The Nelson W. Aldrich High School in Warwick, Rhode Island opened in 1935 in response to a growing population, and the need for newer and more modern school facilities. The building was designed by the firm of Walker and Son, who were also responsible for a number of buildings across the state in varying styles, perhaps the most notable among them the Cranston Street Armory in Providence. Twenty years later when Warwick Veterans Memorial High School opened, Aldrich was converted into a middle school. In 2016 with the closure of Aldrich, Warwick Veterans was itself converted into a middle school. The now vacant school building sits in decay as the city works to sell it for redevelopment. As of June 2023 there are some new developments so stay tuned until the end of the video for an update on both Aldrich and the adjacent former Christopher Rhodes Elementary School property. 0:00 Intro 0:10 Building Exterior 3:22 Stairwells and Hallways 5:07 Front Vestibule 6:14 Auditorium 7:44 Light Courts/Air Shafts 8:08 Library 11:05 Projection Room 11:45 Cafeteria 12:09 Kitchen 13:11 Art Room 13:46 Cooking Room 14:24 Sewing Room 14:44 Boiler Room 15:55 Gymnasium 17:22 Aldrich Update 17:36 Rhodes Update 19:43 Outro Thanks for watching! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/marcberm FOLLOW ME for announcements, behind-the-scenes and more! twitter.com/marcberm instagram.com/marcberm facebook.com/marcbermvideo www.tiktok.com/@marcberm
You are so lucky you get to go back into these facilities. I feel like I am watching that scene from the Titanic where old Rose keeps going back and forth from past to present
Omg went there 7th 8th grade...lots of teen drama...had an amazing science teacher Mr. Ghiloni...everything I know about science I learned from him Jill Trinquier 67 68 ish
It doesn't look like the sale of the building ever happened so I'm not sure what's going on. Wynn should have closed on it and maybe even started construction by now. Nobody I've asked is saying anything and property ownership records are missing from the tax assessor's database. It was still listed as a property of the city when I checked last year.
My sisters went here for middle school and almost all my hs teachers used to work there!!! I was supposed to go there for middle school aswell but it closed
This building always had a super depressing atmosphere. I was bullied so bad at this school between 1998-2000 that the school committee agreed to pull me out and send me to the far superior Gorton where I had the best time of my adolescent life.
I was there in 1965 - 66. There was no bullying then. Except for the bullying my class did to a certain English teacher. Mrs R. It still haunts me to this day what we did to her. We drove her out of the profession. I saw her obit a long time ago and sometimes visit her grave to try to apologize. She didn't deserve the treatment.
My friend and I went explorining there it was around the time the first covid hit there was a McDonald's near there we couldmt eat in resturaunt so we sat on steps and ate our food
As much as I am fascinated by this video (having not been in the building since 1986) I am equally saddened by it, because this video is basically a giant advertisement that says "rob me." I'll bet the building will be completely sacked of every object left in place and every inch of copper stripped out within a couple weeks of this hitting the internet. Even that Diehl fan will be ripped out, and there won't be an intact pane of glass, or un-vandalized wall left. Then no one will want it and Aldrich's future will be doomed.
The $2M high bidder for the building has entered a purchase and sales agreement with the city, so that will be closing any time now. The building itself is fairly well secured and protected. Although there's limited power inside, there are security cameras watching the outside perimeter, and a driving school has an arrangement to use the parking lots several days a week until it's sold.
It is locked down tight. I was expecting the sale to close and the building to change hands shortly after this video came out, but it's taken a lot longer than expected for the legal land stuff to get sorted out. There are city athletic fields and a fire station on the property that are staying and need to be separated on paper. For the time being WPD patrols often, and the active fire station on the corner of the property reports suspicious activity and loitering.
@@marcberm That sucks. Do you think it's possible for an average person to see inside? I'm sure that if construction starts, that will make it a lot easier.
I can't believe they want to turn this place into senior housing. Nothing screams senior housing like asbestos and stairs. I remember I broke my leg in 8th grade and had to be dropped off in the back because that was the only accessible entrance. Also, the only elevator is in the middle of the school and it was janky as hell. Its sad that this place has sat for over 7 years, im surprised its still in a good condition and hasnt been completely vandalized.
Asbestos and lead abatement are definitely huge up-front costs to redevelopment. I think that's why it's sat so long already; the building isn't really suited to ANY reuse as it sits today. Preliminary plans for the senior housing would gut the building interior completely leaving just the exterior shell, so everything will be new and modern once it's finished. Aldrich is just the main/street-facing building, since there will be others on the property behind it eventually.
It took several months of talks with the city. I was invited along with the group of interested buyers and elected officials in April (when the property went out to bid).
The Nelson W. Aldrich High School in Warwick, Rhode Island opened in 1935 in response to a growing population, and the need for newer and more modern school facilities. The building was designed by the firm of Walker and Son, who were also responsible for a number of buildings across the state in varying styles, perhaps the most notable among them the Cranston Street Armory in Providence. Twenty years later when Warwick Veterans Memorial High School opened, Aldrich was converted into a middle school. In 2016 with the closure of Aldrich, Warwick Veterans was itself converted into a middle school. The now vacant school building sits in decay as the city works to sell it for redevelopment. As of June 2023 there are some new developments so stay tuned until the end of the video for an update on both Aldrich and the adjacent former Christopher Rhodes Elementary School property.
0:00 Intro
0:10 Building Exterior
3:22 Stairwells and Hallways
5:07 Front Vestibule
6:14 Auditorium
7:44 Light Courts/Air Shafts
8:08 Library
11:05 Projection Room
11:45 Cafeteria
12:09 Kitchen
13:11 Art Room
13:46 Cooking Room
14:24 Sewing Room
14:44 Boiler Room
15:55 Gymnasium
17:22 Aldrich Update
17:36 Rhodes Update
19:43 Outro
Thanks for watching!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/marcberm
FOLLOW ME for announcements, behind-the-scenes and more!
twitter.com/marcberm
instagram.com/marcberm
facebook.com/marcbermvideo
www.tiktok.com/@marcberm
Would have been smarter to turn into a Harry Potter style castle do you know how many people would go to that kind of thing
11:22 That Diehl fan is probably original to the building, and has probably run near continuously for almost 90 years! How incredible is that?
I went to Aldrich in my jr high years! Hard to believe it’s abandoned now! I grew up around there!❤
You are so lucky you get to go back into these facilities. I feel like I am watching that scene from the Titanic where old Rose keeps going back and forth from past to present
Omg went there 7th 8th grade...lots of teen drama...had an amazing science teacher Mr. Ghiloni...everything I know about science I learned from him
Jill Trinquier 67 68 ish
Nothing seems to be happening with this! Really sad! I had great times here!❤
It doesn't look like the sale of the building ever happened so I'm not sure what's going on. Wynn should have closed on it and maybe even started construction by now. Nobody I've asked is saying anything and property ownership records are missing from the tax assessor's database. It was still listed as a property of the city when I checked last year.
My sisters went here for middle school and almost all my hs teachers used to work there!!! I was supposed to go there for middle school aswell but it closed
This building always had a super depressing atmosphere. I was bullied so bad at this school between 1998-2000 that the school committee agreed to pull me out and send me to the far superior Gorton where I had the best time of my adolescent life.
I can agree with this- super depressing
i was in the last graduating 8th grade class that shit sucked ngl i hated every single minute of being in that place.
I was there in 1965 - 66. There was no bullying then. Except for the bullying my class did to a certain English teacher. Mrs R. It still haunts me to this day what we did to her. We drove her out of the profession. I saw her obit a long time ago and sometimes visit her grave to try to apologize. She didn't deserve the treatment.
Still kind that you think about it and continue to try to make it right.
My friend and I went explorining there it was around the time the first covid hit there was a McDonald's near there we couldmt eat in resturaunt so we sat on steps and ate our food
Cool place
As much as I am fascinated by this video (having not been in the building since 1986) I am equally saddened by it, because this video is basically a giant advertisement that says "rob me." I'll bet the building will be completely sacked of every object left in place and every inch of copper stripped out within a couple weeks of this hitting the internet. Even that Diehl fan will be ripped out, and there won't be an intact pane of glass, or un-vandalized wall left. Then no one will want it and Aldrich's future will be doomed.
The $2M high bidder for the building has entered a purchase and sales agreement with the city, so that will be closing any time now. The building itself is fairly well secured and protected. Although there's limited power inside, there are security cameras watching the outside perimeter, and a driving school has an arrangement to use the parking lots several days a week until it's sold.
Have you returned since? I've wanted to see it for a while, but I heard it's locked down tight.
It is locked down tight. I was expecting the sale to close and the building to change hands shortly after this video came out, but it's taken a lot longer than expected for the legal land stuff to get sorted out. There are city athletic fields and a fire station on the property that are staying and need to be separated on paper. For the time being WPD patrols often, and the active fire station on the corner of the property reports suspicious activity and loitering.
@@marcberm That sucks. Do you think it's possible for an average person to see inside? I'm sure that if construction starts, that will make it a lot easier.
Where do high school students go now, if Warwick veterans is a middle?
Pilgrim and Toll Gate. Winman and Vets are the middle schools, which are now grades 6-8 (middle or "junior high" used to be just 7 and 8).
@@marcberm thanks
The school 🏫 would make a great place for apartments in the future 😅
That's exactly what the plan is; should be done within the next few years.
No charm left
I can't believe they want to turn this place into senior housing. Nothing screams senior housing like asbestos and stairs. I remember I broke my leg in 8th grade and had to be dropped off in the back because that was the only accessible entrance. Also, the only elevator is in the middle of the school and it was janky as hell. Its sad that this place has sat for over 7 years, im surprised its still in a good condition and hasnt been completely vandalized.
Asbestos and lead abatement are definitely huge up-front costs to redevelopment. I think that's why it's sat so long already; the building isn't really suited to ANY reuse as it sits today. Preliminary plans for the senior housing would gut the building interior completely leaving just the exterior shell, so everything will be new and modern once it's finished. Aldrich is just the main/street-facing building, since there will be others on the property behind it eventually.
I hated every minute of the 2 years I was there. Every.single.second.
I know I didn't love it, but I don't remember hating it either. I was not a super social or popular kid so I could mostly take it or leave it.
It was that bad for you? I’m sorry. I had a good 2 years there , 2001 & 2002
@@crestfallenwarrior6996 Exactly ten years earlier for me! 😀
To bad for you
How did you get inside
It took several months of talks with the city. I was invited along with the group of interested buyers and elected officials in April (when the property went out to bid).
I was team barracudas in 7th grade and team lobsters in 8th
same.