Thayer Street in
Providence,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
is a popular destination for students of the area's nearby schools of
Brown University
Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
,
Moses Brown School,
Hope High School,
Wheeler School,
Rhode Island School of Design
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...
,
Providence College,
Johnson & Wales University, and
Rhode Island College.
History
Thayer was initially designated in 1799 as Cross Street.
In 1823, the street's name was changed to Thayer after Dr. Williams Thayer, great-great-grandson of
Roger Williams.
It was once the home to the Thayer Street Grammar School (built in 1866–1867), located at the corner of Thayer and Meeting streets.
Neighborhood information
Thayer Street is located in the
College Hill neighborhood on the
East Side of Providence. Some Brown University student housing and academic buildings are on Thayer Street.
Similar to
Harvard Square
Harvard Square is a triangular plaza at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue (Boston), Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Brattle Street and John F. Kennedy Street near the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, C ...
in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
,
Nassau Street in
Princeton,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, and
Telegraph Avenue in
Berkeley,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, Thayer Street hosts independent shops and restaurants that serve as a communal center for students and locals. While Harvard Square has long been dominated by chain restaurants and stores, many businesses on Thayer remain independent, such as
Avon Cinema.
Starting in the mid-2000s, there has been a general increase in the proportion of Thayer Street businesses that serve food. Neighborhood residents and some other community members argue that landlords should try to lease space to retail stores instead of new restaurants. This preference is due in part to the limited parking currently available on College Hill. City zoning regulations require far fewer off-street parking spaces for retail businesses than for restaurants. Residents also complain of noise late at night and the College Hill Neighborhood Association, an organization representing College Hill residents, generally fights against applications for liquor licenses on Thayer Street.
Images
File:Thayer Street Providence, Rhode Island - rainy day June 2007.jpg
File:ThayerStParagon2.jpg
File:Angell and Thayer, Providence.jpg
File:Nelson Center for Enterpreneurship at Brown University.jpg
File:Das östliche Eingangstor der Brown University.jpg
References
External links
Thayer Street at Art in Ruins{{commonscat, Thayer Street (Providence, Rhode Island)
Brown University
Geography of Providence, Rhode Island
Roads in Rhode Island