No parking zones aren't unusual in Middletown. The age of the sign outside the former Berkeley-Peckham School is, the subject of this month's "Where Am I?" feature from the town. #MiddletownRI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
“WHERE AM I?” ANSWER — FEBRUARY 2023
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (FEBRUARY 6, 2023) – If the “No Parking” sign outside the former Berkeley-Peckham School looks old, that’s because it is.
Like the brick building itself, the wooden placard overlooking the parking lot at 660 Green End Avenue has stood the test of time.
Today, nobody pays much attention to those fading black and red letters anymore because it’s been about a decade since the building was last used as a school.
That’s when the East Bay Community Action Program closed its center there due to deep cuts in federal aid.
Since then, the former elementary school has been used by the town for a variety of purposes, including storage for off season beach equipment, excess office furniture and other supplies.
Part of the two-story building was also called into service as office space for at least two Hollywood movies filmed locally — the Wes Anderson piece “Moonrise Kingdom” and “The Discovery” starring Robert Redford, Rooney Mara and Jason Segel.
Today, several former first-floor classrooms have been transformed there into the Middletown Senior Center Thrift Shop. The store stocked with everything from clothing and artwork to jewelry, home goods and other items is open weekly Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 am - 2 pm.
Long term, the Town Council has approved the study of transforming the Peckham School property into 20 units of affordable housing. If built, the apartments would be mostly within the existing footprint of the school building.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/6836/WAI---February-2023