This weekend, the building that was the former home to Fox Point’s beloved Duck & Bunny was demolished. Unfortunately, the demolition date was not communicated to our community nor to me as the Councilperson, which is unfortunately not required by ordinance.

I have been in touch with the City departments that oversee these permits, and the permit for demolition was issued on March 15. Again, while notifying abutters is not legally required, not letting the neighbors know prior to the contractor’s work creates challenges for the neighborhood. We have expressed our disappointment regarding the lack of communication, particularly due to the adverse impact this has had on our constituents as well as the way this demolition impacts the historic vibrancy and fabric of our neighborhood.

The long-time owners indicated that they had hoped to rehab the property, but the building was in such poor shape it was preferable and more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild than to repair.
The owners went through a staff review process prior to permit approvals, and the new building will be of a similar scale and size. I will be reaching out to the owners to have a discussion about their plans. There are no current permits for the new building structure. Once I speak to the owners about future plans, I will share what I can at that time.

John Goncalves
Councilman, Ward 1
Providence City Council