House Lust: A Historical Marvel in Downtown Woonsocket
This building has it all: High ceilings! Exposed brick. A dreamy owner's duplex. A retail store! A restaurant. A former speakeasy!
Honan’s Block in Woonsocket, which houses an exquisite owner’s loft, is on the market for $799,000. Photo courtesy of Compass.
It’s been a while, House Lusters, but I hope you’ll agree that this gorgeous property was worth the wait.
It has everything! (Said in best Stefon voice.)
A dreamy owner’s duplex! Tin ceilings. Exposed brick. A retail shop! A restaurant. Two more apartments. Floor-to-ceiling windows. A cast-iron front.
A cast-iron front, people!
And let’s not forget the former speakeasy in the basement.
Welcome to Honan’s Block, a whole bunch of history and chic urban living tucked into two adjoining buildings at 106-114 Main St., Woonsocket. Built in 1879, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places and in wonderful condition, thanks to preservation-minded artists who renovated it twenty years ago.
“The property is in amazing shape, cosmetically and mechanically,” says Nelson Taylor of the Blackstone Team at Compass Real Estate, who represented the redevelopers when they first bought it two decades ago. “They pulled out mountains of old wiring and updated the plumbing. You’ve got the best of both worlds: You’ve got this super-historic, beautiful property that’s been developed with a flair for art, but it’s also in great shape.”
The three-story building first started life as a photography studio in 1879, back when the art form was in its infancy. A floor-to-ceiling window and covered-up skylight on the third floor let in copious amounts of light, which was needed for film developing at the time.
That window, and other details like exposed brick walls and tin ceilings, are perfectly preserved in the owner’s duplex. The space has three bedrooms, but they could be used in a myriad of ways: two bedrooms and an office, or one bedroom plus a library and home office. The living and dining areas are expansive and loft-like, with the floor-to-ceiling window illuminating the dining room. The two full bathrooms are done in black slate and feature a walk-in shower and clawfoot tub.
Other amenities include an antique stove, gleaming bamboo and oak floors, a Bosch convection oven and dishwasher, new windows, a washer and dryer, a small garden area and two parking spaces.
In all, the building contains five units: three apartments, including the duplex, and a retail shop and restaurant on the first level. It’s listed both as a commercial and multifamily residential property for $799,000.
For more information about Honan’s Block, contact Nelson Taylor at the Blackstone Team at Compass Real Estate at 401-486-1948, nelson.taylor@compass.com or visit compass.com.
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