Union Station Food Hall Expected to Arrive in Spring 2024
On Monday, Rhode Island Commerce authorized $1 million in redeemable tax credits to the Marsella Development Corporation’s food hall project.
Courtesy of the Marsella Development Corporation
Right on the heels of its recent stuffie-statues-throughout-the-states announcement (more on that here), we’ve learned that Rhode Island Commerce has helped fuel another foodie-related development that will hit much closer to home. Through the state’s Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit program, the Commerce team on Monday authorized $1 million in redeemable tax credits to the Marsella Development Corporation’s highly anticipated food hall project.
“The food hall is an incredibly important investment in Rhode Island, and we are looking forward to the positive impact it will have by providing business opportunities for local restaurateurs, reinvigorating downtown Providence, providing additional jobs and revenue in the city and ensuring the viability of an important historic property for generations to come,” says Christopher Marsella, President of the Marsella Development Corporation. “We are thankful to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation for its ongoing support of this endeavor.”
Construction is set to begin in Providence this summer with an expected completion date of spring 2024. Joining the ranks of other popular dining destinations like Plant City, Unity Park and the more recent Hope and Main Downtown Makers Market, the new food hall will offer a unique culinary experience on the lower level of One Union Station in the space previously occupied by the Capital Grille and Bar Louie. In partnership with MK Global Hospitality Group, the Marsella Development Corporation and the Marsella family plan to redevelop the storied space into a lively and sophisticated setting and to deliver a diverse, inclusive and approachable hospitality experience reflective of the Ocean State’s many cultural influences as presented by both well-known and up-and-coming local culinary talent.
While original plans for the project included a $23.5 million budget and 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, supply chain issues and challenges that often arise while working with a historic building have caused the scope of the food hall project to be reduced to an approximately $19.5 million development. As such, the new plan features a more cost-effective 17,000 square-feet of interior space with seven local merchants, vendor carts, a central bar and seating for more than 300, plus a 10,000 square-foot outdoor plaza. You can learn more about the original design plans in our initial coverage of the news here.
