PROVIDENCE, RI — The Miriam Hospital in Providence will undergo a renovation project, which will upgrade its emergency department and inpatient units, hospital officials said Monday.

The upgrades were approved with a certificate of need from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) based on a recommendation from RIDOH’s Health Services Council, a spokesperson for Brown University Health, which owns the hospital, said.

“Receiving this approval marks a crucial step forward in our steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional patient care and advancing medical excellence,” Miriam Hospital President Maria Ducharme said. “Our current building, now over 100 years old, can no longer adequately support the demands of modern patient care. In addition, our emergency department is a fragmented space that no longer supports efficient patient flow and the highest levels of communication we strive to deliver to those who have come to rely on us for their care. These much-needed renovations will create a safe, comfortable, environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of our community.”

Work is scheduled to begin spring 2025 and will be carried out in three phases throughout the next three years. Hospital officials said this phased approach is designed to minimize disruptions to ongoing patient care and the surrounding communities.

The first phase will involve demolishing the hospital campus’s oldest building to create space for a new emergency department and private patient rooms. The renovation project has an estimated cost of $125 million for completion, the majority which will be funded through a centennial capital fundraising campaign.

“As a cornerstone of our community, the Miriam Hospital has always been committed to delivering exceptional care,” Brown University Health President John Fernandez said. “This investment reflects Brown University Health’s unwavering dedication to modernizing our facilities, advancing healthcare and improving outcomes for everyone we serve.”

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With it being almost a week since the West Virginia bowl game, several former Mountaineers who have entered the portal are starting to find new opportunities elsewhere. Over the weekend, tight end Will Dixon announced his commitment to Rhode Island.

Dixon reclassified to be a part of West Virginia’s 2022 signing class but was buried on the depth chart behind Kole Taylor, Treylan Davis, and others. Last offseason was a critical one for him as the Mountaineer coaching staff was searching for a third tight end. Instead of that guy being Dixon, it was true freshman Jack Sammarco. Dixon appeared in seven games during his time in the Old Gold and Blue, primarily serving on the special teams unit.

Coming out of high school, he chose West Virginia over offers from Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall, Temple, and a few others.

He will have one year of eligibility remaining.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Tenants of Atlantic Mills announced they had formed the “first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island” on Dec. 21.

The Atlantic Mills Tenants Union was established as an affiliate as a chapter of the Rhode Island Tenants Union, and called for the mill’s current owners, The Howard and Eleanor Brynes Trust, and potential future owners, Robert Berle and Eric Edelman, to “come to the negotiating table in good faith to collectively bargain.”

The union also listed its demands from the owners, which included a 99 year lease term, immediate rent stabilization, and an eviction moratorium that began Dec. 21 and extends until “a collectively bargained agreement can be reached.”

First commercial tenant union in the state! pic.twitter.com/RqNDo3FPYZ

— Olneyville Neighborhood Association (ONA) (@OnaProvidence) December 22, 2024

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A response deadline of Dec. 30 was also given.

“The future of Olneyville is at a crossroads,” Olneyville Neighborhood Association Board Chair Cindy Miranda said. “That is why we have taken this historic step and formed the first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island. Our stories, our livelihoods, and our futures are at stake.”