257 Thayer

Develop a state-of-the-art, purpose-built student housing community for use by Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) students

Gilbane developed 257 Thayer, located in the heart of Providence’s College Hill, a dense college neighborhood characterized by an active commercial street and surrounding residential blocks. The new apartment community replaced nine existing triple-deckers. 257 Thayer includes 95 suite style apartments with 267 beds on four levels, and underground parking with approximately 75 spaces.

Gallery

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257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Exterior 2
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Courtyard 2
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Courtyard
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Exterior
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Clubhouse_
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Clubhouse 2
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Clubhouse 3
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Clubhouse
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Fitness
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Lobby
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown UnitKitchen
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown LivingRoom
257 Thayer Student Housing Brown Bedroom

Project Overview

  • 95-unit, 267-bed student community designed for Brown University and RISD students  
  • 1,000 SF of retail space
  • On-site amenities include a community room with multiple high definition TVs, a community kitchen, group study rooms, gaming tables, cyber cafe, and a fitness center
  • Landscaped courtyard, with a fire pit and barbeque, offers students a space to meet, study, and socialize outside of their suites
  • Community designed as a sustainable living environment, with eco-friendly construction choices such as paint with low VOC and low emissions, electric car charging stations, bike storage, water-efficient fixtures, and a 66kw solar power grid, which provides up to 10% of the building’s power
  • Architectural design refined according to neighborhood feedback in order to minimize apparent scale and impact, blending the building’s facade into the neighborhood context
  • Our team reached out and met with numerous local groups, project stakeholders, and city officials to present existing conditions and our project’s design, and accommodated input/feedback from local groups into our final design. Organizations included College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA), Providence Preservation Society (PPS), Thayer Street Merchants Association, and the City of Providence.
  • Project features original works of art including “Rafi”, a bronze sculpture of an Indian Rhino by artist Nick Bibby, and an illustration of Rafi by Victo Ngai, a New York based illustrator from Hong Kong and Rhode Island School of Design graduate
  • Recipient of Student Housing Business Innovator Award for “Best New Development under 300 Beds”
  • U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Silver Certified

Quick Stats

  • Location: Providence, RI
  • Market: Student Housing
  • Size: 144,000 SF
  • Beds: 267
  • Units: 95
  • Date Completed: March 2015
  • Awards:
    • Student Housing Business, Innovator Award for Best New Development Under 300 Beds
    • US Green Building Council LEED Certified® / LEED Silver®

144,000

square feet

95

units

267

beds

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