Decomposing body found in Rhode Island wedding venue

A man’s decomposing body was found at a shuttered wedding venue in Rhode Island Tuesday morning, Providence police said.

Providence police responded around 11 a.m. Tuesday to Skyline at Waterplace, a wedding and event venue currently battling eviction proceedings from the city. The 57-year-old Black man, who was not identified by police, was pronounced dead at the Waterplace Restaurant.

According to a police report obtained by Boston.com, the body of the man “appeared to be deceased for several days due to the status of decomposition.” The restaurant has been closed since July 27.

Someone familiar with the man, whose identity was redacted, told police that the man was homeless and had permission to sleep in the restaurant, where he worked.

They also told police that the man “has been battling some serious health issues and has been going through chemotherapy and dialysis treatment for several months,” the police report said.

A detective wrote that the death did not appear suspicious.

The incident comes to the controversial venue, which is owned by the state and managed by the Providence Parks Department, that has been facing eviction from the city since last fall, The Boston Globe reported.

In February, the city rejected a lease transfer, which will send Skyline to an eviction trial in Superior court in October, according to the Globe. 

Skyline’s attorney, Michael Lepizzera, did not return a request for comment Wednesday evening, and calls to the venue went unreturned.