Developer Moves Forward at Goddard Estate on College Hill With Multi-Unit Plan

Developer Moves Forward at Goddard Estate on College Hill With Multi-Unit Plan

 

Dustin Dezube is moving forward with a new plan to develop the historic Goddard Estate, located in Providence’s College Hill, from one home into multiple structures.

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Dezube says that over the past year and a half, his initial plans have changed, and he has been working with the community to build a consensus. These days, Dezube seems to be in the middle of many of the most ambitious and controversial developments.

“The plan has shifted quite a bit over the last 18 months. We've been taking an incredibly collaborative approach. We try our best to go at the pace that everybody is comfortable with and meet with stakeholders many, many times,” said Dezube in a 45-minute phone interview that included his architect and partner Kevin Diamond.

“You know, we really, really took a very collaborative approach where we understood everybody's views on the property and their thoughts on how it should be approached with the [architecture] and strategy,” said Dezube.

Dezube and Diamond’s initial plans for the project attracted strong opposition from neighbors.

Now, the two believe they have a plan that will work and will be supported by the surrounding community. 

 

 

The historic property nearly mirrors the history of Providence's transformation from a Colonial economy to an industrial power through its ownership over the centuries.

The Captain George Benson House, circa 1794, is a 5-bay, 2½-story Federal house that has splayed lintels with carved keystones over the windows, a central entrance with a segmental arch Doric portico, a dentil-and-modillion cornice, a deck-on-hip roof capped by a balustrade with urn finials, and pedimented dormers.

"The first-story portion on the western side is a later addition: while it simulates the articulation of the main block, its paneled balustrade is closer in style to those popular in the 1820s and 1830s. The wooden fence is similar to the balustrade on the main block of the house. Benson was allied in business with Nicholas Brown, and this well-preserved late 18th-century house recalls Providence's heyday as a shipping center,” wrote Wm McKenzie Woodward for the Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission.

For decades, the mansion was owned by the Goddard family.

The family dominated Rhode Island business and finance for nearly two centuries, and the Goddards have been dubbed one of "The Five Families."

The Goddard family sold the estate about a decade ago.

“I think it's understanding the balance between what is allowed under the ordinance versus what is the best concept for a given project...that's just not always readily apparent and the way that we get there is through dialogue,” said Diamond of the duo's plans.

 

 

Initial Plan Was Soundly Opposed

 

In the first proposal offered by Dezube and Diamond there were four new structures and the existing Goddard mansion house.

As GoLocal reported in May of 2024, that plan was not accepted.

"At a special meeting of the Historic District Commission (HDC) regarding a potential administrative subdivision of 64 Angell St., which is the site of the 1794 Captain George Benson House, the HDC provided an advisory opinion to the City that the proposed five-lot subdivision of the property would be inappropriate, citing that it would have 'significant negative impacts to the built environment, the resulting buildings that could be built on the property are not likely to meet all required conditions for approval, and the proposal is inconsistent with historic preservation goals stated in the City’s Comprehensive Plan,'" said Michaela Antunes in May of 2024, the Director of Communications for the City of Providence's Economic Development office.

That sent Dezube and Diamond back to the drawing board.

 

 

Mansion Preserved, Three New Condos, and One New Home

 

The new plan retains the Goddard mansion structure and adds one building with three condos and a second new structure that is a single-family home.

“So, in that structure is a three-unit condo project. Each floor of the building will be its own unit, and it'll be very high-end. There'll be elevator access inside that building,” said Diamond.

In total, there will be five units.

 

 

No Commitment to Preserve Fressco

 

Neither Dezube nor Diamond would commit to the preservation of the massive fresco in the Goddard Estate mansion.

“Preservation is going to be the key to that project and it's going to be the key concept. There are, there's a lot of moving parts of the renovation at this point," said Diamond.

 

 

 

Where Is the Project In the Approval Process and Next Steps

 

Now, the project needs final approvals from the City of Providence's regulatory entities.

“We have secured conceptual HDC approval, and once the architectural plans are finalized, we will seek final HDC approval,” said Diamond.

“On a project like this, the historic district approvals tend to be the most complex and time-consuming. With conceptual approval now secured, we’re over the biggest hurdle. From here, we just need final approval from the Historic District Commission, which typically moves more quickly since the major design elements have already been vetted,” said Diamond.

“Because the design has evolved significantly from the original submission, we will also need to seek a few dimensional modifications from the zoning board. That said, we feel optimistic about this next step, especially with conceptual approval—arguably the most subjective and rigorous part of the process—already in place,” Diamond added.