As most RI explorers probably know by now, Pontiac Mills in Warwick is mostly done with its total overhaul and is now leasing apartments. I recently went out there to how the renovations turned out, and took the opportunity to shoot some "After" shots as close as I could get to the original positioning of older photos I shot four years ago.
Most of the before photos are from May 28th 2016, and the After photos are from May 24th, 2020. I've attempted to line them up as best as possible; opening a pair in new tabs and switching between them quickly allows for a decent comparison.
01A: So Many Buildings
01B: So Many Buildings IIThe wrecked set of buildings at the right are gone, as are some other small buildings around the area.
02A: More Basement 02B: More Basement IIThe entire upper floor/ceiling of this area is gone, as are the stairs and the wall of doors.
03A: Rancid 03B: Rancid IIOf all the things that could still be here, the shit barrel is what remains.
04A: Greenroom 04B: Greenroom IIUnfortunately the cool green-tinted bathroom did not survive.
05A: The Bell 05B: The Bell IIThe bell from the front tower was brought down into one of the outdoor common areas.
06A: Catastrophic Structural Failure 06B: Catastrophic Structural Failure IIIt took us a while to figure out where I'd been standing for the original photo, and it's hard to tell these are the same spot. The entire water raceway beneath the building is full of gravel now and this destroyed picture framing studio is totally gone. The greenish brick wall near the center of the original photo matches up with the wall in the new one.
07A: Building 4 07B: Building 4 IIThis empty little building by the river is now a standalone apartment unit. Judging from the shadows, I shot this photo at almost the same time of day as back then too.
08A: Mesen 08B: Mesen IIThis shot was difficult to gauge because the overgrown wall on the right side was demolished and it took us both a minute to realize the difference.
09A: Alley 09B: Alley II 10A: Arch 10B: Arch II 11A: Amalgamation 11B: Amalgamation IIThis photo was originally shot from on the balcony visible in the top left corner, however that building was now an apartment and we felt the tenant probably wouldn't appreciate us climbing all over it.
12A: Front Office 12B: Front Office IIUnfortunately the layout of this room had changed so the corner I shot the original photo in is now behind the wall at the right, making a before an after functionally impossible.
12C: Front Office IIBThat didn't stop me from doing it anyway.
13A: Front Tower 13B: Front Tower IIMight as well end this set with the recreation of the first photo I ever shot of this place, "Front Tower".
Yes, the chimney got shorter.