Greater City Providence

38 Studios to settle at One Empire Plaza


Image from Google StreetView

PBN reports that Curt Schilling’s controversial 38 Studios company will be calling One Empire Plaza home. One Empire is located at the corner of Empire and Washington across from AS220 in one of the buildings formerly occupied by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

In a press release announcing the move, 38 Studios said it hopes to create a Rhode Island video game cluster and:

“The staff at 38 Studios is incredibly excited about our relocation to Providence and we expect to be the first of many relocating knowledge-economy companies that will take advantage of the opportunities Rhode Island provides,” said Jen MacLean, Chief Executive Officer of 38 Studios. “Providence has some of the best students in the nation, a vibrant arts community, and a dynamic urban environment with easy access to public transportation. We look forward to working closely with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and local businesses in the months ahead to plan how our company’s growth can also benefit the state of Rhode Island.”

AS220’s Bert Crenca was quoted in the release saying:

Said Umberto Crenca, Artistic Director, AS220, “I am very excited about the commitment of 38 Studios to locate in downtown Providence. The clustering of creative and digital industries so close to internationally recognized schools such as RISD, Brown, JWU, and URI can be the trigger that propels Providence into its future. The city’s diversity, historic architecture and strong arts and culture have helped it to create a high quality of life that is attractive to creative types. Richard Florida’s predictions are coming to pass: Creative people are drawn to interesting, dynamic and diverse communities; creative industries are drawn to talent and a new economic model is born.”

For more on the politics and economics of the 38 Studios deal, look through Ted Nesi’s blog at WPRI for some great reporting on the topic.

Jef Nickerson

Jef is Greater City Providence's co-founder, editor, and publisher. He grew up on Cape Cod and lived in Boston; Portland, Maine; and New York before settling in Providence. In addition to urbanism, Jef is interested in art, design, and ice cream. Please feel free to contact Jef if you have any question or comments about Greater City Providence.

7 comments

  • If you take the loan guarantee as a given (whether it’s a good or a bad idea), this is a great location for them to choose.

  • I just noticed that there is a Providence Police car parked in front of a hydrant in the street view picture. I am sure he or she was on important police business…he says sarcactically. At least it wasn’t parking enforcement.

  • PBN article on the upcoming renovations at 1 Empire Plaza. Work is to commence next month and wrap up in May, when 38 Studios should be moving in.

    I’d like to see a nice big sign on the building myself. 38 Studio’s logo is vertically oriented, it would look hot.

  • PBN reports that 38 Studios has begun moving in ahead of schedule and employees will start reporting to work at One Empire Plaza on Tuesday.

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