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!

November 5, 2024

Dana Rae Laverty,

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.)

via GIPHY

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 two adjoining buildings are being sold as one parcel. Built in 1879, the structures house three apartments and a retail space and restaurant on the first level. During Prohibition, it also hosted a speakeasy in the basement. Photo courtesy of Compass.
The owner's duplex has two floors and eleven new windows to let in ample sunshine. Photo courtesy of Compass.
Gleaming bamboo and oak floors bring warmth to the space. Photo courtesy of Compass.
The third floor was home to a photography studio in 1897. See that floor-to-ceiling window? That was used to bring in plenty of light, necessary for developing film in those days. Photo courtesy of Compass Real Estate.
A closer view of what surely must be Rhode Island's largest residential window. A skylight above has since been boarded up. Photo courtesy of Compass.
Can we just marvel at this brick detailing and lovely, bright door? Honan's Block also housed a bank at one time, and 1,000-pound vault doors are still in the basement. Photo courtesy of Compass.
An elaborate staircase leads from the second to third floor. Photo courtesy of Compass.
One of the three bedrooms in the owner's suite. (Cats not included, unfortunately.) Photo courtesy of Compass.
One of the duplex's two full bathrooms. This one is done in black slate with a clawfoot tub and walk-in shower. Photo courtesy of Compass.
Another bedroom in the owner's suite. Check out that tin ceiling!! Photo courtesy of Compass.
The cast-iron front of the building. I repeat, the cast-iron front of the building! Photo courtesy of Compass.
A small deck and patio area. There is also parking for two cars. Photo courtesy of Compass.
See those bricked-in windows on the lower level? Legend has it that's where the speakeasy was. A tunnel leads to the area, which is blocked off. "There's no access to it," says Nelson Taylor of the Blackstone Team at Compass Real Estate. "You'd have to unbrick those windows to find out what's back there." Photo courtesy of Compass.

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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