“This structure is for you. It is about you. It is about preparing you to serve in an area vital to the public good.”
–President Ruth Simmons (2001 - 2012)
After receiving a $100-million pledge from the Warren Alpert Foundation in 2007, Brown Medical School took on a new name and began work on a new home. The Alpert Medical School opened its new 134,000-square-foot facility in August 2011 in Providence’s Jewelry District, ushering in a new period of growth in enrollment and programming.
Prior to the extensive renovation, the
building had been commercial office
space since 1972, but it was originally
built in 1928 as a factory where the
Brier Manufacturing Company made costume
jewelry with the brand name
Little Nemo. In the 1950s,
Brier was the second-largest costume
jewelry manufacturer in Providence.