City officials order “deplorable” Providence building vacated

By News Staff

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) –  Providence city councilors voted unanimously Wednesday night to vacate the building located on Ernest Street, which houses the city’s VIN check station as well as the sewer department.

“The building is in quite deplorable conditions,” said Providence City Council President Michael Correia.

According to the city council the building’s ceiling leaks, floors are being uplifted, bathrooms don’t work, and rodent feces cover the facility.

“Windows are busted, there’s asbestos, it’s just an unsafe environment for anybody to be working in,” said Correia.

“Somebody made a comment, ‘I wouldn’t let my dog walk through that particular part of the building’,” said City Councilor Nick Narducci. “Yet we have people working in that particular part of the building.”

According to Correia, city officials have been talking about moving employees and equipment from the building for over a decade, but nothing has happened yet.

“It’s about time my colleagues and myself took action,” said Correia. And that’s exactly what they did, giving the departments 14 days to vacate the property before they demolish it.

Now the city is looking at new building options to house the sewer department and is considering temporarily moving the VIN check station into the garage of the public safety complex.

Some re-location options include vacant school buildings and other vacant city-owned buildings. Moving costs will be coming out of the city’s budget.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2019