The Nelson W. Aldrich High School in Warwick, Rhode Island opened in 1935 in response to a growing population, and the need for newer and more modern school facilities. The building was designed by the firm of Walker and Son, who were also responsible for a number of buildings across the state in varying styles, perhaps the most notable among them the Cranston Street Armory in Providence. Twenty years later when Warwick Veterans Memorial High School opened, Aldrich was converted into a middle school. In 2016 with the closure of Aldrich, Warwick Veterans was itself converted into a middle school. The now vacant school building sits in decay as the city works to sell it for redevelopment. As of June 2023 there are some new developments so stay tuned until the end of the video for an update on both Aldrich and the adjacent former Christopher Rhodes Elementary School property. 0:00 Intro 0:10 Building Exterior 3:22 Stairwells and Hallways 5:07 Front Vestibule 6:14 Auditorium 7:44 Light Courts/Air Shafts 8:08 Library 11:05 Projection Room 11:45 Cafeteria 12:09 Kitchen 13:11 Art Room 13:46 Cooking Room 14:24 Sewing Room 14:44 Boiler Room 15:55 Gymnasium 17:22 Aldrich Update 17:36 Rhodes Update 19:43 Outro Thanks for watching! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/marcberm FOLLOW ME for announcements, behind-the-scenes and more! twitter.com/marcberm instagram.com/marcberm facebook.com/marcbermvideo www.tiktok.com/@marcberm
This building always had a super depressing atmosphere. I was bullied so bad at this school between 1998-2000 that the school committee agreed to pull me out and send me to the far superior Gorton where I had the best time of my adolescent life.
You are so lucky you get to go back into these facilities. I feel like I am watching that scene from the Titanic where old Rose keeps going back and forth from past to present
My sisters went here for middle school and almost all my hs teachers used to work there!!! I was supposed to go there for middle school aswell but it closed
It doesn't look like the sale of the building ever happened so I'm not sure what's going on. Wynn should have closed on it and maybe even started construction by now. Nobody I've asked is saying anything and property ownership records are missing from the tax assessor's database. It was still listed as a property of the city when I checked last year.
As much as I am fascinated by this video (having not been in the building since 1986) I am equally saddened by it, because this video is basically a giant advertisement that says "rob me." I'll bet the building will be completely sacked of every object left in place and every inch of copper stripped out within a couple weeks of this hitting the internet. Even that Diehl fan will be ripped out, and there won't be an intact pane of glass, or un-vandalized wall left. Then no one will want it and Aldrich's future will be doomed.
The $2M high bidder for the building has entered a purchase and sales agreement with the city, so that will be closing any time now. The building itself is fairly well secured and protected. Although there's limited power inside, there are security cameras watching the outside perimeter, and a driving school has an arrangement to use the parking lots several days a week until it's sold.
My friend and I went explorining there it was around the time the first covid hit there was a McDonald's near there we couldmt eat in resturaunt so we sat on steps and ate our food
I can't believe they want to turn this place into senior housing. Nothing screams senior housing like asbestos and stairs. I remember I broke my leg in 8th grade and had to be dropped off in the back because that was the only accessible entrance. Also, the only elevator is in the middle of the school and it was janky as hell. Its sad that this place has sat for over 7 years, im surprised its still in a good condition and hasnt been completely vandalized.
Asbestos and lead abatement are definitely huge up-front costs to redevelopment. I think that's why it's sat so long already; the building isn't really suited to ANY reuse as it sits today. Preliminary plans for the senior housing would gut the building interior completely leaving just the exterior shell, so everything will be new and modern once it's finished. Aldrich is just the main/street-facing building, since there will be others on the property behind it eventually.
It took several months of talks with the city. I was invited along with the group of interested buyers and elected officials in April (when the property went out to bid).
