PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Colonial-style building that was once home to a beloved Fox Point restaurant was demolished over the weekend.
Duck & Bunny, located on Wickenden Street, is well known for its cupcakes, crepes and brunch offerings. The building, according to the city of Providence, was built in the 1990s.
The owners posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page last summer that their goal was to raise enough money to reopen their Providence and Pawtucket locations in 2021.
But the building was completely torn down on Saturday, leaving those who loved the establishment scratching their heads.
The Providence Preservation Society said while the building “contributed to the College Hill Historic District on the National Registry [of Historic Places],” Wickenden Street is not part of a local historic district, meaning the owners’ demolition and construction plans do not need to be reviewed.
“PPS confirmed last year that the building was in rough shape but it could have been restored,” the Providence Preservation Society wrote in a recent Instagram post.
In a statement, Providence City Councilman John Goncalves expressed his disappointment in the lack of communication between the owners and the city regarding the demolition.
“While notifying abutters is not legally required, not letting the neighbors know prior to the contractor’s work creates challenges for the neighborhood,” Goncalves said. “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,” he continued.
It’s unclear what the space will look like once the restaurant is rebuilt, but the owners recently posted on the Duck & Bunny Facebook page saying, “See you brand new in ’22!”
