The Great Pyramid of Rhode Island | Apex Building

Everyone knows about the great pyramids of Giza, but not enough people talk, or know about, the great pyramid of Rhode Island. This is the Apex building in the city of Pawtucket.
Filmed/Edited by Jason Allard
My website: www.UncomSenseMedia.com
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Drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo
Main Camera: DJI Osmo Pocket
Photo Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV w/ Rokinon 18mm f/1.8
Editing: Final Cut Pro X w/ custom plugins
Additional footage by:
BrooklynBaller101 (Inside the Apex Building) - • Exploring Inside Apex ...
Additional photos by:
Providence Journal Archives - rb.gy/rj109v
Edward Geller Deconstructed, 2015 - rb.gy/er3vmc
Read this incredible article, ‘The Architect of Happiness’, here:
rb.gy/srni52
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This is an icon of the state, and a pretty controversial one. Even me saying that it’s an icon will upset some people, since the existence of the pyramid has been seen as a roadblock to the redevelopment of the city of Pawtucket. But it’s still an icon, because it’s the first thing you see when coming into the state from Massachusetts, and the last thing you see when you leave Rhode Island.
Architect Andrew Geller was the mind behind the pyramid, and he always had a unique approach to design. A WWII veteran, he crafted his designs around post-war optimism, even being referred to as the “architect of happiness”. He is mainly known for his creative beach homes built on the New York, new jersey, and Connecticut coastlines. a 1999 New York Times article called the homes "eccentrically free-form and eye-grabbing."Another article called the homes “ingenious wooden spacecraft”.
But how did he end up designing a pyramid in Pawtucket Rhode Island?
In the 1960’s Geller worked for Loewy/Snaith, a New York City architecture firm responsible for the revolutionizing the design of shopping centers and department stores across the United States, places like Macy’s, Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdales, AND….you guessed it, Apex Department Stores. They made them easily recognizable, easy to navigate, and visually pleasing.
The design of this pyramid was based on the ziggurats from ancient Mesopotamia. You know, the ones with the stone steps and temples at the top? Yeah, Pawtucket Rhode Island got its own. How amazing is that?
When this place opened over 50 years ago, the hype was real. This place was massive, eye catching, and had everything you needed. It was beloved by the people of Rhode Island, because of course it was. One of our mascots is a big blue big on the side of the highway. For real. So, a pyramid in Pawtucket just makes sense.
Apex was founded as Apex Tire in Providence in 1924. The company opened its first retail outlet, a tire store, in the late 1930s, and opened a full sized department store in Warwick in 1966; additional stores were added in Swansea, Massachusetts, and at the current location in Pawtucket. Apex was actually one of the first retailers in the United States to open an online store - and if you go to that website, it still has almost the exact same design today.
Unfortunately, In 2001, Apex’s days as a three department store chain ended when the Warwick and Swansea stores were closed, and the inventory and staff at the Pawtucket flagship was drastically reduced. These closings came with the national decline in regional department stores, which coincided with increased competition with Target and Walmart.
What’s next for the Apex site?
If negotiations go well, and the city is able to workout a deal with Apex, then the property is planned to be used for a new development called Tidewater landing. This would be a massive event space, with dining, farmers markets, festivals, and hopefully my suggestion - another huge pyramid.
Until that happens, let’s just admire another Rhode Island icon on the side of the highway, a monument to a different time…because it might not be around much longer.
I have a lot of fun researching, exploring, and filming these places - thank you for watching and supporting me.
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