Bellevue Avenue/Casino Historic District
170-230 Bellvue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island
Photos
Audrain Building
1. Historic American Buildings Survey, Cervin Robinson, Photographer July 17, 1970 VIEW OF FACADE FROM SOUTHWEST.
Photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey
View photos at Library of Congress
Map
Coordinates:
+41.48244, -71.3073341°28'57" N, 71°18'26" W
Quadrangle map:Newport
Description
The Audrain Building was built in 1902-1903 for Adolphe L. Audrain and was designed by the New York architect Bruce Price. The Audrain Building is particularly significant as one of the four buildings that comprise a distinguished commercial street, the east side of Bellevue Avenue beginning at Memorial Boulevard and running south. The development of the street began at the north with the building of the Travers Block at the corner in 1870-1871. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, it is an important example of his early style. The next building, and the next one in date, is the Newport Casino. The largest of the four, and historically the best known, it was not only a commercial building but also a social center for the summer colony. Built in 1880-1881, it is a well known example of the Shingle Style by the architects McKim, Mead, and White. It has been placed on the National Register. The third building in the group is the King Block, designed by the Boston architect Perkins and Betton and built in 1892-1893. The Audrain Building is the southern anchor of the group. The four buildings maintain a long street line and are basically related in scale and massing. They are also related in their use of richly textures surfaces which at the same time allows great variety and liveliness. Without matching, the buildings compliment each other in a particularly urbane way and form an ensemble which should be preserved.
-- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS RI-333)
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 1972
- Reference number
- 72000024
- Architectural style
- Victorian: Shingle Style
- Areas of significance
- Commerce; Entertainment/Recreation; Architecture; Social History
- Level of significance
- National
- Evaluation criteria
- A - Event; C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- District
- Historic functions
- Civic; Specialty store; Sport facility
- Current functions
- Museum; Civic; Sport facility; Specialty store
- Periods of significance
- 1900-1924; 1875-1899; 1850-1874
- Number of properties
- Contributing buildings: 3
Update Log
- April 18, 2017: New Street View added by Michael Miller