildings and called it a critical project with historic rehab.
Anyone wishing to comment can send written comments on the environmental review record to RIHousing through Oct. 23, 2026, and the agency will consider them before submitting its request. HUD will then accept objections for 15 days after the anticipated submission date or after it receives the request, whichever is later, on limited procedural grounds. Requests to see the environmental review record go to Melanie Brewer, RIHousing's director of real estate development, and the record is also posted on HUD's environmental review website. RIHousing Executive Director Carol A. Ventura signed the notice and the environmental certification.
Why it matters for Contractors
A $12.27 million construction budget spread across 19 historic buildings is a different kind of job than one big new building. Crews will be moving between existing apartment buildings spread around the neighborhood, and the work list touches nearly every trade: roofing, siding, insulation, boiler and water heater replacement, kitchens and baths, fire code upgrades, exterior lighting and security systems.
The federal historic tax credits in the budget mean exterior work will likely need to meet historic preservation standards, so contractors with experience in historic rehab will have an edge. Federal insurance and HOME money can also bring wage and reporting requirements.
No general contractor is named in RIHousing's public documents. Contractors interested in the work should watch for the HUD release of funds after the comment and objection periods and reach out to Women's Development Corporation as the deal moves toward closing.