Cathedral Square Repairs and Re-Imagining

Cathedral Square sits at the Western edge of downtown, flanked by the 1890 House, Cathedral Square and Grace Church senior apartments, Bishop McVinney auditorium, and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. The square was designed by architect I.M. Pei in 1962 and conceived as a bustling public space and gateway to downtown. However, the square now faces significant infrastructural challenges and is underused as a public space. The City of Providence plans to address these challenges through a two-part intervention, prioritizing immediate structural repairs, followed by a more comprehensive redesign of the space informed by public input.

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Phase 1: Cathedral Square Make Safe

Scope:
The scope of work allows for remedial work to be performed in Cathedral

Square in order to improve the area’s pedestrian safety and walkability while eliminating trip hazards and obstructions. The work will provide a repair and improvement plan, followed by construction to improve all surfaces including stairs, pavers, tree beds and other existing landscape features, and drainage features.

Timeline:
Engineering plans are complete and construction project will go to bid in Summer 2026 and construction is expected to begin in late 2026.

Phase 2: Cathedral Square Re-Imagining

Scope:
The scope of work allows for the re-imagining of Cathedral Square to improve the safety, accessibility, connectivity, vibrancy and resiliency of the area with a goal of establishing a comfortable, inviting public plaza suitable for people of all ages and abilities. The redesigned square will support adjacent uses and activities and will be welcoming to the public at all hours.

Timeline:
Community engagement began in Spring 2026, with three meetings with residents of adjacent buildings and one meeting open to the general public. The City has engaged Halvorson, Tighe & Bond to provide design and engineering services. Final designs are expected by Spring 2027.

Community Engagement

In Spring 2026 Providence Planning and Development staff held a serious of four community engagement meetings to solicit feedback from Cathedral Square residents and the general public on the current state of the square and a future vision for what it could become.

Meetings occurred on the following dates:

Project Materials

At each meeting, participants were given the opportunity to discuss their concerns about the square and their hopes for what it could offer in the future. Planning Department staff presented conceptual designs showing options for overall design of the space; specific features such as seating, lighting and landscaping; and potential future programming ideas for the space. The boards and handouts showing design concepts are available here:

Summary of Community Feedback

Residents of the buildings surrounding the square highlighted physical accessibility challenges that prevented them from using the Square. These included steep grades, stairs and broken pavement. Residents also referenced feeling unsafe in the square and requested better lighting and improved sight lines, particularly along the Jackson Walkway. Access for emergency vehicles also came up as a prime concern. Overall, resident priorities focused on maintenance and improved security first, followed by new amenities, features and programming.

At the meeting open to the general public, participants focused on programming that would attract people to the square, such as markets, food or coffee carts, classes and concerts. Several participants highlighted the current use of the space by skateboarders and bikers, and requested that future design continue to be inclusive of these users.

Participants in all four meetings were asked to score several options for overall design visions, water features, lighting, and seating. Overall, participants gravitated toward a design concept that balances natural landscape with paved surfaces, a diverse topography and more rounded shapes; water features that are playful and interactive; overhead hanging lighting; and moveable/flexible street furniture.

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Contact Katie Murphy, Principal Planner, with comments or questions: Kmurphy@providenceri.gov