PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Paolino Properties has announced the sale of the former St. Joseph’s Hospital campus on Providence’s South Side, marking a significant step toward redevelopment of the long-vacant landmark — while also securing the permanent preservation of a cherished community garden through a personal donation by Joseph R. Paolino Jr.
The approximately 250,000-square-foot hospital property at 21 Peace St., along with six adjacent parcels, has been sold to Providence-based Knight & Swan LLC, led by developer Federico Manaigo. Separately, Paolino, CEO and managing partner of Paolino Properties and a former Providence mayor, will donate Peace & Plenty Gardens to the Southside Community Land Trust, ensuring it remains protected as a community garden for generations to come.
Founded in 1892, St. Joseph’s Hospital played a vital role in South Providence for more than a century. Since acquiring the property in 2017, Paolino said his team worked diligently to identify a responsible, community-minded path forward for the historic complex.
“St. Joseph’s has a long and important history in Providence,” Paolino said. “Our goal has always been to see this property revitalized in a way that contributes positively to the neighborhood and the city as a whole.”
Knight & Swan is known for high-quality adaptive reuse projects, including the award-winning redevelopment of the Stedman & Fuller Manufacturing Company Complex in Providence’s West End. The firm plans to bring new housing to the former hospital site while honoring its architectural and civic legacy.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley welcomed the announcement, calling the project an important step toward meeting the city’s housing needs while preserving a significant historic landmark.
Alongside the sale, Paolino’s donation of Peace & Plenty Gardens stands as a major philanthropic gesture. Established more than 30 years ago, the garden has become one of South Providence’s longest-standing shared green spaces, supporting food production, educational programs and partnerships that strengthen neighborhood health and connection.
Paolino said he made a commitment that the garden would be permanently protected and transferred to the Southside Community Land Trust — a promise he described as essential to the integrity of the broader transaction.
Margaret DeVos, executive director of the Southside Community Land Trust, credited Paolino’s leadership and generosity with securing the garden’s future, noting the organization had leased the land since 1989.
For Paolino, the twin announcements reflect both investment and stewardship — pairing redevelopment with preservation. “We remain deeply committed to investments that strengthen our neighborhoods while honoring their history,” he said.
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