16-04-2025
Once the site of a 1950s diner, this vacant R.I. land is slated to become affordable housing
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That means these units will be designated to those who earn $66,650 in a single-family household, $76,200 in a two-family household, and $85,700 in a three-family household, according
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The current vacant lot at 327 Elmwood Ave. in Providence, R.I., was once the site of the Peter Pan Diner in the 1960s.
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The nearly 9,500-square-foot lot has been vacant for years, but has a storied past.
In 1953, the Peter Pan Diner opened as an
the spot 'New England's Most Beautiful Diner-Restaurant,' and had bright white neon lights that reflected off of the silver plating that wrapped around the business.
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The restaurant also drew characters: The late Frank L. Marrapese Jr., also known as 'Bobo,' was a powerful enforcer for New England crime boss
In 1971, the diner was bought at auction and relocated to state-owned land in Galilee, a fishing village in Narragansett. The owner at the time wanted to reopen the diner, which would have required a zoning change with the town. Questions swirled over who permitted the relocation, and over the legality of keeping it on the state-owned land. The matter spurred council and court hearings. Vandals smashed its windows to get inside.
A newspaper clipping in 1972 about the former Peter Pan Diner, which at the time was located on a potato farm in Exeter, R.I.
Courtesy of Providence Public Library
Eventually, the state paid H. Winfield Tucker $1 to store the controversial diner on his potato farm in Exeter, according to the Providence Journal's archives. At that point, the diner was already worthless. A tax assessor in 1972 said it was worth the 'junk price of $2,500.' The diner sat there for years, but it's unclear what happened to the diner's remains.
Linda Tucker, H. Winfield Tucker's daughter, hung up on a Globe reporter when seeking information. H. Winfield Tucker's grandson, Dawson Hodgson, who is now the president
After the diner vacated Providence, the Elmwood Avenue plot became a Sunoco service gas station. Sometime afterward, Johnson & Wales University purchased the land, but in 2006, the college transferred the property to the Providence Redevelopment Agency.
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On the West Side, the vacant plot of land at 327 Elmwood Ave. in Providence, R.I., is expected to become a mixed-use building with 44 apartment units.
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The land was assessed last year for $200,200. In February 2024, the city requested bids for interested buyers to redevelop the property, which is how Women's Development Corporation took control over the property.
Ten units will be built on each of the second through fifth stories. The units will be a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, according to blueprints. There is not expected to be any parking for cars, but the developer will create space for bicycles.
The construction timeline is not clear. Ellen Quinn, the group's asset manager, could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday evening.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
