A brief of the building history: The Peerless Building, (ca. 1866, 1873, 1892) comprised of five individual buildings, the two most prominent built by William R. Walker, architect for original building and 1892 alterations, was established as a department store -- the first of its scale in Providence -- in 1866. The commercial building, which soon became known as the Boston Store, was immediately successful. The original store quickly outgrew its initial footprint and expansion on the site began in 1872. In the early 1950’s the Boston Store was bought by Peerless and operated in this location as Peerless department store through 1985. From 1993 through 2003 the building was home to two live music venues, the Met Cafe and Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, on the ground floor, featuring many famous musical acts of the time. Cornish Associates and DBVW Architect’s rehabilitation and redevelopment of the property began in 2004 and completed in 2005, bringing 9 commercial units to the ground floor, 97 residential apartments to floors 2-7 and a vast rooftop garden. A central atrium opens the 7 stories of the building up to natural light on the interior.